Add in additional cuts to the military and you start talking about some real money.

Government buildings sitting empty and unused, many flights to rural airports that carry practically no passengers, and minimum milk prices are based on the gallon’s distance from Eau Claire, Wis.

These are just a few of the 557 government programs and subsidies that the non-profit Citizens Against Government Waste says could be eliminated to save taxpayers close to $2 trillion over the next five years. Tom Schatz, president of Citizens Against Government Waste, tells Power Players about some highlights from the organization’s annual suggested cuts, which are outlined in the book, “Prime Cuts 2013.”
[…]
“It’s an old style Soviet command and control program,” Schatz says. “By eliminating the sugar program, tax payers could save $1.2 billion in one year and $6 billion over five years.”



  1. dusanmal says:

    “Add in additional cuts to the military and you start talking,…” – when will Left start thinking about cuts from what Government is NOT supposed to do and from what Government is explicitly BANNED to do in the very founding document of the Constitution.
    Government is explicitly in charge of the task of defense and military. Yes, it too can be done more efficiently – but LAST.
    First, cut all the spending on stuff Government is explicitly banned from doing in the Constitution. Guess what – 2/3 of spending… GONE. Than cut what Government is not supposed to do in the spirit of thew said Constitution but is not explicitly banned from doing…. And (what Left won’t to at any price, picking instead on military industry which is productive) – when cutting military – cut its unconstitutional use first…
    Even ideas in this article are just smokescreen. Whole Departments must be cut and banned from re-emerging in any form.

    • Cephus says:

      Yet so much of what is being spent on “defense” is not used for defence, it’s used to force “democracy” around the world. Oxymoron anyone? If we only used the military to protect our borders, I doubt anyone would mind. Heck, the politicians in Washington are forcing more spending into the military than even the military wants. There’s a current case where Congress is insisting that the military take more tanks and the military is saying they don’t need them, but it’s a boondoggle in someone’s congressional district so they’re pushing it as a welfare program.

    • Trex says:

      US spends 57% of its Discretionary spending budget on Military. US spends more than the next 10 countries combined on Military. We are spending taxpayer money to build an army in Afganistan for chrise sakes. Buying them uniforms, weapon systems, training, and paying Afgan soldiers salaries.

      THE INSANITY IT BURNS!!

      • Hmeyers says:

        “US spends 57% of its Discretionary spending…”

        That’s liar speak as in “statistics don’t lie, politicians do”. What the hell is “discretionary spending”?

        “Discretionary spending” = weasel words. Some either you are a weasel — or worse someone who doesn’t think enough to repeat a weasel.

        • Rick says:

          Discretionary spending is called OPTIONAL spending, its spending that can be cut at any time for any reason because the government has made no financial obligation towards the product or service.
          The defense budget as it stands eats up 54% of all taxes collected, which means to pay for our OBLIGATIONS to the people (medicare, social security, treasuries, etc) we must deficit spend to cover that.
          If you had ever bothered to step foot in an economics class you would have known what this very basic concept of government spending meant.

    • CrankyGeeksFan says:

      “…cut all the spending on stuff Government is explicitly banned from doing in the Constitution.”

      What about the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States? Quote: “… provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, …”.

      To me that includes Defense and Social Security. Isn’t that about two-thirds of the federal government?

  2. US says:

    How many jobs will be lost by making these $2 trillion dollar cuts? No one on either side seems to want to address the big problem, you cut spending you cut jobs. Where will so people go? Its been 50 years of make work programs, it is going to be a pretty painful process to back off from that.

    • Derek says:

      If we are borrowing money to support these jobs, then they aren’t working for us, they are making money for China. If we cant afford it, then we can support it.

    • Rick says:

      Taxpayer funded jobs aren’t job stimulus, they’re just welfare for private industry. Even the GOP has declared proudly that only private industry jobs even count in terms of economic growth.

  3. bobbo, Jr Macroeconomic Theorist says:

    How to tell you have rotated off your nut: take an extreme position and push it further.

    First Up: Douche Animal says waste and fraud in the Military should be reduced only after we cut spending on everything BUT the military. Ha, ha. I can see him in the wee hours of the morning making his Liberal VooDoo dolls working himself up into a fine fury. Damn Liberals…. spending MY money.

    What a complete Shit Brain of an individual…….. and his ilk.

    I hate ilk.

  4. GaryF629 says:

    What I have never understood is how 1/3 of defense spending is with foreign companies.

    If we have such an unemployment problem, why are we sending this money overseas. A good example of this is the USAF Light Attack Aircraft program being given to Embaer (Brazil) over Beechcraft. (US)

    A prime requirement should be 90% of any government contract should be made by American’s with american materials.

