Republicans deficit-spend on military

[Starlight]

Republicans last year passed their massive tax cut bill, which significantly reduced federal revenue, and thus worsened the federal deficit and debt.

Now, they have chosen to go on a spending spree with money they don't have, and increase federal defense spending by $82 billion. This is one of the highest military budgets in over 40 years - the only time higher was at the height of the Iraq war.

Budget experts said the dramatic increase in military spending will exacerbate America's debt hole, by pushing the government further into the red and increasing the amount the federal government spends on debt interest payments. Congress's official budget scorekeeper recently projected the federal deficit will rise to more than $1 trillion a year by 2020, sparking concerns among both Republicans and Democrats in Congress that spending is growing at an unsustainable rate and could trigger higher inflation.

NPR notes that the US military spending increase is itself larger than the entire Russian military budget per year.

Robert Reich points out that the money the Trump administration has wasted on gratuitous military spending could have instead funded:

Offer free public colleges and universities, as proposed by Bernie Sanders.

And fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

And expand broadband internet access to rural America.

And meet the growing needs for low-income housing, providing safe living conditions for families and the elderly.

And help repair the physical devastation in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.

It seems like the Republicans are simply incompetent at finances. They pretend to care about the debt when democrats are in power and are trying to spend on programs that will help the American people. Then when the Republicans get into power, they run up the deficit and the debt by cutting the revenue for the federal government through cutting taxes, while increasing spending by adding hugely to the military budget. I would say they are too stupid to realize that you have to spend within your means, but actually I think they're doing this with malicious intent: I think they are deliberately trying to sabotage the country's finances so they can argue that they just have to cut money for social security, medicare and medicaid, and that they totally don't have a choice in the matter because the government is totally bankrupt. They're not just stupid, they're evil too.

[Sparko]

While I agree that Trump is spending too much, this is not a republican problem but a politician problem. Both parties do it. Because everyone wants a piece of the pie. I notice that instead of suggesting that instead of spending money we should be paying DOWN the debt we already have, Robert Reich just proposes spending the money we don't have on other pieces of the pie. If we are in debt, we should not be funding free college or broadband internet, etc. We need to stop spending.

That's what normal people do. When you spend more than you make you need to stop spending. Don't buy stuff you can't afford. Pretty simple.

If the politicians would stop trying to spend money we don't have, we would not be in debt.

[demi-conservative]

Now, they have chosen to go on a spending spree with money they don't have, and increase federal defense spending by $82 billion.

Lib, tariffs of Trump will covert 82 billion, also more!

[Mountain Man]

While I agree that Trump is spending too much, this is not a republican problem but a politician problem. Both parties do it. Because everyone wants a piece of the pie. I notice that instead of suggesting that instead of spending money we should be paying DOWN the debt we already have, Robert Reich just proposes spending the money we don't have on other pieces of the pie. If we are in debt, we should not be funding free college or broadband internet, etc. We need to stop spending.

That's what normal people do. When you spend more than you make you need to stop spending. Don't buy stuff you can't afford. Pretty simple.

If the politicians would stop trying to spend money we don't have, we would not be in debt.

Government accounting:

I have $5000 to spend on a car, but I shop around for a $15,000 car. I finally settle for a $10,000 car and tell everybody that I'm $5000 under budget even though I spent $5000 more than I actually had.

[Sparko]

Government accounting:

I have $5000 to spend on a car, but I shop around for a $15,000 car. I finally settle for a $10,000 car and tell everybody that I'm $5000 under budget even though I spent $5000 more than I actually had.

And then someone else comes along and calls you wasteful and wants you to spend the $10,000 on a new bridge.

[Cow Poke]

That's what normal people do. When you spend more than you make you need to stop spending. Don't buy stuff you can't afford. Pretty simple.

When your outgo exceeds your income, then your upkeep becomes your downfall.

[Sparko]

When your outgo exceeds your income, then your upkeep becomes your downfall.

I love this skit:

I think it should be required watching for all politicians.

[Starlight]

While I agree that Trump is spending too much, this is not a republican problem but a politician problem.

No, this is mostly a republican problem.

Republicans consistently push for cutting government income (tax cuts) and increasing government expenditure (military). The Dems just don't do that. I have plenty of bad things to say about the current leaders of the Democratic party, but even I have to admit they are not the complete losers at budgeting that the Republicans are.

Because everyone wants a piece of the pie.

The Dems are pretty consistent in acknowledging that the increased spending they want has to be paid for. They have "tax and spend" policies. A key part of that phrase is "tax" - you're got to increase the revenue you're getting in order to then spend.

Whereas the Republicans are doing "less tax, more spend" which is nut-bar stuff.

I notice that instead of suggesting that instead of spending money we should be paying DOWN the debt we already have

In practice you only really need to run balanced budgets to cut existing debt pretty rapidly (inflation + GDP growth reduces effective debt by about 5% per year). In WWII the US had accrued massive debt and it basically solved the problem by running balanced budgets for the next 15 years. But yes, sure, pay off some of the actual debt, I don't have a problem with that.

If we are in debt, we should not be funding free college or broadband internet, etc.

