a much better question is what should the government not fund, or what entitlements should be cut, as the federal government is projected to have MANDATORY spending outpace revenue consistently starting in the next 6-10 years.
btw mandatory spending is principally:
Social Security
Medicare
Medicaid
Foodstamps and other income support programs
Federal judge salaries
Veterans retirement programs.
George Michael wrote:
Breakfast!
Oh, I thought that you meant of the things you eat.
Nice one, mister manager!
Social Security and Medicare are self-funded - although this will change if congress refuses to act to insure long term stability.
many 1st priorities:
planned parenthood
abortions
plan b
rubbers
athieism
islam
buddhism
hinduism
shintoism
daoism
national endowment for the arts
gay marriage
gay u.s. navy
NIght Runner wrote:
Social Security and Medicare are self-funded - although this will change if congress refuses to act to insure long term stability.
yes, currently.
medicare is projected to run a deficit beginning in 2016, social security was projected to begin a deficit in 2027, but i haven't seen how that is changing due to the current tax deduction.
National defense. The Constitution clearly describes that as being a responsibility of the federal government. This other crap like education and welfare programs cannot be found in the Constitution as being government responsibilities. I win.
Will E wrote:
National defense. The Constitution clearly describes that as being a responsibility of the federal government. This other crap like education and welfare programs cannot be found in the Constitution as being government responsibilities. I win.
This^^. Any other answer is wrong unless you are operating under the assumption that we could easily change the structure of our constitution (probably for the worse judging by a lot of these moronic responses).
Servicing the publicly held debt.
Bi-Lingual Education. Mainly Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic.
There are three functions of government that are essential: 1) national defense, 2) law enforcement, 3) the judicial system. They are all equally important and all must be funded by government. Government funding of education is absolutely NOT essential.
gays in the military
tax cuts for the rich.
everything is run up on debt EXCEPT the military. I know it's scary to think about but EVERYTHING else, is run up on DEBT.
USA Distance Running
Education. Without a well-educated population, democracy crumbles. The principle of everyone getting a say only works when those people aren't a bunch of sheep. I'd say that the government has failed.
budget 2012 wrote:
Education? That's my opinion. let's here yours.
The most important part of education is severely lacking these days. That part would be history. History tells us about how countries rise and fall. countries that do a poor job of defending themselves become a part of history, and not the present.
So, I agree that the government needs to educate the populace, but more importantly, it needs to protect it from outsiders and treasonous insiders.
Nazi Israel and the Nazi Zionist church.
Medical Research.
Hugely boosts the economy and improves the health of all. I can't really think of any other model for funding large-scale research other than federal support... The HC system is too cost-conscious as it is, so practitioners and other institutions aren't able to fund their own research...
Just look at the medical improvements we've made over the past 50 years on the relatively meager NIH budget.
Just think what we could do if some of the military's $800 billion/year were transfered to the NIH's $30 billion/year...
Yet, the NIH budget wasn't even kept consistent with inflation this year, and the military was boosted...
The most obviously correct answer is defense. It can be missed though because of how over funded it currently is.
govt should manage health care and outlaw hmos and for profit hospitals.