    • bobbo, the reincarnation of Sun Tzu with a dash of Machiavelli all just a manisfestation of anyone who is pragmatic and existential and cares not about the gods intervening as they seem not to says:

      Not Ironically, if we are going to waste money on a bloated and ineffective Military, we should spend that money at home. So I googled…..http://aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2013/130228embraer-wins-contract.html

      USA Partnership with Brazil, Plant to be in the USA with USA workers… but yeah, what gives with Brazil or any other foreigner===other than China for the cheap computer parts needed with their back door trojans?

      Maybe Brazil is making the planes for us with a life time supply of gas to go with them?

      • GaryF629 says:

        But if you read the contract, they must deliver the first airframes in the 2nd quarter of 2014. They just closed on industrial space with in the last 60 days, and according to a local source have not started moving in equipment, never mind hiring the workers.

        Whats going to happen is Embaer will say that they can’t meet the deadline with out doing most of the work in Brazil and then shipping the airframes to the US for painting and applying the decals. Therefore claiming they were built in the US.

        Look at the USAF tanker aircraft bid between Boeing and AirBus. A lot of politicians support giving it to AirBus over Boeing.

        • bobbo, the reincarnation of Sun Tzu with a dash of Machiavelli all just a manisfestation of anyone who is pragmatic and existential and cares not about the gods intervening as they seem not to says:

          I bow to your superior knowledge…..Speaking of knowledge, how can we guess that Embaer fell upon this clever bait and switch? Might it be their American Partner?

          Curious minds want to know just how far to bend over…… Oh Look===there’s DoucheAnal and his Ilk. Quite a large crowd actually. Who knows how much Santorum is being frothed up?

        • CrankyGeeksFan says:

          AirBus has invested a lot in Alabama.

          I think the Air Force should have bought both models.

          • Rick says:

            I’m not sure I want our soldiers flying around in Boeing Screamliners.

  5. Russia fell from such laxness and stupidity and so can America.
    Most of these bureaucrats are on permanent vacation – its one big holiday in the sun for them.
    We have had plenty of this in Canada for years.
    Better wake up America before its too late – and not let these loafers and their families get away with this.

  6. deowll says:

    Okay I favor more cuts but Obama and friends sees government jobs as a great way to grow the economy along with putting everyone on the planet on SNAP/food stamps and of course giving them a free phone and free housing. The more the government gives away or just wastes the more the economy will grow and the better off everyone will be.

    • Rick says:

      The free phone program for the poor was insituted by Ronald Reagan and expanded to cellphones in 2008 under George W. Bush.

  7. deowll says:

    I rather thought we were paying for this but it took a UK paper to flat out say it: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/may/04/telephone-calls-recorded-fbi-boston

  8. Mextli says:

    Barry has it down pat. If you can’t gerrymander it buy it with government “entitlements” or executive orders.

  9. bobbo, the reincarnation of Sun Tzu with a dash of Machiavelli all just a manisfestation of anyone who is pragmatic and existential and cares not about the gods intervening as they seem not to says:

    Nextlie demonstating a complete lack of insight or anything useful to say, nonetheless says:

    Barry has it down pat. /// Hmmm…I think everyone including ObomaGod agrees that making that Red Line Statement was a gaff. That means, his foreign policy is not “pat.”

    If you can’t gerrymander it /// Context? Certainly ALL HIS EFFORT should be in gerrymandering districts for the ’14 and ’16 elections to return majority will to the majority voting.

    buy it with government “entitlements” /// Well, thats pretty close to our Military Support and Grants to Israel and Egypt. Not an entitlement—just decades of support regardless of their support. aka==pretty close to an entititlement

    or executive orders. /// ObamaGod could EO just about anything he wanted to do and let Congress catch up a few months later. What do you miss in this basic understanding of power/political power===and its abuse and waste thereof.

    Silly Hooman.

    • Captain Obvious says:

      There is one down side to the Google blacklist being lifted. bobbo is posting again.

      • bobbo, the reincarnation of Sun Tzu with a dash of Machiavelli all just a manisfestation of anyone who is pragmatic and existential and cares not about the gods intervening as they seem not to says:

        It’s free of charge….. for the time being >>>>>but you are all gonna pay. and pay BIG I tells ya!

        Quiz: how many midgets stacked shoulder to toe does it take to reach my balls?

        Pedro?

  10. sargasso_c says:

    Tax payers won’t save a dime.

    • bobbo, the reincarnation of Sun Tzu with a dash of Machiavelli all just a manisfestation of anyone who is pragmatic and existential and cares not about the gods intervening as they seem not to says:

      From what we have, regardless of who,what, when, where the work is done the why is clear: to offshore the profits.

      Same as it always was.

  11. CrankyGeeksFan says:

    “… minimum milk prices are based on the gallon’s distance from Eau Claire, Wis.”

    By the early 2000s, California had become the largest milk producing state and the second largest cheese-producing state. I learned about the Eau Claire, Wis. distance mechanism then and thought that it was dated and in need for a rewrite. Looks like it didn’t change much.

