Public Agenda: First Choice 2004

Create Your Own Choicework: The Budget

Choicework is a useful way to think through public issues, but the approaches we describe aren't the only way to look at this problem. You may have your own ideas, and people often decide they can't totally buy into one approach. So look at the options below and come up with your own way of looking at the problem. Check off all of the actions you think should be taken and add your own ideas.

Check off all of the actions you think should be taken:

Ease the burden on taxpayers with a smaller government

Keep taxes as low as possible, particularly taxes on income and investments that spur the economy.

Turn over more public functions, such as social services, to the private sector, which can provide them at lower cost.

Give more domestic policy responsibilities to the states, which are closer to the people. Focus the federal government on the tasks only it can perform, like national security.

Retool senior entitlements to allow people to invest their Social Security money in stocks and reduce the overall cost of the system in the long run.

Balance the budget to avoid long-term financial disaster

Return to the “pay as you go” budget policies that helped us eliminate the last deficit. Don’t create any new federal programs unless they are balanced with spending cuts or new taxes.

Allow the tax cuts passed over the last three years to expire as planned.

Raise the retirement age and adjust benefits to keep Social Security solvent. Eliminate Social Security payments for wealthy retirees.

Increase Medicare premiums and encourage recipients to use HMOs to control costs.

If we return to a budget surplus, use the money to either pay off the federal debt or bail out Social Security and Medicare.

Address public problems too long deferred

Let the estate tax and other tax cuts passed over the last three years expire as planned. The government should rely on taxes aimed at higher-income Americans and end tax breaks that only benefit big business.

Expand spending on critical needs like education, health care and homeland security.

Keep the promises we’ve made to the elderly and maintain Social Security benefits.

Establish additional tax credits and deductions for higher education, child care and home ownership to help the middle class and lower-income Americans get ahead.

Are there other actions not listed here that you think should be considered? If so, enter them here:

Additional action: