Well Dross, seems like the biggest number is that $19k that we just give away. Seems we could cut charity in half and balance the whole thing.
Which is why we can't come at the problem thataway. The politician graveyard is littered with bodies of those who have suggested the tiniest of adjustments to these entitlements.
The budget is just numbers that don't mean much unless you compare them to something. To me, the number that makes sense is the GDP. If we can just hold the line on the growth of these programs, then encourage economic growth by cutting taxes, specifically corporate income tax and capital gains, we can grow the economy and decrease our debt and our budget as a percentage of GDP.
My little exercise was to put an end to these cries of cutting defense every time this comes up. Fine, I concede. Let's cut it. But then the question remains, "Now what?"
It's the now what that kills the discussion.
Also remember that 50% of the population pays NOTHING in income taxes to have this bloated government. Why would they care. Of those left, 25% don't pay enough that it really hurts. It's the top 25% that foots most of the bill, and a small percentage of those folks foot the biggest portion of the bill.
Many of the folks who do pay taxes "technically" are government employees, the largest sector of the work force, and of course they don't actually pay taxes at all, since they are net tax receivers.
IMO, we must slow the growth of our spending as much as possible, and focus on policies that grow our economy.