In other news ...

[Cincydawg]

Conservatives aim to restructure U.S. government and replace it with Trump’s vision | PBS NewsHour

Some liberals on FB view this as the Debil.

Inside the Next Republican Revolution - POLITICO

They aim to defund the Department of Justice, dismantle the FBI, break up the Department of Homeland Security and eliminate the Departments of Education and Commerce, to name just a few of their larger targets. They want to give the president complete power over quasi-independent agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission, which makes and enforces rules for television and internet companies that have been the bane of Trump’s political existence in the last few years.

[847badgerfan]

What a crock.

Although, yeah, Education and Commerce can go away, along with all the stooges who work in those departments.

[847badgerfan]

CDC says bird flu viruses "pose pandemic potential," cites major knowledge gaps (winknews.com)
CDC says bird flu viruses "pose pandemic potential," cites major knowledge gaps (winknews.com)

[GopherRock]

Don't beat up Commerce too much. The Census Bureau, NOAA, and the National Weather Service are all there. 

Trump's proposals for the civil service are on par with Woodrow Wilson's civil service reform. 

[847badgerfan]

Don't beat up Commerce too much. The Census Bureau, NOAA, and the National Weather Service are all there.

Trump's proposals for the civil service are on par with Woodrow Wilson's civil service reform.

I disagree with that. Wilson (D) was a racist. Trump (R) is not.

As for Commerce, it's not needed.

NOAA and NWS can hide in Homeland Security, with FEMA, etc.

Census could hide in State.

The Federal Government is too bloated, to put it mildly.

[Cincydawg]

When government sees a problem, they create a new "department" to deal with it, so now we have a bunch of cabinet level posts that mostly don't fix any problems.

Fold them back into fewer posts.  But, this won't happen.

[847badgerfan]

I often forget that @GopherRock is a state government employee (an essential one, I will add) so he has a little different perspective on government and its role in our country.

Essential employees - no problem with that. Paper pushing do-nothings? Don't let the door hit you in the ass.

There are close to 3 million federal employees. We don't need that.

I'm trying to think of law enforcement here. The ones who carry guns.

FBI
DEA
US Marshall Service
Military police
FDIC inspectors
Postal inspectors

I'm sure I missed some (or several). Do we need all of this? 

[Cincydawg]

Some IRS agents carry guns, and of course Secret Service and ATF and Border Patrol, and probably some Homeland types.

I have no idea why we have an FBI and an ATF and DEA.  I'd think they should all be under the same umbrella.

[847badgerfan]

Some IRS agents carry guns, and of course Secret Service and ATF and Border Patrol, and probably some Homeland types.

I have no idea why we have an FBI and an ATF and DEA.  I'd think they should all be under the same umbrella.

Postal and FDIC too.

The IRS needs an overhaul. Tax law sucks.

Tax income, period. No deductions for corporations, and limited for individuals, based on a percentage of INCOME (not wealth). Accountants would not like this too much.

[Cincydawg]

I presume corporations need to deduct things like cost of goods, somehow.  Anyway, tax simplification isn't in the cards.  

[847badgerfan]

I presume corporations need to deduct things like cost of goods, somehow.  Anyway, tax simplification isn't in the cards. 

Of course, but that's balance sheet stuff and not related to taxes. Cost of labor, materials, etc.

You pay taxes on your net income, which of course we (small businesses) all try to make zero in the end, if possible.

No fun paying taxes on money you never received.

[847badgerfan]

No shit, Sherlock.

Powell Warns US Is on an “Unsustainable Fiscal Path” (msn.com)

[OrangeAfroMan]

That's been the case for the last 24 years....