Name something the government pays for that didn't exist 50 years ago.

[cleller]

Watching the news tonight about the impending budget cuts, I saw some programs that everyone takes for granted that would have been an un-thought of luxury 50 years ago.

ex: pre-kindergarten and after-school care. (basically govt daycare). Just one example. Once these programs are started, they quickly seem the norm, yet might also be considered luxuries that are unable to afford currently. I'm sure to DOD has plenty that needs the hatchet, too.

Got any ideas?

[StoopTroup]

Cell Phones

[StoopTroup]

Laptops

[StoopTroup]

Kevlar Vests

[StoopTroup]

Kevlar Helmets

[StoopTroup]

High Tech Prosthetics

[StoopTroup]

Humvees, M1 Tanks, Bradleys, Cruise Missles.....

[trwxxa]

The TSA

[SCOUT]

The Department of Education

[StoopTroup]

The TSA

Heh....Those detectors that let you see everything....lol

[StoopTroup]

Black President?

[SCOUT]

Private solar companies

[SCOUT]

Scooters

[SCOUT]

Bush's prescription drug plan was aggregious

[StoopTroup]

Private solar companies

I didn't get one. Damn it! :wink:

[SCOUT]

I didn't get one. Damn it! :wink:

You are a private solar company?

[StoopTroup]

You are a private solar company?

No but I'd like to run one if the gubermint would buy me one. I think I could make it work.

Maybe later I could run for Office. Heck if a guy with a pizza company can do it ubeckybeckystan like....I think I could run on a platform where once I was in Office...every shack could have it's own Solar Power. :D

http://www.greencollareconomy.com/images/GreenCollarImages/BlogImages/Solar-lease-program.jpg

[SCOUT]

No but I'd like to run one if the gubermint would buy me one. I think I could make it work.

Maybe later I could run for Office. Heck if a guy with a pizza company can do it ubeckybeckystan like....I think I could run on a platform where once I was in Office...every shack could have it's own Solar Power. :D

http://www.greencollareconomy.com/images/GreenCollarImages/BlogImages/Solar-lease-program.jpg

Your comments miss the point. Distributed solar power is indeed the wave of the future. I like your picture, but it isn't representative of what our government is doing. We are spending money on companies that intend on using massive solar farms that are in no way feasible. The load on transmission lines would be crippling at peak and completely unused at night. Until battery technology catches up it is a pipe dream. If we wanted to invest in solar technology, we should invest in battery technology. Until then, we have put the cart before the horse. Alternatively stated, we are wasting money.

[olevetonahill]

They Payin fer Drones to Kill US citizens. That dint happen 50 years ago.

[okie52]

Paying for 11,000,000 illegal invaders....

[cleller]

Scooters

I was hoping that would be mentioned.

Another huge expense no one would have ever imagined is SSDI. The "I'm too dumb to work" route.

[cleller]

Kevlar Vests


Kevlar Helmets

A good illustration of the govt's need to prioritize spending.

[Fraggle145]

The Department of Education

So I dont get this. Why should this be cut? Not saying you're right or wrong, I just havent really ever heard/looked up the arguments for/against.

[XingTheRubicon]

White guilt

[FaninAma]

Whatever was passed in LBJ's Great Society. BTW, how many Republicans voted for that crap?

[Sooner98]

Planned Parenthood (or at least the part of Planned Parenthood where we as taxpayers were forced to fund the killing of babies)

[C&CDean]

Weed. Methadone. Abortions.

[TAFBSooner]

Weed. Methadone. Abortions.

Two out of three existed 50 years ago, but the government wasn't paying for them. Or so we've been told.

[StoopTroup]

Rosa Park Statue

[TAFBSooner]

They Payin fer Drones to Kill US citizens. That dint happen 50 years ago.

Ah, but 49 years, 8 months, and 25 days ago they did.

Just not the kind of drone you're thinking about.

[StoopTroup]

Abortions.

