Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2012

Sigaba · 02-14-2011, 15:16

The purpose of this thread is to discuss the USG's FY 2012 budget.

The current administration has released a proposed budget for FY 2012.

The publication, in PDF format, is available here.

Summary tables are there for those who "just want the facts."

The president's budget message, available here, will provide plenty of heat for those of you trapped in the throes of winter.

**Pete** · 02-14-2011, 15:37

I notice in the future projections Discretionary spending is flat - creeps up only a tad each year - while Mandatory spending continues up at something like 150 Billion a year.

Read a letter to the Army Times today from a young SSG. He said all us old farts need to get on board and pay higher fees for our Tri Care. Sigh, so much for "Free Health Care for Life".

**Peregrino** · 02-14-2011, 20:09

The wife and I just got notices in the mail telling us our taxes have gone up - guess that's why the retirement checks weren't as big as they had been. So much for no tax increase for anyone earning less than $250,000. Now the current budget proposal is all about 2/3rds cuts, 1/3rd taxes? Lying bastidges! November 2012 can't get here soon enough.

Buffalobob · 02-15-2011, 06:57

Where is Bill Clinton when you need him? He at least knew how to balance a budget. All you need to do is find a young lady who likes to play around to keep him entertained.

Dusty · 02-15-2011, 07:25

It's a house of cards. Anybody who thinks otherwise is a lib or an idiot.

Richard · 02-15-2011, 07:29

Well, I certainly hope the government makes good use of the extra paper clips and staples they can now purchase by using the additional $1200 annually they just notified me will be pulled from my retirement.

Richard

Dusty · 02-15-2011, 07:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard

Well, I certainly hope the government makes good use of the extra paper clips and staples they can now purchase by using the additional $1200 annually they just notified me will be pulled from my retirement.

Richard

Yeah, but look at the bright side- we might get a big choo choo train.

mark46th · 02-15-2011, 09:17

Buff- Bill Clinton had a Republican Congress with Newt Gingrich as the Speaker. All spending bills originate in the House of Representatives, let's see if Boehner and the Republican House can get a balanced budget...

GratefulCitizen · 02-15-2011, 13:04

Re: Entitlements

The entitlement problem will never be solved by accounting gimmicks, budget changes, spending changes, or tax changes.
Money and wealth are not the same thing.

The reason is simple:
the recipients of entitlements are competing with other recipients of entitlements in a marketplace of limited goods and services.

No matter how much money is given in entitlements or taken in taxes, it won't be enough.
The providers of goods and services will sell a prices which give them a profit, or they won't produce at all.

Too many consumers, not enough providers.

There are two possible solutions:

1. Eliminate all of the entitlement programs aimed at the young, and encourage massive immigration. (increase producers)
2. Significantly raise the age at which people recieve retirement/health care benefits. (decrease consumers and mantain producers)

Not enough babies were born from 1965 to 1980.
The producers just aren't there in sufficient numbers to keep the Ponzi scheme going.

craigepo · 02-15-2011, 13:48

Damnit, we need a balanced budget amendment.

When I opened the summary portion, the document was published on landscape mode. I wonder how many thousands of people, as computer-illiterate as me, tried to read through the thing with their heads turned sideways. Pretty effective way to get me to stop reading.

Ret10Echo · 02-15-2011, 14:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by craigepo

Damnit, we need a balanced budget amendment.

When I opened the summary portion, the document was published on landscape mode. I wonder how many thousands of people, as computer-illiterate as me, tried to read through the thing with their heads turned sideways. Pretty effective way to get me to stop reading.

Shift / Ctrl / +

Currently the shell game seems to be the approach.

To get it done, it's going to sting a little (lot) or as the doc would say "Your're going to feel some pressure"

Dusty · 02-15-2011, 14:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ret10Echo

Shift / Ctrl / +

Currently the shell game seems to be the approach.

To get it done, it's going to sting a little (lot) or as the doc would say "Your're going to feel some pressure"

It's virtually impossible for socialists to balance a budget. They're using other people's money that doesn't yet exist.

Sigaba · 02-15-2011, 14:58

So I take it there's a lot of interest in divvying up the various parts of the president's budget proposal for a good old close reading over multiple cups of Starbucks Pike Place?

(I'd volunteer but for the fact that it is February sweeps.)

tonyz · 02-15-2011, 19:01

Obama’s 2012 Budget Proposal: How $3.7 Trillion is Spent
Explore every nook and cranny of President Obama's budget proposal.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html...get/index.html

nmap · 02-15-2011, 20:58

OK, summary, table S1, starting from 2011:

2,174 2,627 3,003 3,333 3,583 3,819 4,042 4,257 4,473 4,686

So in 2011, receipts are 2.174 trillion, and in 2012 they are 2.627 trillion (20% increase). Then we go up another 10% or so in 2013. As I recall, there is not a big tax increase during election year 2012.

I regard these numbers as...well...silly. The underlying assumption is robust domestic economic growth. If that's false, everything that follows is invalidated.

The numbers I see (housing prices, unemployment, spending by consumers) do not suggest a strong, sustained recovery. MOO, YMMV.