So what should we cut to balance the budget?

Since part of this economic mess we are in is due to the profligate spending by the R's during the Bush years, why not compile a list of what these are and start slashing them out of the budget? I'll bet there are a lot of them that are still pulling bucks from our pockets.

I wonder.

....fucking wars.

House of Reps overseas delegation trips which are basically vacations.
All the fraud in military spending, the FRAUD in medicare and medicaid.
Congressional car allowances and air travel allowances.

That's a start.

instead of China. What's so hard about that?

"part of this economic mess we are in is due to the profligate spending by the government" is pure bullshit and should not be accepted by any Democrat.

the mess we are in is due to profligate tax cuts given to the rich since the time of Reagan. In 1986, the top 1% paid an average tax rate of 33.13%. In 1987, it was cut to 26.4 and by 2008 it was only 23.27%. If they paid taxes at the same rate as in 1986, the government would have taken in another $1.67 trillion in revenue (which would have reduced interest expenditures quite a bit too).

In 2001, the top .1% paid an average rate of 28.2%. By 2006, it was cut to 22%. If the top .1% had paid the same rate they paid in 2002, the government would have taken in another $281.675 billion. Compare that to the $39.3 billion that the government spent on food stamps in 2008. 281 > > 39.3

Wasn't the highest rate 90% back then?

it is not the spending (although two unfunded wars had a hell of an impact) it is the tax cuts.

I saw a chart here the other day that showed that the current deficit was being fed by the tax cuts for the richest passed under the Bush administration. Just reinstate taxes for the rich. Problem solved.

for quite a while beyond the Bush years, and is continuing even today.