Propose a Constitution-only budget?

[Elwar]

We need to get out there a basic budget that covers only what is covered in the US Constitution.

List the costs for the 4 branches of government, the military (severely scaled down), the post office and the few other explicitely written costs.

Come out with our new $50-$60 billion proposed budget and call for its implementation.

Make the politicians stand by their support for unconstitutional spending.

And then comprimise from there. Maybe raise the budget to $100-$200 billion for the more necessary things that might have been missed.

Instead of playing their game of whether or not Rand is going to filibuster the raising of the spending cap. We make them play our game of whether or not to spend only $50-$60 billion.

[Koz]

Where is the post office in the constitution? Don't remember reading about it in my copy.

[Elwar]

Where is the post office in the constitution? Don't remember reading about it in my copy.

Article I, Section 8:
To establish Post Offices and Post Roads;

[1000-points-of-fright]

We need to get out there a basic budget that covers only what is covered in the US Constitution.

List the costs for the 4 branches of government, the military (severely scaled down), the post office and the few other explicitely written costs.

When did we get a fourth branch?

[Elwar]

When did we get a fourth branch?

Executive, Legislative, Judicial and Banking...?

:D

[RonPaulCult]

When did we get a fourth branch?

YouTube - Immortal Technique - The 4th Branch (Lyrics) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ffxUT7Puf0)

[RforRevolution]

In three words, here's why it wouldn't work: General Welfare Clause.

[Maximus]

This could actually be an interesting experiment here for us on RPF. Could we break down specific costs of running the courts, post office, military, the Congress, the President and Cabinet, veterans affairs, etc?

[goopc]

The Congress shall have power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to [...] establish Post Offices and Post Roads.
It only says that congress can run the post office, it doesn't say that congress has to run the post office. In my view, Congress should privatize the post office, since the government can't run anything well, certainly not a services sector enterprise.

[oyarde]

Where is the post office in the constitution? Don't remember reading about it in my copy.

It is there , article one , section eight .

[Zippyjuan]

Guess we have to get rid of our Air Force. That isn't in the Constitution. You can have a Navy and Army but no Air Force. Will the Marines have to go too?

Unless you consider that "provide for the common defense".

You can keep Social Security and Medicaid though since that would be a general form of welfare.


to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States;

[oyarde]

Guess we have to get rid of our Air Force. That isn't in the Constitution. You can have a Navy and Army but no Air Force. Will the Marines have to go too?

Unless you consider that "provide for the common defense".

You can keep Social Security and Medicaid though since that would be a general form of welfare.

Marines are Dept. of Navy . Coast Guard should be too , but has been moved to Homeland security , needs moved back to Navy . Air Force was once Army Air Corp. Get rid of BATF , Homeland Security and CIA . Use Army Special Forces in place of CIA to gather intelligence . These people are held to a higher standard of accoutability . CIA is rougue .

[Xenophage]

Executive, Legislative, Judicial and Banking...?

:D

lol

[Xenophage]

It'd be interesting to put together a budget that consists only of Consitutionally approved functions of federal government and see how much it would cost.

[oyarde]

It'd be interesting to put together a budget that consists only of Consitutionally approved functions of federal government and see how much it would cost.

Well , look at the budget now and exclude everything except roads , coining money , weights and measures , military & post office pretty much . So you can scrap 22 % of the budget for medicare and medicaid right off the bat , dept of education etc. etc.