  12. Trex says:

    Good Luck trying to get them to cut the insanely bloated Military Budget!!

    The only good thing about the Sequester (IMHO) is that it forced cuts to Military. But Obama just quietly restored $4Billion of the military cuts from the Sequester.

    The MIC is strong with this one!!
    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-05-04/white-house-rescinds-4-9-billion-in-u-s-spending-cuts-for-2013.html

  13. Captain Obvious says:

    The US military has become government welfare that is acceptable to voters and favored by politicians. Even projects the military doesn’t want are pork barrelled into existence.

  14. bobbo, Jr Culture critic and rerun expert says:

    pedro submitting what I take to be his one-fer for the year says:
    5/6/2013 at 3:05 pm

    Read and understand Bobbo. I didn’t say movies were not being done in the US, I said they were not being made in Hollywood, which is part of the land supposedly taken over from Mexico by the US, or is it not? /// Yes–you did not describe it as a decline of Hollywood but a “TAKEOVER’ which in context could only refer to Mexico. And we both agree that Mexico has not taken over Movies or Tv Shows, so yes, I do understand what you posted better than you do even after you have had time to think about it. Further–there is no “supposedly” in the US taking over HollywoodLand. More bad construction on your part is the best I make of your wording as I do assume you are not a “whackobird.”

    Productions in Hollywood have fallen 67% this year in favor of other US locations, even those whose locations were supposed to be in Hollywood had been filmed elsewhere (Battle: LA was filmed in Louisiana – Shreveport & Baton Rouge, to be exact – ).

    So you see, the burden of the illegals is partly to blame for California’s downturn which is the reason why productions have flown away from Hollywood; /// BS. You’ll have to NAME and CONNECT those dots.

    thus my point about the takeover. /// Yes, the point on your ever narrowing head. Its why your sombrero never falls off.

    The sweet irony is how many of those Hollywood producers are liberuls & caviar-eating lefties. /// That is a popular meme. I can’t/don’t confirm it one way or the other, other than to point out what is often said: Show Business is a BUSINESS and if right wing f*cktarded non-sense sold movie tickets, we would have nothing but that. The market for blockbusters is however our kiddies==and not knowing anything, they love to have their ids stroked, so we get meaningless sex and violence. Now, the sex I think of as a liberal thing, but the glorification of violence is certain a Repuke thing. The question of bias among Hollywood producers is more likely than not, a figment of your bumper sticker mentality.

    Use thy head. /// Take my advise. Think clearly. Post coherently. Use a dictionary.

    Ha, ha. The TRUTH has a LIBERAL bias. Thats why Repukes are reduced to lying so often.

  15. MikeN says:

    Here’s an idea. Default on the national debt. It will save hundreds of billions in interest payments every year, which are set to increase by another $500 billion annually in the next ten years. Once you have defaulted, noone will lend you money, so you are then saving hundreds of billions more because you are no longer running an annual deficit.

    Obama has suggested this in the past with his calls to balance the budget except for the interest.

  16. ECA says:

    somethings to talk about..
    The USA has cut TONS over the years, but we are paying MORE..
    which is funny.

    The USDA and its inspections can only cover 8% of the required facilities…If you dont understand this..THAT explosion forma Fertilizer factory?? was last inspected in 1985..

    Should we talk about the FDA?? you DONT want to know.

    The fun part is all the cuts, tend to CUT but spend someplace ELSE..

    We spend BILLIONS, for development.. DE-VELOP-MENT..not for a product..but to MAKE something..even if it fails..
    Anyone hear about WINDOWS, and its being INSTALLED IN PLANES??? And we paid for a special version.

    We spend all that money, and NONE on inspectors that protect us.

    Should I say anything about Bridges? look up how many are about to fail in the USA.

    As the corps do…
    CUT THE BOTTOM, FORGET the TOP..

    NOw for something Strange..
    The biggest money maker in the USA..is commercials and adverts.. We are talking about $300BILLION, and its a corp write off.. AND you are paying for it. With every purchase you make..they get money to ADVERT MORE..even if it dont work. IT got paid for.

    • Hmeyers says:

      If a corporation spends advertising money, that money is an expense for one company and revenue for another company.

      I hope yours was a joke post or it involved alcohol.

  17. msbpodcast says:

    Best and quickest way to cut the fat out of the government budget is to stop wasting it on senate and congress salaries.

  18. Joe P says:

    Here’s one to try. Pass a law that says if the federal budget isn’t balanced in 3 years, all federal pensions convert to 401K’s with no match to exceed the average private sector match. No sick leave exceeding the average private sector amounts. No holidays unless 50% of the private companies give them to their employees (so long Columbus Day, MLK Day, etc.). Then all the feds would be on our side looking for ways to save money.

  19. Publius says:

    War is a racket.

    — Smedley D. Butler, USMC


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