Astromart

... on the boner as the biggest issue.

http://www.preserveourfuture.org/policy

The chart shown here is for true budget nerds but the big picture is simple Ð our nation has far too many financial commitments that cannot possibly be fulfilled. Given the tremendously steep hill ahead of us, one might think policymakers would realize that we cannot continue on the present unsustainable path. But as we all know, both political parties have enacted new permanent spending programs in recent years that only make it more difficult to address our long-term fiscal problem.

PreserveOurFuture.org is about one thing Ð pushing Congress to pass a Constitutional amendment that will make it more difficult to create new permanent spending programs that cost trillions of dollars we clearly do not have.

In this chart, we see our national debt (past, present and future) as a percentage of the total amount our entire economy generates, also known as Gross Domestic Product (GDP). If our national debt was $500 dollars and our entire economy generated $500, then the percentage would be 100 percent.

For fiscal year 2010, which ended September 30, 2010, the projected debt ratio to the total output of our nation was 63 percent. This figure has only been higher at one point in our nationÕs history Ð World War II. But more worrisome is where we are headed, and this chart paints an ugly picture of this harsh reality.

The program cuts and tax increases that will eventually be required to deal with this problem only become more dramatic the longer policymakers wait. But we simply want our elected leaders to pass an amendment that will require them make better choices in the future. It only makes sense that if lawmakers want to create a super program Ð one that is permanent and never has to compete for funds within the annual budget process Ð then enacting it should require a super majority.

November 19, 2012 08:58 PM Forum: Politics