Budget Simulation Program
 

Check out this little simulation I found. You can maniuplate the budget and see what the effects will be. Nice little diversion from the bland politics discussion.

Re: Budget Simulation Program
 

I found that a year or two ago. It's really fun to play with.

Re: Budget Simulation Program
 

Yeah...nothing like saving $500 billion dollars! Almost puts a bounce in your step. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: Budget Simulation Program
 

It also makes you realize just how much we spend on certain things. I think it was the first time I realized how big some expenditures were.

Re: Budget Simulation Program
 

That is so cool! Damn! Thank you for the link.

A few years ago one of the TV networks got a large room and I don't remember how many people broken into groups at tables. Their task was to solve the budget problem. After a long, long time everyone realized it was just not going to be easily done. It would be worth repeating by one of them.

My Budget
 

http://www.nathannewman.org/cgi-bin/...rt.budget06.pl
Hopefully that link works.

I doubled the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts at every bracket. I wasn't sure what to do with corporate or mortgage tax breaks. On the one hand I want to elminate them, and on the other hand I want to reduce corporate taxes to 0%, thus making them irrelevant anyway. So I just left it alone since there isn't any way to directly change taxes in the program.

I assumed we would stay Iraq for the next few years so I kept military spending constant and doubled reconstruction aid. I also only cut military in general by 30% rather then the desired 70% to reflect the need to keep extra troops for rotation until we leave.

I only cut SS and Medicare by 50% since I figure these programs have to be phased out. A current retiree can't get hit up front, but those that can should be aware and start saving now.

The net result was a $177Bln surplus. If I assume an Iraq pullout it gets much larger.

Re: My Budget
 

It soooo easy to create a surplus. You just need to swing the axe and shrink the budgets for most departments.

The link didn't work, btw, but I know what you're saying.

Re: Budget Simulation Program
 

Budget Totals
Old budget was $3747.36 billion
($2672.527 billion in spending, $1074.833 billion in tax expenditures and cuts).

New budget is $3126.14 billion
($1336.4 billion in spending, $1789.74 billion in tax expenditures and cuts).
You have cut the deficit by $621.22 billion.
Your new deficit is $-220.21 billion.

I cut non military across the board by 30% except for medicare, social security, Natural resource and environment, and a few others which were eliminated.

I increased military spending and veterans benefits by 30% which I would target specifically to pay increases.

I increased the tax cuts by 100%, The corporate tax cuts by 100% and the rest of them by 50%.

I would use the surplus to pay off what people paid into social security.

$579.94 billion .... Military Spending
Increased $133.84 bil. from base of $446.105 bil.( 30%)
$111.85 billion .... Iraq War and Afghanistan Operations (No Change)
$150.13 billion .... Veterans & Retired Military Pensions and Services
Increased $34.65 bil. from base of $115.482 bil.( 30%)
$22.11 billion ..... International Affairs
Cut $9.47 bil. from base of $31.590 bil.(-30%)
$16.78 billion ..... General Science, Space, and Technology
Cut $7.18 bil. from base of $23.967 bil.(-30%)
$1.48 billion ...... Non-Defense Energy Spending
Cut $0.63 bil. from base of $2.121 bil.(-30%)
$0 billion ......... Natural Resources and Environment
Cut $31.15 bil. from base of $31.163 bil.(-100%)
$0 billion ......... Agriculture
Cut $26.01 bil. from base of $26.020 bil.(-100%)
$35.34 billion ..... Transportation
Cut $35.32 bil. from base of $70.673 bil.(-50%)
$0 billion ......... Community and Regional Development
Cut $19.09 bil. from base of $19.097 bil.(-100%)
$128.14 billion .... Education
Increased $64.07 bil. from base of $64.068 bil.( 100%)
$0 billion ......... Training, Labor and Unemployment Programs
Cut $47.8 bil. from base of $47.809 bil.(-100%)
$0 billion ......... Non-Medicare Health Spending
Cut $253.31 bil. from base of $253.320 bil.(-100%)
$0 billion ......... Medicare
Cut $345.74 bil. from base of $345.746 bil.(-100%)
$71.94 billion ..... Civilian Retirement (Social Security excluded) (No Change)
$0 billion ......... Aid to Low-Income Families
Cut $206.76 bil. from base of $206.773 bil.(-100%)
$0 billion ......... General Family Support
Cut $25.61 bil. from base of $25.619 bil.(-100%)
$0 billion ......... Commerce and Housing Loan Programs
Cut $6.81 bil. from base of $6.816 bil.(-100%)
$0 billion ......... Social Security
Cut $544.81 bil. from base of $544.821 bil.(-100%)
$43.1 billion ...... Administration of Justice (No Change)
$8.88 billion ...... General Government Administration
Cut $8.86 bil. from base of $17.754 bil.(-50%)
$211.08 billion .... Net Interest (No Change)
$-44.37 billion .... Undistributed Offsetting Receipts and Allowance (No Change)

