SUGGESTION BOX: WHAT WOULD MAKE THE GOP BETTER?

[89Hen]

Agreed. Look at the shutdown. Take out the douchey things like closing down parks that didn't need closing and did it really impact the average person? Did it matter that all the USDA farm service offices were closed? All the farmers around here are busy with harvest anyway. Did it really matter that some bureaucrat in the Dept. of Education couldn't start writing some new rule that isn't necessary? Did drug use go up because the 76 different federal anti-drug programs were shut down? The sequester is more proof. It was supposed to be the end of the world and it wasn't.

A bit simplistic 5. It was only two weeks. I don't disagree that there is a lot of waste and we could probably deal with a 20% cut without too much pain, but the shutdown wasn't a good example IMO.

[HI54UNI]

Agreed. Look at the shutdown. Take out the douchey things like closing down parks that didn't need closing and did it really impact the average person? Did it matter that all the USDA farm service offices were closed? All the farmers around here are busy with harvest anyway. Did it really matter that some bureaucrat in the Dept. of Education couldn't start writing some new rule that isn't necessary? Did drug use go up because the 76 different federal anti-drug programs were shut down? The sequester is more proof. It was supposed to be the end of the world and it wasn't.

A bit simplistic 5. It was only two weeks. I don't disagree that there is a lot of waste and we could probably deal with a 20% cut without too much pain, but the shutdown wasn't a good example IMO.

I know its simplistic. I heard somewhere that Iowa was the least impacted state by the shutdown so my personal experience is a lot different from someone that lives in other areas. But I think my point is still valid. The shutdown and sequester both show that there could be cuts and we would survive.

[89Hen]

The shutdown and sequester both show that there could be cuts and we would survive.

We will have to agree to disagree. The impact was only as low as it was because it was two weeks, not because what was shutdown wasn't missed.

From an article on the shutdown...

For conservatives, the recent government shutdown is serving a dual purpose. On one level it’s an opportunity to express their dislike of the Affordable Care Act and an attempt to change or repeal the law. By using appropriations as the vehicle to enact these changes, conservatives have created an opportunity that drives another (albeit related) part of their agenda: reducing the size and scope of government. The thinking goes that when the government shuts down, the average citizen tends to find that their daily lives go on as usual prompting the question: “Gee, what does the government really do?” In turn, this gives further credence to conservative assertions that government is too expensive and ineffective.

[kalm]

The shutdown and sequester both show that there could be cuts and we would survive.

We will have to agree to disagree. The impact was only as low as it was because it was two weeks, not because what was shutdown wasn't missed.

From an article on the shutdown...

For conservatives, the recent government shutdown is serving a dual purpose. On one level it’s an opportunity to express their dislike of the Affordable Care Act and an attempt to change or repeal the law. By using appropriations as the vehicle to enact these changes, conservatives have created an opportunity that drives another (albeit related) part of their agenda: reducing the size and scope of government. The thinking goes that when the government shuts down, the average citizen tends to find that their daily lives go on as usual prompting the question: “Gee, what does the government really do?” In turn, this gives further credence to conservative assertions that government is too expensive and ineffective.

I'm with Hen here a little bit...I think.

Reduce funding to entities like the CDC, and FDA for more than a few weeks, and watch people get somewhat uncomfortable when the next flu epidemic breaks out, folks start dying due to prescription drugs that weren't properly tested, or a bad batch of burger causes an e-coli outbreak because there weren't enough inspectors. Safe food, drugs, and disease prevention come with a price tag. Again, not that there isn't waste or that it shouldn't be cut, but I think the benefits of these type of programs are a little under-appreciated by many.

Not that I'm saying a 20% haircut across the board isn't survivable, but it's more than significant. I've used this analogy before and it's on a smaller scale for sure, but when Washington voters approved I-695 back in the 90's which drastically cut license tab fees, not enough people believed the warnings on the impact it would have. The City of Cheney the following year had a property tax vote to keep the $1 million/year parks and rec department funded because of the lack of state funding and grants. My b.i.l. voted against it thinking 'psht...government will always find a way to come up with the money.'

Too many thought the same and they literally closed down the community pool, quite mowing the parks, and had no youth programs for a couple of years. His kids blamed him for taking away the pool.

It can happen.

[DSUrocks07]

We will have to agree to disagree. The impact was only as low as it was because it was two weeks, not because what was shutdown wasn't missed.

From an article on the shutdown...

I'm with Hen here a little bit...I think.

Reduce funding to entities like the CDC, and FDA for more than a few weeks, and watch people get somewhat uncomfortable when the next flu epidemic breaks out, folks start dying due to prescription drugs that weren't properly tested, or a bad batch of burger causes an e-coli outbreak because there weren't enough inspectors. Safe food, drugs, and disease prevention come with a price tag. Again, not that there isn't waste or that it shouldn't be cut, but I think the benefits of these type of programs are a little under-appreciated by many.

Not that I'm saying a 20% haircut across the board isn't survivable, but it's more than significant. I've used this analogy before and it's on a smaller scale for sure, but when Washington voters approved I-695 back in the 90's which drastically cut license tab fees, not enough people believed the warnings on the impact it would have. The City of Cheney the following year had a property tax vote to keep the $1 million/year parks and rec department funded because of the lack of state funding and grants. My b.i.l. voted against it thinking 'psht...government will always find a way to come up with the money.'

Too many thought the same and they literally closed down the community pool, quite mowing the parks, and had no youth programs for a couple of years. His kids blamed him for taking away the pool.

It can happen.

That's the mentality we need to get out of.

Not saying it would be painless, but it needs to begin somewhere.

[kalm]

I'm with Hen here a little bit...I think.

Reduce funding to entities like the CDC, and FDA for more than a few weeks, and watch people get somewhat uncomfortable when the next flu epidemic breaks out, folks start dying due to prescription drugs that weren't properly tested, or a bad batch of burger causes an e-coli outbreak because there weren't enough inspectors. Safe food, drugs, and disease prevention come with a price tag. Again, not that there isn't waste or that it shouldn't be cut, but I think the benefits of these type of programs are a little under-appreciated by many.

Not that I'm saying a 20% haircut across the board isn't survivable, but it's more than significant. I've used this analogy before and it's on a smaller scale for sure, but when Washington voters approved I-695 back in the 90's which drastically cut license tab fees, not enough people believed the warnings on the impact it would have. The City of Cheney the following year had a property tax vote to keep the $1 million/year parks and rec department funded because of the lack of state funding and grants. My b.i.l. voted against it thinking 'psht...government will always find a way to come up with the money.'

Too many thought the same and they literally closed down the community pool, quite mowing the parks, and had no youth programs for a couple of years. His kids blamed him for taking away the pool.

It can happen.

That's the mentality we need to get out of.

Not saying it would be painless, but it needs to begin somewhere.

Agreed. It's just funny that sentiment comes from conks as well.