And you need to read a history book. Unless you mean Legal Ones in America. I darn sure know why they became legal. It was because it was a medical procedure. Albeit...one I don't like to see used but a Medical Procedure none the less and it's been around a long time. I think a good many died from complications due to them being illegal so if they were going to murder a child....they at least didn't murder the Mother who made the choice to abort.

Induced abortion has a long history, and can be traced back to civilizations as varied as China under Shennong (c. 2700 BCE).

Just sayin'

[Soonerjeepman]

abortions is also a HUGE $$$ maker. Ask the doc to do it for "cost" of supplies ONLY...ya know..clinic like...for the mother and see how long that lasts.

[diverdog]

Whatever was passed in LBJ's Great Society. BTW, how many Republicans voted for that crap?

That was the first thing that crossed my mind...HUD, Medicaid, War on Poverty.

[XingTheRubicon]

That was the first thing that crossed my mind...HUD, Medicaid, War on Poverty.

how'd that turn out...

[StoopTroup]

how'd that turn out...

Better than the War on Drugs.

Saw a new Book / Movie coming out that really shows how amazing the private Charitable Food Banks are doing to help stop hunger in our Country but that they are quickly realizing they can't do it all on their own. Many of our Senators and Representatives don't do or say anything about it as nobody thinks they will do anything about it and thus....nobody is writing to them to complain or ask for help. The Conservative Attitude that we can do this on our own is no beginning to really not withstand the truth. These Private Agencies run out of basic food staples as quick as they can help qualified people.


Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush are the directors of "A Place at the Table" (2013), a documentary about hunger in the United States. The film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Jacobson's television credits include the Emmy Award-nominated "Colonial House" (PBS) and "Tanya Tucker: Country Rebel" (A&E Biography). She is the founder of a production company, Catalyst

I know a really nice lady that was part of a private Company that had $2000 they raised to help a Food Bank here in Tulsa. They were told by the bank that they would like it used for Peanut Butter and Jelly. They delivered it and were told that it would all be gone in less than 2 weeks.

It's amazing what you can find out from people who actually do something to help others rather than bitch about the Government handing out stuff to free loaders. 80% of the people who are helped in food banks all have jobs and aren't free loaders. They are hungry and overwhelmed.

[FaninAma]

So I dont get this. Why should this be cut? Not saying you're right or wrong, I just havent really ever heard/looked up the arguments for/against.

What exactly does the Dept. of Education do? I am willing to consider its merits if you can list them for me.

[sooner_born_1960]

Dry Erase Markers.

[Fraggle145]

What exactly does the Dept. of Education do? I am willing to consider its merits if you can list them for me.

That's why I was asking I dont know **** about it either way.

[FaninAma]

That's why I was asking I dont know **** about it either way.

Me neither. I think you have hit on the bigest problem with the federal government....it has no sunshine requirement on spending programs or government agenices. Once an agency gets created not only does it never get dissolved it instead grows exponentially.

The basic problem with the federal government is that career polticians and beaurocrats have corrupted the Keynesian economic philosophy(not that it was a valid theory to begin with) to the point that it is unrecognizable. I am pretty sure Keynes didn't envision his theories being used as an excuse to throw tax payer money at any and everything that those within government felt was appropriate. What this has done has been to suck the oxygen away from the private sector especially start-up ventures and small businesses. It will be eventually discovered that this was a mistake but not until the nation sufferes a severe economic depression.

[olevetonahill]

5000 dollar Hammers, 2500 dollar toilet seats

[cleller]

Dry Erase Markers.

I'll let em keep that one. I still can't go near a blackboard, or hold a piece of chalk. :disgust:

[soonercruiser]

So I dont get this. Why should this be cut? Not saying you're right or wrong, I just havent really ever heard/looked up the arguments for/against.

Give all the education $$ to the states to control the education of their citizens.
Cut out the middle man, middle people - like the Gobment and teacher's unions!
That would save a lot of money!

[soonercruiser]

"Cruise Control"!
That way I can text while I drive.
(No! I know what you're thinkin'!~ I have a hand control!)
:triumphant: