[Vision2020] Budget Puzzle: You Fix the Budget - InteractiveFeature - NYTimes.com

[Art Deco]

BJ,

Thank you for the reference to the game.  This is an excellent primer to start people thinking about ways to reduce the national debt and learn about some of the hard choices that need to be made.

The games omits at least two elements:

1.    How to deal with the many, many special interest tax breaks (corporate/wealthy welfare), and 

2.    How to deal what will certainly be a host of emerging problems engendered by population increases, competition for dwindling natural resources, too much greed/self interest, and power hungry business/special interest/political groups using political, social, economic, and religious dogma to increase their spheres of influence and control.

When predicting the results of tax cuts and/or fiscal policy we are not dealing with accurately predictable events -- its not like gravity or electricity.  No existing political, social, or economic theory has passed the test of being able in the long run to predict accurately.  People who apodictically insist that any given approach will yield certain results are living in dreamland -- a favorite place for politicians and pundits from the entire spectrum.

That's way it is important to be flexible and not be afraid to reevaluate polices when predictions go wrong.

w.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: 1000Acres 
  To: vision2020 at moscow.com 
  Sent: Sunday, November 14, 2010 2:53 PM
  Subject: [Vision2020] Budget Puzzle: You Fix the Budget - InteractiveFeature - NYTimes.com


  Here's a fun exercise in balancing the budget.  It may seem easy to just whack away; but then think about the consequences, sometimes many layers deep, and who will be affected.  For example, farm subsidies are always a favorite target.  But then think about who will pay the farmer in increased food prices or will the American farmer go away because they cannot compete in the global market and all of our food will be imported from elsewhere and will the food be safe because we fired all the food inspectors and then what if the 'elsewhere' decides to do an embargo on us, and...  

   

                  http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/13/weekinreview/deficits-graphic.html

   

  Enjoy!

   



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