Ok couldn’t find anything on here political.  So Mr. Schwarznegger, would you be to help a small county in SE Idaho balance to federal budget over the winter and show Washington it can be done?  BTW back in march 03 I actually predicted you would win governorship of CA even before you announced running.

Thanks for yrs of entertainment

     

I think it is awesome that a small community is going to look at the Federal Budget and suggest what could be.

The first item in a Federal Budget is to find out what the titles are. You can not cut them without Congress approving the changes and cuts. That is one of the reasons most politicians make wild promises, they know they are not going to be allowed to make the changes they say, so they are off the hook.

If I were to start on your task, I would start with the real deal of how much money is available. Then balance the amounts. Make suggestions to create the services mandated in the Manual of the United States Government in the enabling (and amended by Congress) legislation for each agency and title.

One Cabinet Secretary I spoke to while doing the research for my PhD research on “Reassessing and Restructuring Public Agencies” told me that if I were able to get a clue, he would surely love to have me send it to him, as he had none. He was talking about the regulations lobbied in by big bucks PACS and others who in effect make it impossible for any agency chief to really change the agency to what needs to be done. The mandatory Congressional approvals are so complex, it makes it difficult even to get a hearing, even if the person asking is the agency chief!

I would then look at the deficit. I think that each item needs to be proven. This is called “proving up the debt” when a person is called to Court. The same idea might apply to the citizens and taxpayers requiring that before ANY item can be on the deficit list, it has to be proven up and that would mean every single Congress person who voted in the debt involved would be listed and might even be liable personally for debts that could not truly be supported as in the best interest of the citizens. It would be my guess that a lot of $900 toilet seats, limos for family trips to amusement parks, and other items could be brought back to the Congress with a notice that the amount would have to be submitted in full before next check paying time, or it will be taken out of their salaries, and tax returns.

I know this worked for certain agencies because I know the person who made it work.

This would include all those earmarks that go out for $5 million dollar studies on why men look at porn on the internet (real study reported on the radio news last week) and teapot museums owned by aunts of a Congressperson.

Rather than looking at tiny amounts, such as a few million for PBS, or Planned Parenthood, I would suggest looking at big ticket items, such as those overcharges on so many items in the defense and other budgets. How come we can buy a big rig for $150,000, but a fire engine costs a WHOLE lot more? Maybe we need to invite some companies to research and create cheaper and better fire trucks, ambulances and police cruisers and give them a SMALL tax incentive and a LOT of public thanks.

I would cut all the paperwork from healthcare and programs such as veterans and public safety officers. There is no excuse for paying hundreds of millions of dollars in salaries, staffing, buildings, and computers for lawyers to KEEP the people intended to benefit away from benefits, rather than providing MORE benefits and who cares if a few not eligible get through. It is pretty hard to fake up a military or police, paramedic or fire background and ID. AND, who wants to go through treatment if nothing is wrong with them? We CAN do this. I wish you luck and look forward to hearing how you do in your endeavor.