Well those are actually productive enterprises that will bring in more money long term - if people are more educated and people and businesses have access to the infrastructure necessary to do business like the modern internet, the can generate more wealth for the country (and hence pay more tax money).

That's what normal people do. When you spend more than you make you need to stop spending. Don't buy stuff you can't afford. Pretty simple.

Well I agree, which is the point of this thread. The Republicans tax cuts are like quitting a high-paying job and taking a low-paying job instead, and then the Republicans by their huge military spending (during a time of relative peace no less) is like deciding to go on a spending spree after you've changed to that lower-paying job. It's just nuts.

[Terraceth]

Upping military spending, particularly after a massive tax cut, is pretty goofy. They should be cutting it if anything. Though it's not quite as goofy as Starlight's paranoia about it all being some elaborate plot to give them an excuse to cut things like Medicare. Though ironically I think I'd be happier if that were the case, because it'd at least show a degree of forward-thinking and an eventual plan to cut costs and fix the deficit.

It really shouldn't be as hard as it seems to be for the government to perform the simple task of spending less money than it takes in. And both Democrats and Republicans are very culpable for this. Of course, Republicans are also the ones in power right now, so even if Democrats are guilty of doing it in the past (and they are), the Republicans are the guilty ones right now.

[Sparko]

No, this is mostly a republican problem.

Republicans consistently push for cutting government income (tax cuts) and increasing government expenditure (military). The Dems just don't do that. I have plenty of bad things to say about the current leaders of the Democratic party, but even I have to admit they are not the complete losers at budgeting that the Republicans are.

you have blinders on. Obama had tax cuts too and promised to lower the deficit and increased it instead.

The Dems are pretty consistent in acknowledging that the increased spending they want has to be paid for. They have "tax and spend" policies. A key part of that phrase is "tax" - you're got to increase the revenue you're getting in order to then spend.

The democrats just want to spend more and tax more, but spend it on social programs that don't add tax revenue. They still always spend more than we have. The solution is to spend LESS. No politician is doing that, from either party.

But yes, sure, pay off some of the actual debt, I don't have a problem with that.

Well I agree, which is the point of this thread. The Republicans tax cuts are like quitting a high-paying job and taking a low-paying job instead, and then the Republicans by their huge military spending (during a time of relative peace no less) is like deciding to go on a spending spree after you've changed to that lower-paying job. It's just nuts.

What are you talking about? The last tax cut we got turned into a $50/paycheck raise for me. Which allowed me to spend more money in the economy instead of handing it to the government to be wasted on pork projects and lining the pockets of corrupt politicians.

[Sparko]

Upping military spending, particularly after a massive tax cut, is pretty goofy. They should be cutting it if anything. Though it's not quite as goofy as Starlight's paranoia about it all being some elaborate plot to give them an excuse to cut things like Medicare. Though ironically I think I'd be happier if that were the case, because it'd at least show a degree of forward-thinking and an eventual plan to cut costs and fix the deficit.

It really shouldn't be as hard as it seems to be for the government to perform the simple task of spending less money than it takes in. And both Democrats and Republicans are very culpable for this. Of course, Republicans are also the ones in power right now, so even if Democrats are guilty of doing it in the past (and they are), the Republicans are the guilty ones right now.

The government also needs to start some departments that actually make money like the US Postal Service does. It is self-sufficient and actually competes with private companies like Fed-ex.

[One Bad Pig]

The government also needs to start some departments that actually make money like the US Postal Service does. It is self-sufficient and actually competes with private companies like Fed-ex.

The US Postal Service is actually not very good at being self-sufficient.

[Roy]

The government also needs to start some departments that actually make money like the US Postal Service does.

Yet it's the only Illuminati card with negative income.

[Sparko]

The US Postal Service is actually not very good at being self-sufficient.

What? I am so disappointed! I thought they were holding their own and making a profit. I blame King's Gambit.

Maybe fixing this union thing will help them out.

[Starlight]

Obama had tax cuts too and promised to lower the deficit and increased it instead.

That was during a period where Republicans had control of congress so they were writing the budget. Do you remember the various govt shut downs and threats of them where the republican congress and Obama couldn't reach an agreement?

One of the agreements they eventually reached was that Republicans were allowed to get some of the tax cuts they were pushing for.

The democrats just want to spend more and tax more, but spend it on social programs that don't add tax revenue.

Of course social programs create tax revenue.

The solution is to spend LESS.

No. The countries that spend least, by and large, are the 3rd world countries. Over the 20th century, the Western nations spent more and more, and got wealthier and wealthier. It turns out that having a functioning government running your country well and spending on lots of important things is good.

The EU has been trying 'austerity' (spending less) lately and it's been failing pretty abysmally, and stagnating the economy. Because the government is the single biggest spender by far in any modern economy, the government cutting back on spending tanks the economy pretty fast. Part of how FDR's New Deal worked was by increasing government spending which massively boosted the economy.

What are you talking about? The last tax cut we got turned into a $50/paycheck raise for me. Which allowed me to spend more money in the economy instead of handing it to the government to be wasted on pork projects and lining the pockets of corrupt politicians.

Giving you that $50 rather than it going to the government, meant the government has less income. We're talking about the government spending more than it takes in through taxes.