[Porsche-O-Phile]

How about we start with 10% across-the-board cut to ALL programs (including military spending). Five years from now, another 10%. Five years later, another 10% and so on until we're at about 50% (or less) of current budget. That'd be fine by me. Naturally the taxes that go along with them also go bye-bye, phased over the next 25-or-so years if necessary.

Welfare? Eliminate it. Minimum wage? Gone. Pork projects for transportation, infrastructure and so forth? Gone. Eliminate them completely. Let the states take care of themselves. The federal government has WAY overstepped its boundaries in taking power from the states. If the states want to do these things, let them vote on them in referendums and pass them as STATE (not federal) laws.

In this way, the different values and philosophies that the indivduals of this great nation hold can be represented through as many as 50 different interpretations or expressions as sets of priorities. The individual states can define themselves uniquely and express their own sets of priorities and values through their laws and policies. They can ally with each other in some areas and compete in others. It's the ultimate expression of the strength of competition. Don't like it here? Go somewhere else. There will be someplace for every reasonable person. No more "donor states" and "recipient states" - you rise and/or fall on your own merits.

Smaller, more localized governments almost ALWAYS are more effective than large, broad-reaching ones. The federal government should be strong enough to deter foreign invasion (illegal immigration is a form of this) and able to hold the union of the constituent states together and prosecute interstate crimes that are violations of federal law. Little more than that is necessary, justified or was ever intended by the founders of this country.

The over-centralization of government in present-day form is an abomination and would make our founding fathers roll over in their graves. It was never intended to be like this. It was intended to be stronger than the federal government under the (failed) Articles of Confederation but not a pseudo-totalitarian power that routinely strips power from the states and trumps their right to govern themselves.

Same issue that was fought over a century and a half ago in the Civil War - states rights. Maybe it's time we solved it.