This hasn't been a hot topic in the current election, but do you think the government should be required to balance its budget? If so, how do you propose that it be done (i.e. higher taxes, lower spending)? What specific tax laws / social programs need changed to accomplish this? I am very interested to hear others opinions on this subject.

Yes it should be in the Constitution that the government needs to maintain a surplus and cannot go into deficit spending. Lending money to other countries is one of the main things that made this country strong.

__________________
I'll tell you this no eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn
You may bury my body, down by the highway side,
so my old evil spirit can get a Greyhound bus and ride.
You and I must fight to survive

I agree with a balanced budget but I disagree with keeping a surplus

__________________
Aint but three things in this world thats worth a solitary dime,
But old dogs and children and watermelon wine.
Tom T. Hall
http://www.politicalforum.com/group.php?groupid=43

Yes, the government should be required to balance the budget.

If they were to eliminate the agencies, programs, and departments not covered by the Constitution and if they were to hold federal employees and contractors accountable for their costs and performance, they could reduce the cost of government considerably.

__________________

Nope. That was an easy answer. Sometimes it may be necessary to have a deficit. And that's fine. It's only a problem when you have one every year for three decades.

__________________
I wasn't born with enough middle fingers.

This might surprise you, but no.

There are certain times when the government has to take on a deficit, such as during wars and recessions. If it was not allowed to do this, then the probable result would be a lack of the ability to defend the country and a lack of money to put into the economy during tough times. But people should be interested in maintaining a balanced budget, and should vote for representatives interested in that, but smart enough to know when deficit spending is required.

__________________
.

"It is no crime to be ignorant of economics, which is, after all, a specialized discipline and one that most people consider to be a 'dismal science.' But it is totally irresponsible to have a loud and vociferous opinion on economic subjects while remaining in this state of ignorance.

--Murray Rothbard

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skinny. A liberal is just a libertarian who hasn't studied economics.

n ope. government is not a business. even Reagan who pushed a balance budget saw the error of his ways.

it isn't the deficit that is the bad boy...it is the size of the deficit.

people having credit is not bad. people having too much credit and an inability to pay it off is bad

note: I do not use credit

__________________

When a true genius appears in the world, you may know them by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against them.
-Jonathan Swift

---"Thoughts On Various Subjects, Moral and Diverting."

America grew strong by lending other countries money?

could you explain this with examples?

__________________

When a true genius appears in the world, you may know them by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against them.
-Jonathan Swift

---"Thoughts On Various Subjects, Moral and Diverting."

With both. Forcing people to pick a side like that is the reason why we never get anywhere.

__________________
George - LeftWingPost.com

Picking both is fine. I wasn't trying to force anyone to pick a side, I just wanted to show a couple of options. That is why I didn't make this a poll, I didn't want to limit to the choices I could come up with.

But I am curious, which taxes should be raised, which government programs should receive less funding?