Debt Limit Solution: Cut Budget by 50% back to 2001 Bill Clinton's last proposed budget

[crhoades]

Debt Limit Solution: I can propose cutting the budget by 50%! Let's just go back to 2001-Clinton's last budget submission. 2012 Budget by Obama 3.7T. 2001 Budget by Clinton 1.9T. Anyone want to argue that the govt. wasn't too big then? I don't remember Grandma or people dying in the streets and the sky falling then. For R's out there, please notice that Bush increased the budget from 2.0 > 3.0T his 2 terms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_budget

2012 United States federal budget - $3.7 trillion (submitted 2011 by President Obama)
2011 United States federal budget - $3.8 trillion (submitted 2010 by President Obama)
2010 United States federal budget - $3.6 trillion (submitted 2009 by President Obama)
2009 United States federal budget - $3.1 trillion (submitted 2008 by President Bush)
2008 United States federal budget - $2.9 trillion (submitted 2007 by President Bush)
2007 United States federal budget - $2.8 trillion (submitted 2006 by President Bush)
2006 United States federal budget - $2.7 trillion (submitted 2005 by President Bush)
2005 United States federal budget - $2.4 trillion (submitted 2004 by President Bush)
2004 United States federal budget - $2.3 trillion (submitted 2003 by President Bush)
2003 United States federal budget - $2.2 trillion (submitted 2002 by President Bush)
2002 United States federal budget - $2.0 trillion (submitted 2001 by President Bush)
2001 United States federal budget - $1.9 trillion (submitted 2000 by President Clinton)
2000 United States federal budget - $1.8 trillion (submitted 1999 by President Clinton)
1999 United States federal budget - $1.7 trillion (submitted 1998 by President Clinton)
1998 United States federal budget - $1.7 trillion (submitted 1997 by President Clinton)
1997 United States federal budget - $1.6 trillion (submitted 1996 by President Clinton)
1996 United States federal budget - $1.6 trillion (submitted 1995 by President Clinton)
:collins:

[crhoades]

More data. Look at the outlays column: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/data/budget.php

[dean.engelhardt]

RP put out this message in 2008 and it is more relevant today. I wish every person in America would read this post. + rep

[crhoades]

RP put out this message in 2008 and it is more relevant today. I wish every person in America would read this post. + rep

Thanks for keeping me honest on idea attribution. Yup, totally stole the idea from the good Dr.

[libertyjam]

I think that is a great idea, even though even those budgets from the thief in office were horribly bloated already.

[dean.engelhardt]

Thanks for keeping me honest on idea attribution. Yup, totally INSPIRED the idea from the good Dr.

fixed this for you

[sailingaway]

Except things like social security and medicare spending depend on changed demographic (aging). But it would be a HUGE difference, even with that.

[HOLLYWOOD]

The problem is the US government, especially the FEDERAL RESERVE have destroyed the value of money. They have manipulated the masses with lies about Inflation.

The budget back then were based on currency that was worth much more... @ least 20-30% more.

[Noob]

How about cutting back to the budget limit of the 1st United States Congress, under President Washington?

[Rothbardian Girl]

How about cutting back to the budget limit of the 1st United States Congress, under President Washington?

If you word it in the manner the OP suggested, it doesn't sound as radical to the average person. If there's anything I've learned over the time I've been here, it's that we need to take baby steps without compromising our positions as much as possible. If the situation in this country continues to worsen, people of our ideological stripe will gain more credibility. Of course the more desirable solution would be going back as far as possible, but when you try to tell the average person that, they seem to shut off immediately.