Article

2004-11-15 Europe

All the Really Sophisticated Countries [gag] do This ....

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Posted by anon 2004-11-15 10:43:11 AM|| || Front Page|| [11126 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 So what's our budget deficit? I'm putting it at about 17% or so..

Posted by Clans Angereck9543 2004-11-15 3:27:26 PM|| 2004-11-15 3:27:26 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 Make that 5.7%.

Posted by Heysenbergwashere 2004-11-15 3:47:44 PM|| 2004-11-15 3:47:44 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 And if the US had a clue about capital budgeting it would be half that.... The interstate system was expensed over a given projects construction period, not amortized over the lifespan of the project. AzCat, is that correct?

Posted by Shipman 2004-11-15 4:07:17 PM|| 2004-11-15 4:07:17 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 Nothing in the federal government is a capital investment. It is either expensed immediately (as Shipman stated), or ignored until it happens (Social Security, flood insurance). That is a problem I have with a BBA. (The "deficit hawks" are a different problem, in that the deficit is only a concern at tax time, never spending time.)

States and local governments have to run a "balanced" budget but are allowed to issue bonds for capital improvements. Of course, governments can play games (NYC in the early 70s, California today), so maybe we don't want the federal government to issue bonds for "investments." After all, paying the salaries of teachers and social workers is "an investment in the children's future."

Posted by jackal 2004-11-15 4:51:46 PM|| [http://home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html] 2004-11-15 4:51:46 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 How are you coming up with a deficit of 5.7%? The federal budget is around three trillion (with a T) or so, and the deficit is about five hundred billion. My math says 16%. Roughly. Actually, if you don't count the money raided from social security and paid for with paper IOU's, it's even higher.

Posted by Weird Al 2004-11-15 5:06:05 PM|| 2004-11-15 5:06:05 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 At 20 September 2004 the current account deficit was equal to 5.7% of gross domestic product in the second quarter the Commerce department stated

Posted by Heysenbergwashere 2004-11-15 5:13:15 PM|| 2004-11-15 5:13:15 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 Apples and oranges, #6. I'm rereading the article, and am confused. I'm talking about budget deficit, you're talking about gross national product defict. Obviously, the second number would be much lower. The confusion is this: in the article, they don't seem to be able to figure out which one they mean. sometimes it's budget deficit, sometimes it's GNP deficit. Do you know which one thye're really talking about, or don't they know themselves? In which case the article is so much crap.

Posted by Weird Al 2004-11-15 5:28:28 PM|| 2004-11-15 5:28:28 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 Nov 10 2004: The budget deficit widened to a record $413 billion in the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, with government spending rising 6.2 percent from the previous year. The deficit amounted to about 3.6 percent of the country's $11.8 trillion gross domestic product, the highest percentage since 1993.

Posted by Heysenbergwashere 2004-11-15 5:43:52 PM|| 2004-11-15 5:43:52 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 Try Google, Goodnight.

Posted by Heysenbergwashere 2004-11-15 5:45:30 PM|| 2004-11-15 5:45:30 PM|| Front Page Top

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