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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LindyBill who wrote (143814)	10/20/2005 6:09:48 AM
From: Lane3	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 793914

an across-the-board cut is a blunt political instrument whose time has returned. Across-the-board cuts like this are worse than doing nothing. Agencies handle them by eliminating training and travel, which leaves employees sitting around the office getting paid for doing busy work because they can't get out to do their jobs, and postponing new computer systems, which obviates improvements in efficiency, while they wait for better times. The only sensible way to cut spending is to cut programs.

To: LindyBill who wrote (143814)	10/20/2005 10:43:43 AM
From: slacker711	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 793914

I'm not counting on the Republican's ability to cut spending....take a look at this. I would think that it was a joke if I hadnt seen all of the other spending proposals over the last few years. Seriously, isnt this exactly the type of program that Republicans used to make fun of Democrats over? My 7th grade US History class must have missed the part in the Constitution which labeled TV an inalienable right that had to be subsidized by the government. today.reuters.com UPDATE 1-US Sen. Stevens proposes $3 bln digital TV aid Wed Oct 19, 2005 8:45 PM ET Printer Friendly \| Email Article \| Reprints \| RSS (Page 1 of 2) (Adds details on McCain amendment, second bill.) By Jeremy Pelofsky WASHINGTON, Oct 19 (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens said on Wednesday he plans to propose a $3 billion subsidy program to ensure older television sets still work when the transition to better quality, digital broadcasts is completed. Stevens, an Alaska Republican, said the estimated cost of a box to convert the new digital signals back to analog so existing television sets continue to work is $50 each and he proposed the government subsidize $40 of that amount. "We plan to provide a set-top box ... to everyone who has a TV that needs a box," Stevens said at a luncheon sponsored by the Free Enterprise Fund. "It may be we have to set a limit." Stevens has proposed legislation requiring television broadcasters to end analog broadcasts and only air digital by April 7, 2009. His committee plans to vote on setting the deadline and the subsidy amount on Thursday afternoon. However, Republican Sen. John Sununu of New Hampshire may propose an amendment paring the subsidy fund to $1 billion, according to a list of expected amendments obtained by Reuters. Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican, also had planned an amendment to cap the program to $500 million but now may not do so, according to a source close to the issue. The money for the subsidy would come from selling some of the old analog airwaves at auction for commercial wireless services. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated a sale could raise $10 billion if the airwaves were made available in 2009. There are approximately 21 million homes in the United States that rely solely on broadcast television, while most households subscribe to cable or satellite services. The National Association of Broadcasters, which represents most television stations, has estimated that there are about 73 million television sets in homes in the United States that are not hooked up to cable or satellite service and rely solely on broadcast. Stevens' subsidy program would cover some 75 million television sets. However, he said by 2009, many households will likely have replaced their older sets with new ones that can receive the new digital broadcasts. "That will reduce the number of set-top boxes that will be needed," Stevens said. "The further out that date is, the fewer the set-top boxes that will be required." McCain also plans to propose an amendment to push up the digital transition date to April 7, 2007, according to the amendment list. A second bill aimed at addressing other issues related to the digital television transition that had been planned for Thursday has been put off, Stevens said. The U.S. House of Representatives has been considering its own digital television draft legislation, setting a Dec. 31, 2008 deadline for completing the transition and it did not include a subsidy program. Differences between any House and Senate-passed versions would have to be resolved by a conference of lawmakers from both the House and Senate.

To: LindyBill who wrote (143814)	10/20/2005 10:58:47 AM
From: D. Long	Respond to of 793914

A 3% "haircut" is nothing. These bureaucracies keep that much in their "spare change" account 3% is probably the amount they blow to "use up" their budget, so they can keep the same budget level. Derek

To: LindyBill who wrote (143814)	10/20/2005 12:32:09 PM
From: greenspirit	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793914

Yes! But they need to do a lot more than cutting 3% from the projected increase. The problem with restraining spending is a simple one "people do what you reward them for doing". It's true in politics as it is in business or life. The political rewards are simply not tied to reducing spending, the primary one being re-election. That's why conservatives need to stand back up and call for TERM LIMITS. Term limits was the major neglected puzzle from the contract with America that didn't get passed. And we're seeing the results of missing that key part of the puzzle. Yes, it takes courage to pass term limits while your party is in power, however, they should be putting country ahead of personal fortunes. Three terms for a House member and two terms for a Senator should be enough. Maybe then we'll built support for budgetary restraint, when enough of them realize the door-to-door limousine service is about to end.