Game: So, think you can balance the budget? Try it yourself.

[Occam Bandage]

A great, somewhat-in-depth budget simulator. See if you can achieve your policy goals *and* balance the budget. Or, if you're a jackass, try seeing how dysfunctional you can make the Federal government.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/2008/05/budget_hero/

[sinkingfeeling]

1. That was rather fun.

[killbotfactory]

2. That was interesting

You can save an enormous amount of money by rolling back the Bush tax cuts.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

3. neat-o!

:)

[cprompt]

4. if I ever run

for POTUS, vote for me.

[Solly Mack]

5. I got all 3 of my chosen badges. I'm a Budget Hero

Health and wellness. Competitive advantage. Safety net.

Debt is no match for me

I reduced the debt from 37.7% of GDP in 2008 (8.4 trillion dollars) to 10.2% of GDP in 2018 (2.2 trillion)

Kids called to say thank you

Pushing the budget bust from 2033 to 2068

You're a down-sizer

I shrank the size of govt. from 20% of GDP in 2008 (4.4 trillion) to 19.1% in 2018 (4.2 trillion)

Just 2 of my biggest cards

Defense Budget (cut)
Repeal Bush tax cuts/tax the rich


That was fun!!!

[Kitty Herder]

6. Shocking how easy it is. Makes you think....

Maybe they don't want to balance the budget?

[Occam Bandage]

10. Well, good luck pushing that defense budget cut and tax hike on the rich through Congress.

Sure, we could balance the budget and fund all sorts of great social programs. But hey, the rich and megacorporations would have to pay up, and we can't be having that.

[Indenturedebtor]

7. Very cool :D I didn't balance but I pushed bust to 2057

and that's not accounting for increased tax revenues from a more balanced economy (huge safety net small defense budget on mine).

That was fun thanks!

[snooper2]

8. You can fund all kinds of cool shit...

If you "Repeal the Bush tax cuts/ tax the rich"


:evilgrin:

[Ezlivin]

9. No! We MUST continue to fund the Military-Industrial Complex

We won't be safe any other way, don't you know?

[Evoman]

11. The best is comparing myself to Republicans.

Man, they suck. It's funny how just another dumb game also displays their evil.

[Occam Bandage]

13. Funny enough, those tax-and-spend Democrats seem to do much better at balancing the budget

than those fiscal-conservative Republicans.

[TornadoTN]

12. I had fun with that - I'm a downsizer, eliminated the debt, and provided Govt Healthcare to all

I expanded on typically liberal programs and cut pork for the rich.

I hit 2 out of 3 badges - achieving energy independence and health care, barely missing the Obama badge (mainly because I was a bit more liberal about my cuts).

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

14. Well, that was easy. Bye-bye "defense" and tax breaks for the wealthy.

2070+ Now, if only the politicians could figure it out.

[hunter]

15. First I'm going to break the game.

Then I'm going to:

Cut the military budget 90%

Increase Taxes for the top 20%, and eliminate the income tax for the lower 40%.

Set a standard work week of 30-36 hours with a mandatory six week vacation for all workers.

Raise the minimum wage such that it equals 20% of a U.S. Senator's total compensation package (not simply salary) for a 36 hour work week.

Install a Universal, Single Payer Health Care system.

Seize the patents of certain pharmaceuticals at a fair market value if the pharmaceutical company is found to have engaged in certain marketing practices in opposition to the public interest, or unfair and unreasonable pricing.

Recognize drug addiction (that's alcohol and cigarettes too) as serious medical problems, and allow the financial undercutting of the illegal drug trade by providing easy access to controlled substances in specific programs designed to remediate the social problems of drug addiction and the rehabilitation of drug users who have lost the ability to function in normal society.

Support free public education through four years of college, with compensation for those going into fields necessary to the Public Welfare such as teaching, medicine, police and fire, and in times of urgency such things as housing, transportation, projects to achieve energy independence, environmental restoration, diplomacy, national defense, and full employment.

Institute a small tax on the trading of financial instruments to reduce the market volume and increase overall market scrutiny upon stocks, bonds, and other similar financial instruments. This would be a disincentive against rapid cycling in the market, and reward investors playing the longer game.

Gay marriage would also be recognized as a civil right, which might also have a small positive effect on the budget.

I don't see stuff like that in the game. Why should I be confined to such a little box?

[apocalypsehow]

16. Well, just by cutting nearly a trillion dollars from the military and repealing the Bush tax cuts,

I was able to eliminate 5.6 trillion dollars in debt, delayed the "budget bust" (as they call it) well past 2070, and shrink dramatically the size of Federal Debt as percentage of GDP from 37.7% to 12.8%.

I did this while largely leaving Social Security alone, tinkering at the margins with Medicare, AND increasing the amount of money that goes to food stamps.

Piece of cake. :thumbsup:

I know in the real world it wouldn't be that tidy, but anything is better than what we've had the last seven years.

[Occam Bandage]

17. kick for a different audience.