The Time is Now to Reign in Government Spending

Too often the recession is blamed for the economic trouble that federal, State and local governments find themselves in. This is only partly true but it leaves a vast gap in the true nature of the economic turmoil that has engulfed government at all levels and that is; out of control spending.

Too often government at all levels perpetrated and engaged in spending that could not be sustained over time and no thought to the long term consequences of their actions. This is not confined to one party or one president, both sides, both Republican and Democratic presidents engaged in irresponsible economic policies that now have the nation saddled with a huge national debt.

Local governments fare no better as they are facing enormous amount of red ink and no idea of how to solve the problem. California, the state that I hail from has literally bankrupted itself and Sacramento squabbles about raising taxes or cutting spending.

Right now government entities at all levels are facing a hidden tsunami that most taxpayers are unaware of; the funding of governmental pensions. Governmental pension systems are facing a shortfall of almost one trillion dollars that have to be met and elected officials are hiding this from the public as they have no clue how to cover this gap. Too often over generous benefits and lack of contributions contributed to the mess, but it’s the taxpayers who will face the music.

You would think by now that spending would abate, but no spending still continues at record pace with no end in sight. This week it was reported that California State Government wasted one billion dollars of the taxpayer’s money because of poor accounting and wasteful spending practices, but at the same time they are cutting vital services.

The stimulus package that passed last year has been a boondoggle from the beginning only enriching Democratic power brokers and special interest groups. In 2008 we elected Democrats and President Obama to end business as usual, but all we got is the same old governmental structure replacing one corrupt party for another.

It’s time the people take back their country and make sure that elected officials are held accountable for their actions and who they are supposed to represent. Time has come for sound economic policy is instituted in Washington and across the nation as our economic future depends on it.

Come November let s through them all out and elected representatives who put the people interest’s firsts and not their own!

Drama in Washington Over Health Care Reform

Today the President convened his much anticipated Health Care Reform Summit, unfortunately it was an opportunity for both political parties to posture and articulate their core beliefs in favor or against Health Care Reform.

The real issue that hasn’t been discussed is how will America afford sweeping health care reform measures currently before Congress? The House and Senate bill already has been a give away to special interest groups and various members of both the House and Senate to gain their vote.

The question that I want to propose is how the nation will afford such sweeping change to the nation’s health care system? Assumptions of cost savings have been factored into both health care plans before Congress, but as we have seen in the past over optimistic accounting has ratcheted the spending higher than was anticipated.

The stimulus package that was passed last year was revised upward at the tune of over $75 billion dollars, and the prescription drug plan passed in 2004 wasn’t even paid for and only added to the national debt. The nation can’t afford for the administration to be wrong, because if they are then it will add another entitlement program that only adds to the burdensome national debt.

The administration needs to take a step back and analysis this legislation and remove all provisions and kick back to individual House and Senate leaders to secure their vote, and truly enact a comprehensive reform measure that will truly reduce the cost of health care in this country.

If we continue on this path then the taxpayers are the ones that will pay!

Tomorrow Health Summit Begins

Tomorrow the much anticipated Health care Summit convenes with the President trying to resurrect support for his health care initiative and Republicans trying to stop its passage.

This summit is only a mere shame to show bi-partisanship that they are working together; unfortunately the Democrats are using this to trap Republicans. Republicans are showing up just too show the American people they have creditable solutions to reforming the nation’s health care.

The real problem is that neither side has come up with any viable solution to the spiraling cost of health care. The one area that has not been addressed adequately is how to control the cost of health care!

Both the House and Senate version of health care legislation uses over optimistic funding in controlling cost. If passed health care legislation predicates that over $500 billion dollars will be cut from Medicare and will raise taxes to fund the over one trillion dollars health care reform legislation.

First there is $500 billion dollars to be cut from Medicare, why wasn’t it done already; as this could have reduced our debt. When has Congress ever reduced spending from anything let alone from Medicare that will anger the largest voting bloc; senior citizens.

As for taxes, you are going to raise taxes in a time of great economic peril; this will hurt Middle America. Where is tort reform in this debate or preventative medicine?

Those in favor of Health Care Reform had better make sure that the numbers add up or America will be saddled with huge monstrous reform package that will only add to the national debt.

