Federal Budget Blog Entry

The main priority of the federal budget is to plan how they will spend money for each federal program. One of these federal programs, social security, is the largest and most expensive federal program. Social Security was established to fight poverty and serves retired, disabled workers, families of deceased workers, and children. This is paid by money taken out of today's workers pay checks. Since 1983 the federal government has been using the extra tax money for benefits. The disadvantage to this is that more money will be spent on social security benefits than income taxes. Another program that is skyrocketing is Medicare. It is currently spending more than it takes in. It is a program for people over 65 and the disabled for hospital benefits. Since the number of retirees is increasing, they estimate that the fund will be gone by 2019. Some people believe that a change needs to occur and others believe that the system will keep going without change. The people who believe there needs to be a change say that the program is offering retiree's more than what it can afford to give. They believe that private investments should be offered as well as minimum benefits for everyone. The other view states that the social security program has become a well known program for retiree's and should stay like that. They believe that the people who enter the program pay and in return should receive benefits.

I stand in firm belief that America needs to make a major change in the program of social security. Social security was not intended for a retiree's program, but instead to decrease poverty. Over the years it has become a benefit dealer and by 2017 the federal government will be spending more on these benefits than it receives in income taxes, which pay for the benefits of social security. Changes must occur in order to save the program, like cutting back benefits and giving to Americans only in desperate need. Back in 2005, President Bush did promote an idea that Americans could have the option of diverting their social security payroll to private investments so they would be promised benefits. Citizens and legislatures rejected the idea and the idea was not played out.

The War on Iraq
http://bigsteveblog.blogspot.com/
Pay As You Go
http://thevoiceoftim.blogspot.com/2009/10/issue-2-spending-what-we-can-afford.html

Worldwide Muslims

According to the recently new poll of the amount of Muslims in the world, it turns out that 1.57 billion Muslims. That is one in four people worldwide. Indonesia and Pakistan rank among the top countries with the most Muslims. Also India has more Muslims than any other country except these two. Two out of three Muslims live in Asia stretching from Turkey to Indonesia. Why is this important to the U.S.? It shows the increasing rise of Muslims and teaches us that we need to learn this religion. As of 2005, 2.25 billion Christians worldwide with Muslims ranked in the second religion. Our country has been based off of Christianity, but as a worldwide nation we should learn the basics of other religions as well.

It's surprising to know that the religion of Muslim is rising so rapidly. The next poll going to be taken is the religion of Christianity. i hope to see that that as well is rising. i do think it is important to understand the ways of the Muslim society and as well as for them to understand the Christian ways. As a united world it is a priority to understand one's knowledge in order to be a successful world.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/10/07/muslim.world.population/index.html?eref=rss_politics

Senate panel rejects GOP bid to strengthen abortion provision

The Senate Finance Committee recentely defeated the amendments proposed by Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah. The amendments proposed that the current ban on federal funding for abortion would continue except for rape victims and dangered mothers. It also proposed that the government could not pressure any hospital or doctor to go against there beliefs and perform an abortion. Democratic Senator Kent Conrad from North Dakota and Republican Senator Olympia Snowe from Maine were the two people to vote against these amendments. They argued that it would lead to new restriction rights and that it discriminated against woman's rights.

Although I do believe that we need to accomplish something about abortion, I do not think these amendments are heading us into the right direction. I'm glad to hear that Senator Orrin Hatch is continuing to propose differnts ammendments and that he is not giving up this issue yet.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/30/health.care.senate/index.html?eref=rss_politics