Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ios.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!zehntel!hplabs!pesnta!ios!daves From: daves@ios.UUCP (David B. Schnepper) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: how to eliminate the federal deficit - (nf) Message-ID: <161@ios.UUCP> Date: Tue, 21-Aug-84 14:55:51 EDT Article-I.D.: ios.161 Posted: Tue Aug 21 14:55:51 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 23-Aug-84 01:28:16 EDT References: <40500033@convex.UUCP> Organization: Integrated Office Systems, Cupertino CA Lines: 27 >Federal deficit spending must be eliminated, agreed? Here's a modest proposal: > > (spending allocation) = (budget request) * (tax revenue) / (budget total) > >In other words, divide up the money proportionally. Everyone agency gets the >same percentage cut. > >Marv Graham; Convex Computer Corp. {allegra,ihnp4,uiucdcs,ctvax}!convex!graham I love it! A proposal that WILL work, and has a chance of being implemented. I believe one reason deficits continue year-to-year is that no president/ politician/congress (pick) is willing to make the tough political choices between different worthy causes. Cutting welfare hurts the poor, cutting Social Security hurts the old, cutting Defense hurts the Contractors & makes us less ready, etc, etc, etc. For the system to work, budget requests must still be reviewed (does your department really need XX MegaBucks? Or are you just padding it so you'll manage to get 90%*XX MegaBucks). But this is a great method for assuring that in the end the books will balance. It establishes the idea that a balanced budget is more important for the common good than each program/agency is for the good of specific segments of the population. Dave Schnepper ios!daves