Many experts from different fields of expertise have talked about how dangerously high the Federal government's debts and spending are and how that debt and spending threaten the very solvency regarding the country. Just within the final 3 fiscal years during which the Democrats controlled Congress, within first 3 years regarding the Obama Presidency, the local debt shall have gone up about $4 TRILLION or about $35,000 per USA household. It is on a trajectory to leave up another $8 TRILLION within the next decade and that is probably a greatest case scenario. This returns out to over $100,000 per household. All regarding the standard measures of sound fiscal policy, e.
annual deficit like a percentage of GDP, total local debt like a percentage of GDP, etc. are raising red flags of how dire our nation's Federal government finances are. But, wait! There is more. Whether you thought the Federal government was in bad financial shape, think about some statistics for some regional and state governments that appeared in a recent New York Times story by David Brooks:. - In New Jersey, employment benefit packages for state employees are 41% higher than similar benefit packages for those working for the average Fortune 500 company.
- New York Village schools are in bad shape, possibly due to the fact that the village has allowed over 10,000 former policemen and police women to retire prior to the age of 50. - In California, a state very, very close to bankruptcy, in-state police officers receive 90% of their salaries when they retire at age 50. - An average California corrections officer can earn over $100,000 when overtime is taken into account. - The story points out that California spends more money on its prison system than its college systems. - Unfunded state government pension obligations total about $2 TRILLION.
Regarding to a source quoted within the article, a political scientist at the Village College of New York, government employees at all grades of government earn, on average, make $14 more per hour in wages and benefits than their private sector equivalents. - Buffalo, New York has 50% fewer citizens than it had in 1950 but the similar to many regional government employees. Want some more torture? Think about the following facts from the November, 2010 issue of Reason magazine and the story that provided a blueprint for financially saving the country:. - During the Best Recession, the private sector regarding the economy shed almost 8. 5 million jobs but all grades of government definitely added government employees during the recession to the tune of 100,000.
Thus, there were fewer and fewer private sector jobs and their taxes to help more government employees, putting tremendous strains on the government budgets below the Federal level. - In a July report, the local conference of State Legislators estimated that the states face a total budget gap of $84 billion for the next fiscal year, with almost 1/2 of all states thinking that their deficits shall be higher than 10% of their total budgets. - In a June analysis, the Local Governors Association estimated that the cumulative budget shortfalls for state governments over the next 3 years shall be almost $300 billion. Despite their own estimates, the similar to Governors are recommending budgets that are actual 3. 6% HIGHER for fiscal 2011.
Fewer private sector jobs are available but state and regional governments expand. Governors have knowledge of they shall have fewer money within the coming years but recommend that state government budgets be increased. Population bases shrink substantially but the governments supporting substantially fewer citizens does not. Why are we in this situation. Brooks suggests that it all returns below to the political class receiving note of to provide taxpayer dollars to purchase votes for the perpetual re-election.
Take like regarding the public employee unions with high salary raises during economic boom times and promised future pension increases in lean times, essentially kicking the financial time bomb of pensions below the path to future generations, and you can most assuredly get most regarding the union votes and a good chance of re-election, fiscal sanity and prudence need not apply. 2 The Reason story debunks the claims by state and regional politicians that the economic downturn caused their budget problems. The story calculates that between 200 and 2008, i. good economic times prior to the full impact regarding the recession took hold, the local population grew 8% and the CPI inflation indicator grew 25%. Thus, a rough estimate of how many state and regional government should have grown to take into account more people and inflation Buffalo, follow closely should be about 33%.
However, during the good times and prior to the Best Recession, overall state government spending definitely increased about 60%, almost twice as many as it logically should have. Thus, the political class has no one to blame but themselves. They increased their force and statue at the expense of their taxpaying constituents well prior to they can blame the economic downturn. Thus, ego, not recession, got most regarding the states into the budget mess they can be in today. The sad component regarding the whole situation is that the state and regional governments are now so hamstrung by these outrageous commitments to unions and pensions, they have very little money left for helping out their citizens.
By overpaying police and corrections officers, most active and retired, the state of California neglects its college systems. The New Jersey Governor recently suspended work on an unique tunnel into New York Village from New Jersey due to the fact that it was getting too expensive and also due to the fact that the state has such high commitments to its public sector unions that there is little money left over for such projects, even though the long term financial benefit regarding the tunnel is high. Buffalo's village government is at fewest 50% fewer efficient than it was 60 years ago basically due to the fact that it has the similar to many public employees serving 1/2 as many people, despite productivity and efficiency enhancements within the method we live and work, e. computers, communications, etc. Brooks really nails the underlying difficulty with the following thoughts:.
Many of us should be happy to live with a bigger version of 1950s government: one that ran surpluses and was dexterous enough to tackle long-term problems as they arose. But we do not have that government. We have an immobile government that is desperately overcommittted in all the wrong ways. Someday there shall be a political movement that is willing to make choices, that is willing to speak 'this but not that. Immobile government, what a wonderful vision that also applies to the Federal government and the political class running it.
Politicians seem to provide most of their time in office running for their next re-election, not ever willing to speak no to any team or organization sequential to scrounge up as many votes as possible, logic, reality, and fiscal sanity being thrown out the window. We not ever sprint surpluses and we not ever look politicians tackle long term problems. Problems like the War On Drugs, the life crisis, failing public education, illegal immigration, impending fiscal insolvency of Corporate Security and Medicare or Medicaid, etc. Seems like the similar to paralysis shall also be happening at the regional and state level. Be scared, be very scared.