What Caused the Bulging Federal Deficit? A Graphical Explanation

We read a lot about how the federal debt is going to bankrupt this country, but during the Clinton administration tax revenues so far exceeded expenditures that the Congressional Budget Office was predicting that the federal debt would be eliminated by 2008.

What happened? Well the same thing that would happen to your household budget if you lost income and ramped up spending. Essentially it was the Bush tax cuts coupled with a declining economy that cut revenue and the costs of two wars and other defense expenditures that increased spending. Two interesting charts explains it graphically. The first produced by the Pew Center http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/05/chart-of-the-day-mapping-out-the-us-debt-problem/238275/ and the second from Mother Jones Magazine   http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/05/deficit-chart-republicans-hate

 No more pork?

 One way to help tame the federal debt is to eliminate the pork barrel spending known as “earmarks." Well, it looks like the House has finally gotten serious about eliminating them. Roll Call reported: “Facing a world without earmarks, House appropriators from both parties are telling colleagues not to request any pork projects this year and are warning that any spending request that looks like it would benefit a single recipient will be treated like an earmark and eliminated.

The new system being sketched out by appropriators provides lawmakers only with opportunities to make broad spending recommendations that cannot include requests for funding for specific entities or projects.”   http://www.rollcall.com/issues/56_114/House-Earmarks-Are-Over-205213-1.html?pos=hln

Another way to cut the deficit would be to eliminate the special subsidies received by the oil industry. Democrats say this would add $21 billion to revenues. Could we call this “oily pork”? http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2011/05/11/democrats_say_oil_subsidies_add_21b_to_deficit/ 

 Black Caucus

Swampscott resident Ralph Edwards participated in the 2011 Congressional Black Caucus Spring Health Braintrust and National Minority Quality Forum held recently in Washington, D.C. Organized by Rep. Donna Christensen of the U.S. Virgin Islands, a medical doctor, the conference brings together health and medical care leaders from across the country to explore policies and practices to reduce health disparities in communities of color.

Edwards directed a session, “Health Reform That Transforms,” which examined the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Representing TASH, the national disability advocacy organization, Edwards described the compounding contribution of race and disability on high rates of poor health outcomes for people of color with disabilities. “While we’re all aware of health disparities experienced by communities of color, we need to address the high rates of diabetes, heart disease, obesity and other health problems that people of color with physical or cognitive disabilities face,” said Edwards, who holds masters’ degrees in public health and public administration. “Their high mortality and morbidity rates are reminiscent of rates for blacks 25 years ago.”

The forum provided an opportunity to network with legislators, policymakers, academicians and health leaders as well as information. “It is helpful to mark the progress we’ve made in reducing health disparities,” said Edwards, who is also director of the Office of Citizen Leadership in the state Department of Developmental Services. “It helps to identify and prioritize future actions.”

Stamp out hunger

Letter carriers in Swampscott and across the nation will be collecting food for local food banks on Saturday. Simply leave a sturdy bag containing non-perishable foods, like canned soup, canned vegetables, pasta, rice or cereal, next to your mailbox prior to the time of regular mail delivery on May 14. Food items should be in non-breakable containers, such as boxes and cans; no glass containers, please. Food banks are experiencing a skyrocketing demand — as much as a 40 to 60 percent increase — tied to the current economic crisis, and donations are not keeping up with the increased need, according to the Postal Service.

Supporting local food pantries has been an ongoing project for local Democrats whose chair is the aforementioned Ralph Edwards. The Swampscott Democratic Town Committee has been conducting monthly food drives at area supermarkets for nearly 2 years. They have now been joined by the Nahant Democratic Committee and the Young Democrats of the North Shore. Last Saturday they collected over a ton of food from customers at the Stop & Shop in Lynn. The next food drive will be June 4 at Johnnie’s Foodmaster in Lynn.

LOL

Want a chuckle? Watch the You Tube video: “Homer Simpson tries to vote for Obama”.    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aBaX9GPSaQ&feature=player_embedded It may be a bit dated but the message is still there and like all things “Homer," it is very funny.

 Photo caption:                                                                                                                                                         East Boston Neighborhood Health Center Deputy Chief Executive Officer Manuel A. Lopes, Congresswoman Donna Christensen, and TASH D/CC Chairman Ralph Edwards at the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust, Washington, DC