View From The Ditch Bank

BUDGE IT----We've all had to do that sometime. We have a rock in the yard, a vehicle stuck in the mud, or snow. Or some other obstacle in the way of whatever progress it is we are trying to make. And no matter how hard we try, we just can't seem to budge it. We use tools, call family or friends, or maybe even a church group to help. Usually, with enough help, we finally get the stubborn object to move, in the direction we want. Words are funny. Have you noticed? Budge it means one thing, but while pronounced the same, budget means something else. Maybe, kinda, sorta. I mentioned in a post or two back that I had watched the State of the Union Address. I will digress a moment, but the State of the Union address was originally a State of the Union report that was to be made by the President to Congress. All Presidents, including George Washington, have done it. Many sent a written report of the State to congress instead of making a speech. It has just been in the last few Presidencies that these "reports" have been broadcast to the world, rather than just to congress. And ALL Presidents have said, the "State of the Union is strong", regardless of the actual state. I listened to see if President Obama would say that. He did. It seems like the reports of the Presidents for some time now have been more of a wish list of what they want, rather than a report of how it is. Oh well! back to the budge it uh budget. In the afore mentioned speech, President Obama stated what he would like to do to balance the budget. Along with his mantra of Blame President Bush, to a quick admitting that he had added some to it, he said he wanted to make some cuts. I read a AOL News report recently, that mentioned some of the things he wanted to cut. I agree with most, and will mention a few. It will be up to you to decide if you like them or not. 1. Cut grants to manufactures of worsted wool products; savings $5 million a year. 2. Stop broadcasts in Croatian, Greek, and Hindi on the government run Voice of America; savings $3 million a year.
3. The Pentagon stopped requesting C-17 Cargo planes in 2007 because they have all that is needed. Congress insisted on buying more, cause parts for these planes are made in 43 States. If this would pass, it would save $2.5 Billion over 10 years. Well, here are a few more items listed. Cutting subsidies to wealthy farmers, a program that pays states to clean up abandoned coal mines, that have already been cleaned up. A $5million dollar program to the Forest service for a "water musical festival", a $120 million program that allows low-income people to get Earned Income Tax Credit in advance. About 80% of those receiving these were later found to be ineligible. There are many more along these lines that the Pres has in his budget to cut. He wants to cut the space program, which is the one item I actually strongly disagree with. Of $17 billion one year savings that Obama presented, congress only approved $11.5 billion, or 60%. So, to get back to the opening of this post, congress is kinda like the vehicle stuck in the mud. In order to get them to budge it, on the budget, it is going to take a lot of help from all of us, pushing them to budge on getting a balanced budget. The President can present his wish list, but congress approves it, and we all need to let them know that we are pushing them to get this done and stop getting in the way of the progress of this country. And that's the View From The Ditch Bank.