US Budget

You are an advisor to the President tasked with cutting at least $300 billion from the budget. The president wants your recommendations to cut lines, not large categories. Submit your recommendations and your reasoning for such recommendations using these guidelines:

– Use evidence (cite sources) to support your recommendations from assigned readings or online lessons, and at least one outside scholarly source.

– Use the format provided below to present your numbers and totals followed by an explanation below the chart.

– Please note that these are not true US budget numbers, but are reasonable hypothetical numbers to help us consider the budget processes complexities.

DOMESTIC PROGRAMS AND FOREIGN AID

Cut some foreign aid to African countries

$17 billion

 

Eliminate farm subsidies

$14 billion

 

Cut pay of civilian federal workers by 5 percent

$14 billion

 

Reduce the overall federal workforce by 10%

$12 billion

 

Cut aid to states by 5%

$29 billion

MILITARY

Cut the number of nuclear warheads, and end the “Star Wars”” missile defense program

$19 billion

 

Reduce military to pre-Iraq War size and further reduce troops in Asia and Europe

$25 billion

 

Cancel or delay some weapons programs

$19 billion

HEALTHCARE

Enact medical malpractice reform by reducing the chances of large malpractice verdicts

$ 8 billion

 

Increase the Medicare eligibility age to 68

$ 8 billion

 

Raise the Social Security retirement age to 68.

$ 13 billion

EXISTING TAXES

Return the estate tax to Clinton-era levels