Reduce Government Spending - Cut The Size of Government ! Some Ideas

Bill Smith, Editor: Before sharing my opinions on "cutting" government agencies and programs to reduce Federal Spending, lets view a short video. In a CNS video interview Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) said there are "a number of federal agencies, or at least federal programs" that could be scaled back or ended to help trim federal spending. However, his passiveness and not really naming programs indicates he has served in Washington, D.C. for a very long time.

While we can all agree, we are tired of government corruption and government waste, it is the "size of government" that is the primary factor that contributes to the cost of the Federal Government and thus the Federal Debt.  It is now time to truncate, stop, kill (add your favorite word) many of the government departments and programs which add a massive debt burden on the American people. Unlike, Sen Hatch in the above video who would continue to use diplomacy, I prefer the direct approach. The Federal Government is hereby placed on notice: YOU ARE BROKE and you are borrowing to the excessive multi-trillion dollars extremes WHICH PLACES US ALL AT RISK. It is time for tightening the belt on Government expenses and Spending.  And this cannot be done by across the board cuts or a spending freeze.

First my bias: I do not believe that we should be cutting by attacking the senior retirees, military retirees and veterans. They followed the rules and should not suffer once again with the failures of the Government more than they already have suffered. I expect the citizens of States to assume there rightful place in caring for their citizens and not to be relying on the U.S. Government or funds from other States to care for the citizens that reside in their state. Also, due to our weak economic condition, our Nation is at increased risk of being attacked by others. Therefore, I do not support cutting National Defense. However, I do support reducing the use of military to help other countries with every imaginable national disaster. We need our military to protect the U.S. from invasion by terrorists, from being overrun by illegals, from external attacks, and to protect our access to global resources we need as a nation.

My initial list (not complete - so please add your ideas):
1. Close the U.S. Department of Education: The States have the responsibility for the education of their children and we cannot afford the continued wasteful spending and interference by this department which was created under the Carter administration.

2. Close the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: The States have the responsibility for the care and aid of people in their midst and this agency is a waste of federal money. We do not need big government looking out for the health and welfare of all American citizens. I understand that their may be a couple agencies within this department may be worth of continuance but for the most part this Department is just a burden on the people of America and is not needed.  relocate the needed agencies.

3. Close the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): Another wasted money pit. Both the housing and urban development are functions of the communities within each state and are not functions of the Federal Government. It is time for these programs to cease.  The Federal Government must cease the redistribution of money from one state to other state via HUD programs. All Federal HUD properties and all moneys related to these programs should be turned over to the States. States wishing to abolish a program in their states should be able to do so. As an aside, many of the Federal Housing programs have trapped people into federally sponsored ghettos. It is time to stop the ghettoizing Americas citizens under the falsehood of assisting them.

4. In the above video the interviewer implied reduction of the Department of Commerce.  First, this at least a department has some constitutional basis for its existence. However, all programs should be validated and those exceeding their Constitutional authority and those which are interfering with the internal operations of commerce in a State or its people should be abolished.   The same could be said for all other agencies.

5. Close the Department of Labor: transfer any critical agencies still needed into the Department of Commerce.

6. All the other Departments and Agencies need to completely justify each and every function against the Constitution and their charter and where they have exceeded that authority and inter in any State operations they need to be curtained and staff eliminated.

7. All departments should be required to justify every employment position.  All positions or duties contracted out to must also be reviewed and validated against the same standard.

8. Immediately, cut in half all funded positions on the White House Staff and on all Congressional Staffs. Also, reduce the number of interns. It is time to stop developing future bureaucrats and adding to the bottlenecks in Washington, D.C.

9. Travel Expenses: Stop the funding and support of all Congressional and Executive travel to NGO conferences and reduce the number of Congressional oversight trips overseas. Claiming oversight has gotten out of hand. We have a U.S. State Department for a reason. Stop the funding and the military tasking support requirements to fly family members of members of Congress or the Executive Branch (except for the immediate members of President and Vice Presidents families). Stop funding or providing military support for family travel for offices like the Speaker of the House and others in succession. When people sought election to Congress, they knew it was in Washington, D.C. Also, no one made a person opt to seek being Senate Majority Leader, Minority Leader or Speaker of the House, etc.. Therefore, anyone who hold these positions should like other members of Congress, pay for their trips to and from their home states. If you don't like the doing this - go home and let someone else be elected to do the job. You were elected and not your staff. Cut the number of staff members who get reimbursed travel to traveling around with the elected officials. Stop the imperialism!

10. Grants: Stop the earmarking and awarding of Federal grants for programs. If the people in a state need something they should decide if they wish to both have it and pay for it. And, while the Federal Government is at it, stop taking funds from the states to redistribute either back to the state or to other states.

11. To be Continued  . . . . Please post your ideas as comments!

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