Federal budget (draft)

• Support DeFazio's take on need for balanced budget amendment

• Need to get corruption out first to insure bad stuff gets cut instead of good stuff

• Not wealth redistribution—no connection between revenue and expenditures

• Taxes should be based on ability to pay, expenditures based on need

• Calling stimulus a failure like not giving the purchaser of a TV enough money

• Reduce the deficit by getting more people working at decent-paying jobs

• Pro-business should consider USPS benefit pre-payment 75 years ahead insane

• Taxes are everyone being made to help buy services that benefit everyone

• Possibly allow tax deferral on money used for investing; tax when taken out

• Investors don't have to actually work (provide value) to earn their money

• Investing is often guaranteed and predictable, not like the lottery

• How much of Social Security shortfall is due to lower wages?