Redstate

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they cut the bridge in Alaska, that was the biggest joke of them all.  But seriously, we are headed for major economic problems unless something is done (in excess of pork cutting, which won't happen anyways).  I think we need to remove the elimination of the estate tax from consideration and also begin looking at the Iraq spending nightmare in order to bring some semblance of fiscal responsibility to the Republican Party before we lose our majority.

But seriously, does Connecticut need $1.7 million to convert Union Station into a Transportation Museum? Does Georgia really need $7.1 million for an Infantry Museum? Does Iowa really need $50 million for a "Pork Forest?" They might, but do they need them now...

Or, to put it differently, even if they do need these projects, why is it that the federal treasury has to pay for them?

I am a big supporter of NASA and space exploration in general, but I do think NASA should look for private sector partnerships.  Just think how much we could cut the cost of a manned mission to Mars by allowing it to be broadcast as reality TV with ads and sponsors.

I'm all for cutting pork out of the budget.

But I'm not really sure what the point is at looking at these tiny pet projects that amount to very little.

You want to cut pork?  Cut farm subsidies.  Cut energy subsidies.  Cut military bloat.

That's where the big savings can be found.  But of course it will never happen because those are all third rail type programs.

looks like Porkbusters may be double counting some pork and relying on the Violence Against Women Act non-renewal to come up with $3,000,000,000.

the only way to significantly cut the cudget is medicaid and medicare, period. These entitlements dwarf any subsidies.

given the war against us by the jihadists, we need to spend much more on the military.

the commies are coming.  Frankly, I'm a bit surprised that this canard warranted 3 front page stories on RS.  Nothing like a few tried and true old themes.

I'm not particularly enamored with the anti-war protesters but resorting to some of these cliches as a legitimate form of criticism seems silly and intellectually lazy.

I thought we were talking about pork?  When did medicaid/medicare become a pork barrel programs?  FTR, Medicare/Medicaid are not part of the discretionary budget.  Like SS, they are above line budget items.  That's why our government can understate our deficit currently by around $180 Billion.  They view the SS surplus as REVENUE for the Federal government.

Spend much more on the military?  It really amazes me that ostensible fiscal conservatives are willing to approve ANY spending by the military.  

Guess that's why we continue to build Seawolf submarines and B2 bombers.  

I'm not advocating that we cut back the military.  But I think it is time that we at least LOOK at Congress feeding at the military trough.  

One of the best uses of a representitive government I have ever seen!  

there is no contradiction. conservatives favor protecting the country as the fed govt's main job

there is no cost benefit analysis  between victory and defeat in war against those that wish to destroy us

you spoke of more than pork, narrowly defined as well

and when one looks at the fee schedule for docs, I have no problem in calling a dr pig a pig

moreover, all programs and laws are discretionary, ultimately and we didn't have the reagan-gingrich revolutions only to concede to forever be bound by the great sociaety as is

if we eliminated all discretionary spending, we would still need to bring entitlement costs under control

i cannot even consider a serious look at the military given its paltry percentage as gdp and the budget compared to where it was in wwii, korea and the cold war and the needs we have post clinton gutting. with china's build up especially, even the weapons you mentioned are relevent

we got fooled into a "peace dividend" mode under clinton and bush 41 to be fair who took advantage of america's tendency to go islolationist and let down our guard after  wars. we can no longer afford that if we ever could

this ain't 17th and 18th C america

I also have problems with all the base closures

This thread was about pork, not entitlements.  If you want to see Medicare or Social Security cut back or eliminated, go for it.  Good luck getting a politician to jump on board.

My point about the military, once again, is NOT that I believe that we need to cut the military.  My point is that just because some politicians wants a military program, because it is built in his or her district, does NOT MEAN we should do it.

How many times do I hear Conservatives say "You can't just throw money at a problem"?  Yet with the military there seems to be a blind support of ANY spending by the military.  I just don't get that.

the $3 billion estimate for VAWA is way off.  I can't find what they got for last fiscal year, but the Senate appropriations bill seems to indicate that this office 'only' gets about $387 million.  It looks like here the President asked for $386 million for the year.

