National Debt

One of the things we all talk about on the front porch or around the kitchen table is how we spend our money.  We dream of buying new cars, doing repairs to the house, or stuff the kids need.  Then we start planning a way to achieve those goals.  If our hours get cut, or we get laid off we make adjustments.  We look at the things we owe, the things we need, and the things we want, then we determine what we can do without.  Why can our government not do the same!  So what if a government worker has to take the same pay cut that I did just so that I would still have a job?  What if they had to use cheaper brands of things?  What if we cut foreign aid to countries who don't like us?  What if we drilled more at home and brought in the pipeline from Canada?  Why not combine some departments that do basically the same thing.  How about if government workers were paid that same as a civilian who does the same job.  There are ways to curb the deficit without scaring older folks who rely on the money that they paid into the system.  Had the government not stolen the money that was to be set aside for the baby boomers there would be plenty of money for social security and medicare.