Brian Riedl
Brian Riedl
area classify count generally gray list obviously oppose setting similar specific spending though
I generally would still not count that as an earmark, even though it has a similar effect, because it is such a gray area of how specific is too specific when setting eligibility criteria. I obviously oppose those provisions, but I would not classify them the same as spending earmarks that actually list the name.
congress continues cutting resist
Congress continues to resist cutting even one program.
capital companies constantly finding good ideas investment investors looking profitable
There's so much investment capital out there for profitable new technologies. Investors are constantly looking for good ideas to invest in. If these ideas are as good as these companies say, they should have no problem, at minimum, finding a loan.
decide
It's something we have to decide as a country. What are our priorities?
congress costs learn maybe next programs progress sky start symbolic whose year
It's symbolic progress for Congress to learn that they can terminate programs without the sky falling. Maybe they can come back next year and start terminating programs whose costs make a difference.
annual bold budget budgets deficit fiscal good growing growth immediate issue overwhelm pledge president programs proposal propose quickly rate reforms slow threaten trends
President Bush's pledge to halve the budget deficit by 2009 distracts policymakers from the real issue of unsustainable trends in long-term entitlement spending. The president's proposal to slow Medicare's 9% annual growth rate is a good fiscal step, but the budget does not propose enough immediate and bold reforms to the quickly growing entitlement programs that threaten to overwhelm the budget.
bankrupt biggest care coming crisis danger economic entire federal health literally needs next problem system
The biggest economic danger of the next 50 years is the coming crisis in entitlement spending. The problem is the entire health care system is in crisis. The entire U.S. health care system needs to be overhauled. If not, it will literally bankrupt the federal government.
balance debt dump history household increases laps largest next per percent reach tax within
dump the largest debt in world history into the laps of the next generation. Within a decade, tax increases would need to reach $7,000 per household (a 37 percent tax hike) just to balance the budget.
candidates difficult political shortage
There is no shortage of candidates for elimination. There is only the shortage of political will to make the difficult decisions.
children costs means passed
What that means is those costs are being passed down to our children - with interest.
bleeds congress creates cultural culture effect federal government larger lobbyists means percent spending together true
Yes, it's true that earmarks are only 1 percent of all federal spending, but earmarks have a cultural effect on Congress that is much larger than their cost. It fuses Congress together with lobbyists and creates a culture of government spending as a means to re-election, which bleeds into other areas.
special treatment
Why do they need special treatment to get a grant?
education programs room social threatened
Those who are advocates of anti-poverty programs, social programs, education, have their programs threatened by runaway entitlements. There won't be room for both.
days few precious
There are precious few legislative days before the election.