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U.S. government budget ends fiscal year with a more than $3T deficit

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Re: U.S. government budget ends fiscal year with a more than $3T deficit

#2
The proposed new Covid relief doesn't hold out much hope for next year, either.

I mean, look, if people can't work temporarily, you can't let that destroy the economy. You have to get them through, and you have to have an economy for them to come back to. But you can also cause problems by building up too much government debt. (I don't know what the right answer is, but I see lots of problems...)

Re: U.S. government budget ends fiscal year with a more than $3T deficit

#3
We waste so much money on initiatives and social programs that can be administered much more sensibly and cheaply by local communities. Community leaders can custom-tailor their approach to what their community needs, instead of a blanket, one-size-fits-all nationwide programs that waste money.

Many of them could be run as community charities or even profitable businesses, if national government would just get out of the way and let innovation work its magic!

And I mean well-intentioned, but wasteful programs like:

- libraries (partner with publishers instead!)

- grand-making arts programs

- mandatory Common Core preschools (instilling a dislike of education from a young age!)

- programs for reduced-cost and free lunches (just use surplus food that already exists!)

- community colleges (can be run for profit)

- job retraining programs (we already have technical schools!)

- public health and drug rehab (pharma companies can step-up instead)

- national parks and wildlife preservation (why not let the market decide which ones are worth it?)

Suddenly, we'll have taken a big bite out of our unsustainable debt!

Re: U.S. government budget ends fiscal year with a more than $3T deficit

#4

We waste so much money on initiatives and social programs that can be administered much more sensibly and cheaply by local communities. Community leaders can custom-tailor their approach to what their community needs, instead of a blanket, one-size-fits-all nationwide programs that waste money. Many of them could be run as community charities or even profitable businesses, if national government would just get out of…

The issue with the US system is that 99% of local actions are unsustainable. Everything is federal or nothing, even at the state level you end up socialising losses and privatising gains. .

Re: U.S. government budget ends fiscal year with a more than $3T deficit

#5

We waste so much money on initiatives and social programs that can be administered much more sensibly and cheaply by local communities. Community leaders can custom-tailor their approach to what their community needs, instead of a blanket, one-size-fits-all nationwide programs that waste money. Many of them could be run as community charities or even profitable businesses, if national government would just get out of…

Please keep Poe's Law in mind.

Re: U.S. government budget ends fiscal year with a more than $3T deficit

#6
post #5

We waste so much money on initiatives and social programs that can be administered much more sensibly and cheaply by local communities. Community leaders can custom-tailor their approach to what their community needs, instead of a blanket, one-size-fits-all nationwide programs that waste money. Many of them could be run as community charities or even profitable businesses, if national government would just get out of…

Please keep Poe's Law in mind.

Very true

Re: U.S. government budget ends fiscal year with a more than $3T deficit

#7

We waste so much money on initiatives and social programs that can be administered much more sensibly and cheaply by local communities. Community leaders can custom-tailor their approach to what their community needs, instead of a blanket, one-size-fits-all nationwide programs that waste money. Many of them could be run as community charities or even profitable businesses, if national government would just get out of…

The issue with the US system is that 99% of local actions are unsustainable. Everything is federal or nothing, even at the state level you end up socialising losses and privatising gains. .

So is it worth having any of these things at all, or are they inevitably a net negative in the long run anyway?

Re: U.S. government budget ends fiscal year with a more than $3T deficit

#8

We waste so much money on initiatives and social programs that can be administered much more sensibly and cheaply by local communities. Community leaders can custom-tailor their approach to what their community needs, instead of a blanket, one-size-fits-all nationwide programs that waste money. Many of them could be run as community charities or even profitable businesses, if national government would just get out of…

Holy cow, this is the worst list I've ever seen. These are (almost) all things I treasure and I would hate to see abandoned to the wolves. Are you seriously suggesting libraries as wasteful programs and that Pharma companies run drug rehab programs! I can't tell if this is a troll comment or not.

In case it is not just trolling, I suggest you read about the tragedy of the commons:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_the_commons

Re: U.S. government budget ends fiscal year with a more than $3T deficit

#9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The issue with the US system is that 99% of local actions are unsustainable. Everything is federal or nothing, even at the state level you end up socialising losses and privatising gains. .

So is it worth having any of these things at all, or are they inevitably a net negative in the long run anyway?

I think it is worth having them - not sure that going for-profit on those is a healthy thing

Re: U.S. government budget ends fiscal year with a more than $3T deficit

#10

We waste so much money on initiatives and social programs that can be administered much more sensibly and cheaply by local communities. Community leaders can custom-tailor their approach to what their community needs, instead of a blanket, one-size-fits-all nationwide programs that waste money. Many of them could be run as community charities or even profitable businesses, if national government would just get out of…

"To a hammer, everything looks like a nail."
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