Congress has no choice but to raise the debt ceiling

"The world would think we'd gone mad"

Newsflash: they already do. The world watches in amazement as we continue to spend at unsustainable rates and borrow from our economic competitors all the while we point fingers at Greece or Spain for doing the same thing.

In my imperfect understanding, lowering the credit rating would add billions to the debt simply by raising the interest rates on outstanding loans the US already has. No thanks. The back and forth CONGRESS indulged in the LAST time caused our credit rating to be lowered, by the words of the S & P.

Debt ceiling refers to paying for money(loans) that CONGRESS has ALREADY SPENT. Not to pay for future purchases. They had a good time with the cash and now count on the gullibility of the average voter to make the debt ceiling into something they could "negotiate" over.  As some have said, WE don't get to negotiate OUR debts, they get paid one way or another.

One can always hope that the few people that abuse our safety net programs will get what is coming to them so those programs can do what they are SUPPOSED to do, give a hand to those who need a hand temporarily and then  move on. 

One does need to remember that CORPORATE WELFARE gets TWICE the revenue the regular citizen welfare programs get. Corporations and the uber wealthy have managed to reap and keep FAR more of the wealth generated in  this country  than we will ever see.

WE the people keep the factories going, roads and other infrastructure in good repair. We teach  children, fight in the military, treat illnesses, take care of the elderly, go to school, save money, spend money, and generate wealth for other people to send overseas to avoid paying a fair share of taxes.... I do not see that a fair (or a bit above fair to be really honest) wage is "redistributing" the wealth, it would be sharing the wealth. That shared revenue would get spent by ordinary people and go back into the economy. Uber wealthy just don't spend money like we do. How many yachts, private planes, super duper parties, cars, and designer clothing can they buy to keep the rest of us working to fill their orders? That won't keep a huge economy like ours busy and profitable....I have seen stats that show the upper tax brackets save (sock away) approximately 25% of their annual income. This removes it from the larger economy. Not bad for them but it shows that We the people, who can't save our money like they can, are the actual movers and shakers of the US economy. Because WE put the money back in.

That said, the business people DO have their place too. Without them we wouldn't have as much in the way of workplace opportunities. Not every person is cut out to be an entrepreneur. What entrepreneurs generally forget is that a business owner CAN start a business on their own (sometimes) but they must hire ordinary people to work in it, must have ordinary people to buy their products, must use the infrastructure of this country to get their goods to market, therefore they CAN'T live in a vacuum and survive on their own. They need WE the people as much as we need them! Neither side can have it all their own way.

I don't mind tightening my belt as long as I know that EVERYONE else will be doing the same.

We the people DID put those people in Washington DC to do a job. and WE the people need to kick em in the **** to get em going. THEY need to remember that they represent US first and NOT their party. Get to work!!!!! Represent!!!!!!!!!!!​!!!

Instead of looking at the mandatory areas that we should not cut and areas that we actually pay a special tax too keep operating, he's a new idea. We need to start cutting supplements that are paid from the tax dollars that should be paid for on a private level. The military is a national debt that we should never cut into. The SSI benefits and Medicare are paid through a special tax called FICA. States should pay for and support their own food assistance and help for the needy from their own budgets since the programs are mostly state regulated and state run anyways. No one should get back more on individual tax refunds than they originally paid in. This is a tax code dilemma that needs to be corrected. As fo0r the refunds that are equal to or less than the amount paid by the tax payer it is their money anyways and should not be considered a debt to repay it. Unemployment insurance benefits are suppose top be covered in advance. The government should not be using tax dollars to fund a program that employers have to pay in to. It should be 100% self supporting. No extensions at our expense. FEMA is not a necessity. States should institute EMA's for their own states at a state level expense. Why should people in , say for example Iowa, have to pay for damages suffered by people in Florida or even Hawaii. This should be state level and not a federal expense. The only portion of the federal education expense that might, and only might, be necessary is PELL GRANT's. The rest is a personal and local responsibility unless it is a national run school, not state or local schools. Even public schools should be funded by local financial support even if it means increasing property taxes to pay for the school system. Private schools should be funded by tuitions and religious schools school be funded by the Church or establishment they belong to, not public tax dollars. All Medicaid, SNAP, AFDC, EBT, Welfare, and all other entitlement programs not covered under FICA should all be a state to state responsibility. The states should decide how to fund and manage these programs.

Basically to cut this long answer and description short I will say this: Our Federal Government budget should only be responsible for current government salaries (retired officials only get a 1/3 of their active salary for retirement if they have no other form of income), national defense, not even homeland security, (Only military spending),Internatio​nal Embassies and CIA, National law enforcement (FBI and federal judges, court house, and the Supreme court), and national rights policies. The federal government is to establish Justice, Ensure Domestic Tranquility, and  provide for the common defense of the United States of America. Read the preamble to the U.S. Constitution. Also any financial responsibility not directly delegated to the federal government under the U.S. Constitution or its Amendments shall according to the 10th Amendment of the Bill of Rights be delegated to the States.

If we could get back to the purpose of our government and redeistribute all the rest back to the states and delegated in the U.S. Constitution I feel our governemnt could lower taxes on the people and still provide for all it is responsible for. Let the states and local government do their duty and provide for the rest.