Look how this measure had to pass the Senate with various Senators guaranteed different kickbacks to ensure its passage. Senator Nelson of Nebraska, and Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and other s all received major kickback to guarantee their vote to ensure its passage in the Senate. Is this health care reform?

When has Congress been right on anything! If they are wrong then we the taxpayers pay, so let’s make sure we know what’s in it before passage or we will suffer!

Republicans Conclude CPAC Convention

Fresh from the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) that concluded over the weekend Republicans feel that with the wind at their back they are poised to make significant gains in the mid-term elections in November.

With President Obama’s poll number continuing to slide and the sour mood of the Americans over the direction of the country, Republicans are jubilant over their prospects that is in stark contrast to the mood a year ago.

Before Republicans uncork the champion, they had better have a plan of their own! Just because the American people are fermenting a backlash against Democrats, doesn’t mean that they have embraced the Republicans.

The American people want answers to the economic crisis that has gripped the nation and sent unemployment to record levels. The American people are looking for ideological governing that they received from the Republicans that last time they governed and now are receiving from Democrats.

Partisan politics will not end unemployment or revive the American economy! The nation wants answers and wants Washington to listen to their concerns not Wall Street or special interests groups.

Both parties are guilty of causing this economic crisis and both parties had better start fixing it or they will face the wrath of voters!

The Disease of Out of Control Government Spending

Just about every problem emanating from government is attributed one prevailing theme; government at all levels can’t control spending! If you analyze how all levels of governments from local, state, and federal levels you will see that they placed themselves into this precarious situation by not controlling spending.

America faces an enormous federal debt that many attribute to the economic crisis but the seeds were sown years ago by not reigning in federal spending. Currently the two biggest entitlement programs, Social Security and Medicare have been allowed to continue unchecked, that will shackle future generations with unfunded mandates.

Currently the War on Terror has allowed defense spending to rise to unprecedented levels without any accountability as both political parties see this as a way to bring defense dollars home to their states and districts.

Many states have fallen into the trap that has infected Washington. California, the largest state in the union and if it was a nation would rank as the eighth largest economy in the world. California is now experiencing a financial crisis of unprecedented proportion, with many blaming the economy for its troubles. Unfortunately, California has been broke since 2000, California leaders have just been using budgetary gimmicks and borrowing to finance its budgets. Now the situation is worse and they are powerless and incapable of putting partisan politics to the side.

Many other states face the same problems by spending too much giving too much to special interest groups and always believing that tomorrow will never come. Tomorrow has come and both parties just play the blame game instead of focusing on the task at hand.

The nation needs to stop spending and stop spending now! It’s not a revenue issue it’s plain and simple a spending issue. All levels of government have pursued anti-business policies that have sent businesses abroad and with them quality jobs.

It’s time to focus on reducing this trend before it’s too late.

Federal Debt a Threat to American National Security

Right now the greatest threat to the security of the United States is not from any external threat, but form within its own borders; that is the national debt!

Democrats and Republicans blame each other for the spiraling out of control spending. Republicans site the expansion of government spending under the Obama Administration and Democrats repeatedly remind everyone the state of the economy they inherited.

The real problem is both political parties are responsible for the explosion of our national debt and both political parties are paralyzed by inaction as both are mired in partisan politics instead of seeking bi-partisan solutions to solving it.

Monday, Senator Evan Bayh announced his retirement from the Senate, stating that both parties would rather engage is partisan political warfare than seek to solve the nations woes.

If we continue on this destructive path of allowing the national debt to grow without any means of reigning in government spending we will threaten the national security of this nation!

Right now China holds almost $800 billion dollars of U.S. treasuries with other countries coming in behind which includes Oil Producing Exporting Countries (OPEC) or nations in the Middle East.

The rate that we are going is unsustainable and can’t continue forever. The problem is both parties caused this mess and both parties our unable to solve the problem as partisan politics and beholden to special interests groups will keep them from getting our debt under control.

Every agency and department has to be included for the nation to bring our debt under control. The bloated defense budget has to be reduced, as well as the Social Security and Medicare have to be brought under control.

Washington had better listen as the voters are in foul mood and both parties will be held accountable come November!

Senator Evan Bayh Shocks Political World With His Retirement

Yesterday, Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana stunned the political establishment by announcing his retirement from the Senate. Senator Bayh was up for re-election this year and many expected him to win, but would have had a tough re-election campaign.

