Infographic on Obama's 2012 budget

[Cogman]

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/newsgraphics/2011/0119-budget/index.html?hp

Warning: this doesn't show everything.

I just thought this interesting to look at. What do you all think? The big cuts to the labor department are quite interesting. I'm sort of surprised that he didn't propose more cuts to the military.

 

[ProfJohn]

I would guess that the cuts in labor are based on of two things:

1. unrealistic decreases in unemployment leading to less unemployment spending.
2. removing unemployment spending from the budget and having congress vote on it separately when the money runs out (as they did last winter)

 

[Schadenfroh]

The amount of interest on public debt is staggering.

 

[Cogman]

The amount of interest on public debt is staggering.

Yes, but cuts to IRS spending are pretty interesting. A cut of 25.8% from 2010 levels is pretty intense. Hopeful this doesn't severally affect their ability to collect revenue.

I don't know how old this budget, (looks like it is around march or april).

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Cutting all the veterans programs I see...

 

[Fern]

Yes, but cuts to IRS spending are pretty interesting. A cut of 25.8% from 2010 levels is pretty intense. Hopeful this doesn't severally affect their ability to collect revenue.

I don't know how old this budget, (looks like it is around march or april).

IIRC, Obama jacked up spending considerably over the previous admin.

Comparing 2012 to 2008 would be far more telling I think.

Fern

 

[Cogman]

IIRC, Obama jacked up spending considerably over the previous admin.

Comparing 2012 to 2008 would be far more telling I think.

Fern

Holy Crap!
http://www.irs.gov/pub/newsroom/budget-in-brief-2008.pdf

Am I reading this right? The IRS budget for 2008 was $11 billion, the proposed budget is $82 billion which is a reduced budget from 2010!

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Notice, the military sales is up 330%.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Holy Crap!
http://www.irs.gov/pub/newsroom/budget-in-brief-2008.pdf

Am I reading this right? The IRS budget for 2008 was $11 billion, the proposed budget is $82 billion which is a reduced budget from 2010!

Where else is the best place to shelter money to funnel to your buddies than with the government accountants?

 

[Cogman]

Where else is the best place to shelter money to funnel to your buddies than with the government accountants?

Well, it is a great way to make it look like you are cutting spending. That's just crazy.

 

[Craig234]

Well, it is a great way to make it look like you are cutting spending. That's just crazy.

They're obviously looking at different things. 2012 is $13 billion.

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=235959,00.html

 

[Cogman]

They're obviously looking at different things. 2012 is $13 billion.

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=235959,00.html

Hmmm, now I want to know what that NY Times thing is talking about. I figured those numbers couldn't be matching up. What is the $82 billion number supposed to represent? (you can see it on the infographic).

 

[woolfe9999]

Hmmm, now I want to know what that NY Times thing is talking about. I figured those numbers couldn't be matching up. What is the $82 billion number supposed to represent? (you can see it on the infographic).

I don't know for sure, but there is a clue where it says "mandatory" under the $82 billion spending item. The IRS budget, which is indeed in the range of $12 billion, is discretionary spending, not mandatory. I think there is some mislabeling going on here, and this may well refer to another aspect of Treasury's spending other than the operating budget for the IRS. Notice there is another items that is labelled IRS "discretionary" spending which is $13.5 billion. That is its operating budget.

 

[Jhhnn]

Yes, but cuts to IRS spending are pretty interesting. A cut of 25.8% from 2010 levels is pretty intense. Hopeful this doesn't severally affect their ability to collect revenue.

Of course it'll affect their ability to collect revenue. It takes an army of accountants and investigators to collect from well heeled tax cheats. It's all part of the "austerity" repubs want- the more they can starve govt of revenue, the more they get to keep, and the more they can justify cuts, cuts, cuts.

Self fulfilling prophesy.

 

[Darwin333]

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/newsgraphics/2011/0119-budget/index.html?hp

Warning: this doesn't show everything.

I just thought this interesting to look at. What do you all think? The big cuts to the labor department are quite interesting. I'm sort of surprised that he didn't propose more cuts to the military.

