"The most significant threat to our national security is our debt," Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, August 27, 2010


Wednesday, January 27, 2010

In the Know

The people of the United States know that the state of the union is not good.  We also know that the financial state of the union is bad.  The question on our minds is, "Can this current group in Washington muster the courage to start real corrective action?"  "Do they know what we know?"  A political speech is not required tonight.  An action plan is.

The United States is a large going concern; taking in lots of revenues and spending those funds on activities that are permitted under its organization papers; it’s by laws: The Constitution. It has to report to We the People who created it and gave it these powers about how it is doing. In two ways it is required to report to us: Article I, Section 9 says, “No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law; and a regular statement and account of receipts and expenditures of all public money shall be published from time to time” and Article II, Section 3 says, “He (president) shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.”

The president said that he would do everything in the open, transparent was his word, and he would make sure government spent our money wisely. He would go over every line of every activity and cut out the waste. So, we have the right to expect a good accounting tonight. Here are the categories and some of the specific statistics that we are anticipating:

1. What are the total revenues that the United States will receive in the current fiscal year ending September 30, 2010 and compare that amount with the actual amount for the year ending September 30, 2009? Please provide an analysis of major changes between the two periods.

2. What are the total expenditures that the United States will make in the current fiscal year ending September 30, 2010 and compare that amount with the actual amount for the year ending September 30, 2009? Please provide an analysis of major changes between the two periods emphasizing reductions.

3. There was a huge deficit in the previous year.  Explain specifically the steps that you will take to reduce that deficit in the current year. Be very specific about expenditure cuts, personnel cuts, program cuts and agency/department cuts. A simple power point presentation of the reductions will suffice; something in writing so we can follow progress.  Task forces and bipartisan committees are not required.  It's your job.  Just do it.

4. Will those cuts reduce the deficit to zero by September 30, 2010? If not, why not? When will the deficit be reduced to zero? If you are unable to reduce the deficit to zero within the next 18 months, please just say so.

5. What is the debt level of the United States today? Please include known commitments that will be included in the debt level of the United States within the next five years for which there is no current revenues set aside.

6. What will the debt level of the United States be at the end of the current fiscal year, September 30, 2010? Please include all known commitments as defined above.

7. How much of the debt will you repay, not refinance, repay within the next 18 months? If you are not going to net repay any of the debt in that time period, please just say so.

That’s all we need to hear from you. Forget about the jobs you are going to create and all the other wonderful things you think you can do with other people’s money. The people are fed up with these unfounded claims. Every year the same problems you claim you are going to fix are still around; every year you want more spending to fix the problems that never get fixed; every year you accumulate more debt in the process. Every year you spend more money on yourself, the congress and the endless agencies, departments and employees you hire to fix the problems and issues that never go away. This year, We the People are demanding a new accounting. A new report. One based on specifics. One we can measure what you are doing so we can decide if you and your administration are doing our business or your business. Our business is to reduce spending and start paying down the debt. Make it simple. Make it specific. We will know what to do with the information.

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