Interactive: O.K., You Fix the Budget (New York Times)

[underpants]

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/13/weekinreview/deficits-graphic.html?hp

Have fun!! :hi:

[texastoast]

1. It's it's ... nuanced, ya know

I need to be able to edit the spreadsheet as to specifics. I can't do that in the article.:7 It made me aware that it has to be surgically precise to get the most for our money while preserving what we need to and planning ahead.

[Motown_Johnny]

2. where is the box to increase import tariffs?

and the whole "one or none" on increasing taxes OR eliminating loopholes is BS

and why only eliminate farm subsidies? There is plenty of corporate welfare out there to cut.


this thing is pure BS and it is set up to make the problem appear insurmountable

[rocktivity]

12. I had similiar questions

which I sent to the Times by clicking on "Feedback" at the bottom of the page.

:headbang:
rocktivity

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. But it is not

actually it is easy but not politically easy.

[SidDithers]

3. K&R...nt

Sid

[Old and In the Way]

4. It's constrained by lack of input variables and line item detail but

it is definitely a reality based tool for explaining how little impact we have in changing the budget outcomes. I'd like to see more options to reduce the size of the defense budget and investment in infrastructure. This tool should be required teaching in our educational system.

[Barack_America]

5. Done! I'm running at a surplus!

I cut military spending for everything but soldier compensation; I selected malpractice reform and capping Medicare growth (with the understanding that this would affect Medicare payouts to hospitals rather than eligibility or benefits--i.e. my savings by switching to Medicare for all substitute); I reduced social security benefits for the rich and upped estate taxes to Clinton levels; I killed the Bush tax cuts and enacted both a carbon tax and bank tax, and that just about did it.

http://www.medicareforall.org/pages/Costs_and_Savings

[Overseas]

6. Not enough savings shown for reducing military privatization fraud.

Not enough options shown for closing tax loopholes for very successful companies like Exxon Mobil that paid ZERO income taxes last year. Creepy how it says I've got to give them something for closing the loopholes.

[GoCubsGo]

7. Done.

And, without touching Medicare, Social Security, or gutting federal agencies, such as the Park Service and Smithsonian.

This was a nice exercise that I hope educates all the ignoramuses who bought into the "tax cuts for the wealthy" and "cut government spending" spew from the GOP. Maybe this will open their eyes as to where all the real sources of the deficit are.

[Little Star]

8. That was fun. I solved most of our problems. lol

[shraby]

9. I almost cleared the board by 2030..is there a place to

register the preferred options? I didn't see any.

[rocktivity]

11. You have to have a Twitter account, apparently.

I got my URL by clicking on the share link on top of the page.

:headbang:
rocktivity

[rocktivity]

10. My letter to the Times (click on "Feedback" at the bottom of the page)

Sorry, but because raising the Social Security salary cap, lowering the Medicare eligibility age, and just letting the Bush tax cuts expire are not options, I can't even begin to take this seriously.

Nonetheless, I took a crack at it: http://t.co/YlyZ8Oo

:mad:
rocktivity

[Dragonfli]

13. Why is SS in there? It's not even part of the budget, Might as well put my paycheck in there as well

I mean if we get to cut totaly unrelated shit and have it show up in a budget it is not part of.
How about cutting the paychecks of our CEOs as well, hell by that logic it would be just as valid.

[ralps]

14. Yay I solved the deficit!

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :fistbump: :woohoo:

[Odin2005]

15. I gots a SURPLUS!!!

Cut defense spending, pork, and farm subsidies. Eliminate the Bush tax cuts. Carbon Tax. Increase taxes on the rich and on investments.

[XemaSab]

17. Me too!

:bounce:

[WillyT]

16. Fixed It !!! - Meet Y'All In The Lounge !

:evilgrin:

:kick: & R !!!

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. I solved it, WITHOUT touching SS and Medicare

WHO KNEW?

It can be done... but some folks in DC would not like it.

Oh and yes, as much as I do not like a VAT, I did include it. I don't like it since it is highly regressive... but truth be told, that was the only tax increase for all. The rest were taxes on the top earners, and of course cutting DOD by quite a bit. Oh and 5% VAT is not excessive either. I'd add a few more things to the basket of exception, like really basic foodstuffs and medicine, but hey looking at how it is done in other places. That makes it less regressive actually.

As I said, REPUBLICANS would squeal...

At least will let people know what are the major items in the government...

And yes my first goal was MILITARY DOD cuts... including things the services don't want... see OSPREY, realize those cuts will have real world consequences and not just for the military, but at the places were parts are made (all states) and where they are assembled. Why cutting programs the services don't want is damn tricky. They are designed like that ON PURPOSE.

[coti]

22. Imagine what a public option would have been able to do. nt

[SOS]

19. "You solved the deficit! "

That took all of 5 minutes.

[coti]

21. All done. Here's my proposal:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/13/weekinreview/deficits-graphic.html?choices=8mu045qv


Returning tax policy to the Clinton era, enacting new taxes that will curb greenhouse gas emissions and risky investments, some serious defense cuts and a couple other very modest cuts does the trick.

[Scruffy1]

23. It's easy at my monitor

Not so easy in the Congress. I think a lot of this is just political theater.

[Sparkly]

24. Cool! I solved it with 66% tax increases, 34% spending cuts

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/13/weekinreview/deficits-graphic.html?choices=x3x0456q

Better one (surplus):
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/13/weekinreview/deficits-graphic.html?choices=x3x045qr
71% through taxes, only 29% through cuts (military).

[Pab Sungenis]

25. With only reasonable cuts, I got the 2015 budget to a surplus

and that's without touching Social Security.

[Renew Deal]

26. Got it done with 41% Tax increases, 59% Spending cuts

Of course the advantages and disadvantages of all of these choices aren't clear. But I got a nice surplus both years.

BTW, this shows you how expensive Iraq was.