Week 6 discussion 1 presidential advisor 1
You are an advisor to the President tasked with cutting at least $300 billion from the budget. The president wants your recommendations to cut lines, not large categories. Explain why you chose those cuts.
Note: These are not true US budget numbers.
| DOMESTIC PROGRAMS AND FOREIGN AID | Cut some foreign aid to African countries |  $17 billion |
|   | Eliminate farm subsidies |  $14 billion |
|   | Cut pay of civilian federal workers by 5 percent |  $14 billion |
|   | Reduce the overall federal workforce by 10% |  $12 billion |
|   | Cut aid to states by 5% |  $29 billion |
| MILITARY | Cut the number of nuclear warheads, and end the “Star Wars” missile defense program |  $19 billion |
|   | Reduce military to pre-Iraq War size and further reduce troops in Asia and Europe |  $25 billion |
|   | Cancel or delay some weapons programs |  $19 billion |
| HEALTHCARE | Enact medical malpractice reform by reducing the chances of large malpractice verdicts |  $ 8 billion |
|   | Increase the Medicare eligibility age to 68 |  $ 8 billion |
|   | Raise the Social Security retirement age to 68. |  $ 13 billion |
| EXISTING TAXES | Return the estate tax to Clinton-era levels, passing on an estate worth more than $1 million to their heirs would have portions of those estates taxed. |  $ 50 billion |
|   | End tax cuts for income above $250,000 a year |  $ 54 billion |
|   | End tax cuts for income below $250,000 a year |  $ 172 billion |
|   | Payroll tax increase for people making over $106,000 annually contributing more to Social Security and Medicare. |  $ 50 billion |
| NEW TAXES | Institute a Millionaire’s tax on income above $1 million |  $ 50 billion |
|   | Add a national 5% sales tax |  $ 41 billion |
|   | Add a tax on carbon emissions |  $ 40 billion |
|   | Tax banks based on their sizes and the amount of risk they take. |  $ 73 billion |
| Total gap covered by your budget plan | $_________________ |
Use evidence (cite sources) to support your response from assigned readings or online lessons, and at least one outside scholarly source.