I see a budget that, going by est. revenue for 2011, can't even cover mandatory spending (which we just barely did in 2010). When you are using a credit card to pay the minimum payment on another credit card, you are usually really fucked. When you then use yet another credit card to pay the light bill, water bill and grocery bill you are wild and truly fucked.

 

[Darwin333]

The amount of interest on public debt is staggering.

LOL, not really. We are paying historically low interest rates right now. The catch is that our "loans" are sorta like a 4 year interest only ARM on your house, meaning that when the rates go back up you almost immediately see the increase in your payments.

 

[shortylickens]

Cutting all the veterans programs I see...

Not really a surprise given he's a democrat who never served.
Of course, Bush Jr raped the active duty, reservist, and vets as well so its not like I am rooting for Republicans.

And sadly if you just look at the economics and nothing else, it really doesnt make sense to keep putting out money to people who no longer actively serve.

Of course, thats much better than letting welfare leeches continue to squeeze out babies like popcorn at a carnival.

In any case, I already used up most of my GI Bill so at least I wont be getting raped too bad.
Funny thing is just last year there were rumors that VA disability benefits would be doubled or tripled. I dont know how that could ever be taken seriously.

 

[silverpig]

I see a budget that, going by est. revenue for 2011, can't even cover mandatory spending (which we just barely did in 2010). When you are using a credit card to pay the minimum payment on another credit card, you are usually really fucked. When you then use yet another credit card to pay the light bill, water bill and grocery bill you are wild and truly fucked.

Yet the prospect of raising taxes is abhorrent...

 

[shortylickens]

Yet the prospect of raising taxes is abhorrent...

I think the problem people have with higher taxes is it slows the economy, creates even more government waste cuz of big brother inefficiency, and usually goes into the pockets of people who choose to not be productive or cant physically be productive even if they wanted to, again slowing the economy.

If they also cut all the bullshit programs and stopped nannying us, then I'd be fine with it. We are so bad we need to cut costs and increase revenue. Not one or the other.
Or worse, raise costs.

 

[Double Trouble]

I see a budget that, going by est. revenue for 2011, can't even cover mandatory spending (which we just barely did in 2010).

I take the concept of mandatory spending with a grain of salt. It's essentially spending that is pre-determined, but that doesn't mean you can't (for example) reform some of the programs to reduce the spending.

No matter how you turn it though, we're in deep crap, and the morons in washington DC care only about gaining wealth and power for themselves and their cronies, none of them on either side of the isle give a crap about the country it seems.

 

[Craig234]

Of course it'll affect their ability to collect revenue. It takes an army of accountants and investigators to collect from well heeled tax cheats. It's all part of the "austerity" repubs want- the more they can starve govt of revenue, the more they get to keep, and the more they can justify cuts, cuts, cuts.

Self fulfilling prophesy.

It's even more direct than that. Under Bush, they slashed the IRS enforcement budget for high-end taxpayers, and spent a lot increasing the systems to catch low-end workers.

 

[charrison]

Cutting all the veterans programs I see...

They need to be cut. The amount of waste there is sickening. The number of "disabled vets" i know is quite staggering.

 

[Xellos2099]

How about cutting ALL the EIC each year? It should fix thing up quite a bit.

 

[ichy]

It's even more direct than that. Under Bush, they slashed the IRS enforcement budget for high-end taxpayers, and spent a lot increasing the systems to catch low-end workers.

Got anything to cite to back that up? This sounds like propaganda BS.

 

[MovingTarget]

It's even more direct than that. Under Bush, they slashed the IRS enforcement budget for high-end taxpayers, and spent a lot increasing the systems to catch low-end workers.

I would like to see more info on this. While this would not suprise me, I am disinclined to believe it on its face. Can you post anything to support it?

How about cutting ALL the EIC each year? It should fix thing up quite a bit.

Good luck squeezing blood from a turnip. But hey, as long as the wealth "trickles down", they shouldn't have any problem, right? Anytime now... :whiste:

Yet the prospect of raising taxes is abhorrent...

qfmft. Real fiscal conservatives know that tax increases are sometimes the answer. This is why I really respect the first Bush - he saw through Reagan's disasterous "voodoo economics" and raised taxes to pay for the war in the Gulf - not a popular move, but the correct one.