So I can't see how VAWA saves us $3 billion anywhere.

the definition of pork is vague given that, technically it is the meat of a pig. subsidies are not pork anymore than entitlements

pork is one time expenditures for projects

point taken on the military

there is just so much we need, more troops, more naval ships, etc that wouild dwarf any obcessive time consuming scutiny of minor items

that's why one needs to more specifically define pork

and given the biblical admonition concerning penny wise and pound foolish and the beam in one's own eye while picking styes out of another's...

Here's a pretty reasonable definition of pork...

A government project or appropriation that yields jobs or other benefits to a specific locale and patronage opportunities to its political representative.

Subsidies are pork because they are directed a specific group, be they farmers or energy producers or whatever.  

If you prefer corporate welfare we could use that word as well.

Why do we need more naval ships?  Please explain.  And your argument about ignoring the "minor items" would suggest that the premise of this thread is an exercise in folly.

and when one looks at the fee schedule for docs, I have no problem in calling a dr pig a pig

If you think Medicare and Medicaid are too expensive because doctors are reimbursed too much, I strongly suggest you spend the next eight years training for a medical career, setting up a practice, and then trying to survive treating Medicare patients.

You may not know this, but the only doctors who break even on Medicare (by "break even" I mean cover their overhead and staff expense, not their own salary) are the ones who "mass-produce" medical care.  Most doctors lost money on every Medicare patient they see.  Even worse, private insurance companies are using Medicare schedules to determine their own reimbursement schedules.

The reimbursement crisis, although it has garnered much less attention than the malpractice insurance crisis, is far more important and is the primary reason for the coming phenomenon where some doctors are dropping all insurance altogether - such as the doctors that delivered my son later did.

Government-sponsored health care is destroying doctors; not the other way around.

Welfare, Medicaid, Section 8.  Make the USPS support itself rather than permit the monopoly.  Stop paying federal contractors when they are behind on their production (put the money in savings accounts and spend the interest, that's a few mil).  Cut government support for GreenPeace and the ASPCA.  Make them support themselves...

Cut the Energy and Transportation Bills by all the things they don't need (like the 1bil my State's Rep stole for Alaska.  We can pay for those projects from our own dollars...)

Clinton tried that and only succeeded in nearly crippling the Military.  We need to spend More on sustaining the military.  But we do need to cut most of those other things you mentioned.  Except Farm Subsidies.  Believe it or not, but they are actually Good for the economy.

To eliminate such an expensive program.  It's not good for the government and taxpayers and it's not good for doctors, who Are taxpayers.  It's only good for those who rely on it, and most of them never did anything to deserve it.  Even worse for MediCaid.

Go figure

well stated.  were you a pig farmer? kidding sooey

I would say that while i do not consider the pork issue to be unimportant and the elimination of it would be significant in paying for the fed's infrastructure obligation required by statute, it is minor in terms of entitlements in reducing the size of the federal government and its usurpation of freedom in medical care, etc.

My concern is the absolute size of government, not the truly insignificant budget deficit. The deficit now at 2.7% of gdp is less than clinton's during all but the two surplus years that came after the cap gains tax rate cuts and the guting of the military. No major power in the world is under 3% gdp in deficits.

The First duty of the federal government is to defend the nation against foreign powers and threats. China will in the not too distant future given the pace of their military build up, expecially naval, be in a position to make things very difficult for us stategically in the pacific with respect to Taiwan, North and South Korea and Japan.

And, we need to buld back up anyway die to the probably decades of conflict in the middle east. Clinton gutted the military in every way and we need to build back up.

We don't want to invite 911's, pearl harbours, or three front wars. the best way to not ahve to fight as many enemies is to stay strong to deter.

reagan

that's the point I was trying to make. the distortion of the market.

you are right

see below for the pooint i was trying to make