Tax Expenditures ($1789.74 billion: increased $714.91 billion)

$589.2 billion ..... 2001 and 2003 Tax Cuts
Increased $294.6 bil. from base of $294.6 bil.( 100%)
$120.72 billion .... Corporate Tax Breaks
Increased $60.36 bil. from base of $60.360 bil.( 100%)
$130.06 billion .... Personal Business and Investment Benefits
Increased $43.35 bil. from base of $86.710 bil.( 50%)
$252.71 billion .... Pension and Retirement Tax Benefits
Increased $84.24 bil. from base of $168.470 bil.( 50%)
$211.49 billion .... Health Insurance Tax Benefits
Increased $70.5 bil. from base of $140.990 bil.( 50%)
$245.57 billion .... Housing Tax Benefits
Increased $81.86 bil. from base of $163.710 bil.( 50%)
$239.99 billion .... Other Individual Deductions and Expenditures
Increased $80 bil. from base of $159.993 bil.( 50%)

Re: My Budget
 

I didn't even touch the little departments like energy or transportation.

SS, Medicare, and the military are the vast majority of our budget.

Re: Budget Simulation Program
 

Spending ($2633.65 billion: cut $38.87 billion)

$401.49 billion .... Military Spending
Cut $44.61 bil. from base of $446.105 bil.(-10%)
$33.56 billion ..... Iraq War and Afghanistan Operations
Cut $78.28 bil. from base of $111.851 bil.(-70%)
$138.58 billion .... Veterans & Retired Military Pensions and Services
Increased $23.1 bil. from base of $115.482 bil.( 20%)
$41.07 billion ..... International Affairs
Increased $9.48 bil. from base of $31.590 bil.( 30%)
$47.93 billion ..... General Science, Space, and Technology
Increased $23.96 bil. from base of $23.967 bil.( 100%)
$4.24 billion ...... Non-Defense Energy Spending
Increased $2.12 bil. from base of $2.121 bil.( 100%)
$40.51 billion ..... Natural Resources and Environment
Increased $9.35 bil. from base of $31.163 bil.( 30%)
$20.82 billion ..... Agriculture
Cut $5.19 bil. from base of $26.020 bil.(-20%)
$91.87 billion ..... Transportation
Increased $21.2 bil. from base of $70.673 bil.( 30%)
$19.1 billion ...... Community and Regional Development (No Change)
$64.07 billion ..... Education (No Change)
$47.81 billion ..... Training, Labor and Unemployment Programs (No Change)
$253.32 billion .... Non-Medicare Health Spending (No Change)
$345.75 billion .... Medicare (No Change)
$71.94 billion ..... Civilian Retirement (Social Security excluded) (No Change)
$206.77 billion .... Aid to Low-Income Families (No Change)
$25.62 billion ..... General Family Support (No Change)
$6.82 billion ...... Commerce and Housing Loan Programs (No Change)
$544.82 billion .... Social Security (No Change)
$43.1 billion ...... Administration of Justice (No Change)
$17.75 billion ..... General Government Administration (No Change)
$211.08 billion .... Net Interest (No Change)
$-44.37 billion .... Undistributed Offsetting Receipts and Allowance (No Change)

Tax Expenditures ($719.87 billion: cut $354.95 billion)

$0 billion ......... 2001 and 2003 Tax Cuts
Cut $294.59 bil. from base of $294.6 bil.(-100%)
$0 billion ......... Corporate Tax Breaks
Cut $60.35 bil. from base of $60.360 bil.(-100%)
$86.71 billion ..... Personal Business and Investment Benefits (No Change)
$168.47 billion .... Pension and Retirement Tax Benefits (No Change)
$140.99 billion .... Health Insurance Tax Benefits (No Change)
$163.71 billion .... Housing Tax Benefits (No Change)
$159.99 billion .... Other Individual Deductions and Expenditures (No Change)