14 Comments
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AG Johnson's avatar

Very excited about this! I will seriously consider participating in the essay contest this time.

Erek Tinker's avatar

You're not meant to avoid the fiscal cliff. The fiscal cliff is meant to occur when the Boomers have left the stage. It's only meant for the Boomers to avoid it.

Peter Banks's avatar

Look as someone who will be alive on the other side of that cliff I very much want to avoid it!

Erek Tinker's avatar

My entire life people screamed about leaving debt to their grandchildren. Then they voted for policies that prioritized the elderly. Largely because elderly retired people are much more likely to be politically involved than any other age cohort. But unfortunately you're the grandchildren that the debt was left to.

Erek Tinker's avatar

Good luck. I don't think avoiding it is possible.

J.K. Lundblad's avatar

What we have here is a toxic dynamic of both political parties, unable and unwilling to address the core issues: entitlements.

The GOP passes tax cuts and defers the spending cuts, while the Dems pass big spending bills and defer the tax hikes.

The reality is that the government will always spend more than it has, so the best medicine will be some kind of mechanism to cap that spending, which indirectly also caps the size and intrusiveness of the government as well.

Roughly speaking, I have written that spending should be allocated as follows and capped at 20 percent:

2% defence

5% education

2% R&D

8% Healthcare

3% Other

Peter Banks's avatar

Do we forward you the grand prize now /s?

K.D. Walter's avatar

I will accept payment in either olive oil or gold.

Sol Hando's avatar

I hope to see many new contributors. :)

I have given up on the deficit so I pray to the singularity to increase GDP, and soon.

Peter Banks's avatar

tbh any solution requires either severe austerity - doubtful we can get that before it is too late - or some phase shift in productivity growth.