Earlier in April I called the so-called 'budget compromise' "a lie from beginning to end". I've so far seen nothing to make me change that verdict . . . in fact, blogger Philip Greenspun makes it even more clear.
The FY 2011 federal budget is approximately $3.82 trillion. Of that, approximately $2.17 trillion will be paid for by taxes collected and the remaining $1.65 trillion will be borrowed from our grandchildren. If we divide everything by 100 million, the numbers begin to make more sense.
We have a family that is spending $38,200 per year. The family’s income is $21,700 per year. The family adds $16,500 in credit card debt every year in order to pay its bills. After a long and difficult debate among family members, keeping in mind that it was not going to be possible to borrow $16,500 every year forever, the parents and children agreed that a $380/year premium cable subscription could be terminated. So now the family will have to borrow only $16,120 per year.
There's more at the link. Mr. Greenspun highlights the insanity of the 'budget compromise' better than anyone else I've yet read.
Politicians! Grrr!
Peter
6 comments:
One would think that the widening gap between rich and poor would inflame these folks, right?
Given the ever increasing baseline of even "poor" folks here, no, I wouldn't expect anyone except the most jealous people to care more about the stuff rich people have, when their own standard of living is improving all the time.
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Peter: Except I thought that the magnitude of the budget cuts they were fighting over even got exaggerated by a factor of 10. That instead of the $380 premium cable package, they decided to only cut the $38 ESPN cluster. To extend a metaphor hugely.
Nebris, if you want to insult other commenters, please do so on your own blog - but not here. I try to maintain higher standards than that. Disagreement is fine. Rudeness - as in suggesting someone's a fool - is not.
I may well be a fool, but based on past performance (having not seen the comment in question myself) I suspect yon commenter merely asserted it, instead of actually attempting to prove it.
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