American Public Shows How it Would Cut the Budget Deficit

Verrrrry interesting. At World Public Opinion.org. Charts and graphs too, with circles and arrows on the back of each one telling what each one is*...

*Apologies to Arlo and Alice.

A new study finds that when average Americans are presented the federal budget in some detail, most are able to dramatically reduce the budget deficit and resolve the Social Security shortfall.

Through a combination of spending cuts and tax increases, on average, respondents cut the discretionary budget deficit projected for 2015 by seventy percent. Six in ten solved the problem of the projected Social Security shortfall through adjustments in payroll taxes, premiums, and benefits. The projected Medicare shortfall was also dramatically reduced.

Much, much more.

You and I could do this too. There are two things we have to understand and admit to ourselves first:

1) This whole deficit/debt thing has been going on so long and has been allowed to grow into such a monster that spending has to be cut at the same time taxes go up at least for the more affluent. It's gonna hurt for all of us. A lot now rather than a whole lot later. Fat chance.

2) The real key to the solution: let folks do it who aren't running for re-election.