This sudden announcement stunned Washington but more importantly sent shock waves through the Democratic Party already reeling from Scott Brown’s win in Massachusetts last month.

Senator Bayh was considered a centrist and grew frustrated with the lack of civility and partisan politics now emanating from Washington. Both parties seem more interested in playing partisan politics then solving the nation’s problems.

Republican have the most to gain with this sudden announcement, as they now have a chance to pick up his seat in Indiana.

Before Republicans get to jubilant they better start focusing on the nation’s myriad of problems and not reverting back to petty partisan politics. The public is in a very anti-incumbent mood and they know all too well that both parties are responsible for fiscal mess this nation finds itself in.

Americans want solutions to joblessness, health care, education and many other problems facing this country. What they don’t want is partisan bickering, finger pointing and want bi-partisan cooperation. Instead we have paralyses that hampers any meaningful dialogue in solving the nation’s problems.

The message is loud and clear, unfortunately Washington isn’t listening!

U.S. Marines Begin Afghan Offensive

The Battle for Marjah in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan is the first test of President Obama’s counterinsurgency strategy that has unleashed U.S. Marines, British and Afghan forces on the Taliban stronghold.

The real test of this new strategy is not whether or not coalition forces are successful in defeating the Taliban and disrupting this vital network of logistics that have supported Taliban forces, but whether coalition forces can bring Afghan governmental support to the people of Majah and ultimately the Helmand Province.

In any counterinsurgency strategy the focus is not on enemy forces but on the civilian population. The Battle of Marjah will in no doubt be successful, but the real challenge can coalition forces improve the lives of the average citizens of Marjah.

This is the real challenge for coalition forces! Too often in the past military operations were centered only on conventional operations and not focused on the lives of ordinary people. The counterinsurgency strategy instituted by General Stanley McChrystal seeks to remedy this disparity.

Coalition forces have began to enter the town of Marjah after giving advanced warring to the citizens of Marjah to leave the area as not to inflict needless civilian casualties, further alienating the local population. Past operations have killed innocent Afghan citizens which only strengthens the grip of the Taliban.

Operation Moshtarak (Dari for “Together”) has painstakingly let the citizens of Marjah know of the coming attack and promised that any collateral damage would be repaired and that the Afghan government would be involved in the process.

This is the real challenge for coalition forces, can they improve the lives of the ordinary Afghan, and can the Afghan government bring local governance to the citizens of Marjah?

If the United States hopes to be successful in its counterinsurgency strategy it has to improve the lives of ordinary Afghans or it will further drive the Afghan population back into the grip of the Taliban.

U.S. Increases Defense Spending

With the spiraling federal deficit now is the time to reform the aging and antiquated defense budget. Unfortunately President Obama campaigned on reducing federal spending, now he is going to increase defense spending to over $700 billion dollars next year. Where is the transformation, where is the transparency that he campaigned on?

The Defense Department has always been in need of overhaul of how it spends taxpayer’s money. Currently the Defense Department has an outdated acquisition and procurement system that is more rooted in the 19^th century than in the modern 21^st century.

The Defense Department spends too much, with little oversight or accountability on where the money is spent. Congress is equally guilty if not more so, they use the Defense Department as way to bring the pork back to their state or district. The loudest voices on curbing military waste or the ones who campaign against defense spending, until it affects their state or district. This is hypocrisy at its finest!

Last year Senator Feinstein and Boxer both of California fought against the cancelation of the of additional C-17 cargo aircraft that the air force didn’t want, but it was forced to spend $2.7 billion dollars that could be spent in more crucial areas or not at all. Look at the how military spending is allocated and follow the trail back to a senator or congressional representative.

The rate of defense spending is unsustainable, but I also agree with the president by moving the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan back into the defense bill and not as a supplemental as was the case in the Bush Administration. Even if you remove both wars, you still are spending around $530 billion on defense. Does anyone really know what’s in the defense bill?

The time is now to get a handle on how the pentagon spends the taxpayer’s money, it’s time to modernize the pentagon’s accounting and acquisitions procedures. Every phase of the pentagon’s spending procedure and duplication between branches needs to end.

We are going bankrupt as a nation and it has to stop now!