If the Republicans have a plan for balancing the budget and/or cutting spending, why won't they talk details?

They do talk about it. The plan is to extend the Bush tax cuts, and cut funding to various public programs. If they actually openly talked about it, and by that I mean explicitly discussed how these cuts are going to step-by-step affect the economy and deficit, people might actually start to realize that an extension of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, set to expire on Dec. 31, and a large component of the Republican party platform is actually going to INCREASE the deficit. Where do people think the money for decreasing the deficit is going to come from? The now unemployed former middle-class who are going to have even fewer government programs to be able to support them?

It is interesting to note that many of the countries who have significantly more elaborate government programs such as Finland, Sweden, and Norway have significantly lower percentages of their GDP as public debt. There are a lot of factors that play into this to this, to be sure, that are worthy of scrutiny, but to believe that cutting government spending on government programs (which makes room for private corporations to then profit from these services, often at an increased cost to the public) is actually the primary action that will cut down our public debt or decrease the deficit without additional money from taxes coming in is overly simplistic.

Oh, riiiiiiight. Cutting the taxes of those who are major shareholders in big business and their corporations is going to increase jobs for the middle class because the increase in the ability to accumulate profits is going to 'trickle-down' to the rest of us, as the last few decades have so obviously proven. All of you people who lost your jobs due to outsourcing, off-shoring, downsizing, etc. are just not working hard enough to benefit from trickle-down economics. No, none of this has ANYTHING to do with with the fact that upward social mobility has stagnated for the middle class or that since the mid-20th century, the average earnings ratio of CEOs vs. the average American worker have gone from about 50:1 to 550:1, or that large corporations are provided with convenient loop-holes in tax laws in addition to tax cuts as well as substantial government (i.e. tax dollars) subsidies to carry on 'trickle-down' business as usual. It has nothing to do with the fact that our debt is to private financial institutions to whom we owe huge amounts of interest which compounds our deficit (and who, by the way, would really like to keep things the same: they make a lot of money from debt this way).

Clearly the roots of the deficit problem are illegal immigrants, Muslims, African-Americans, feminists, and homosexuals, all of whom are, of course, by nature communist and anti-American, and NOT at all the fact that big business needs to be able to continue keeping their profits so high so they can afford to plunk money in the political campaigns of those who are going to keep their profits high by convincing voters that the people running away with their money is anyone other than them.

$3-4 billion was spent in this last election cycle (only a fraction of which was candidate self-funding), making it the most expensive election in U.S. history. This is chump change for all of those who stand to benefit from the policies that keep making them richer and richer.

Yes, Republicans have a plan for cutting spending. That people believe this will actually reduce the deficit is the result of illusionist work far beyond anything Houdini ever accomplished.

Edited to correct a heinous sentence fragment.

It's about the Same as JFK's plan THAT WORKED, that works every time you do it. Read the Laffer Curve, google it, check it out. It's data, it's not laid out like a childrens book so it may be to hard for you, but it's not republicans fault you're an idiot sheep.

There is no huge plan that will help, it's a simple thing, getting Washington the hell out of people's face & they will do business. The economy kicks up, lower taxes bring in more revenue because there is much more moving in the economy. It works each time it's been tried, documented to an actuarial certainty. The only reason it's disputed is because Democrat want control, not prosperity for the masses. Control is riches for government. That is what Democrats are after. They know it jams up the economy, and that helps them control as well.

Thats about the size of it. You won't believe it because you won't look at the data will you? You're an idiot sheep.

Obama didn't have a plan. "I will go line by line and cut the budget."

Time to realize something kid. These are all politicians, Republicans and Democrats. None of them deserve an once of credit until they do something. Even if they were specific, they probably will not uphold it or scare away enough voters to not get elected.

Obama has taken a beating since he promised to close GITMO, balance the budget and unemployment will stay under 8%.

Only a couple Republicans have made any real reforms like Chris Christie.

I voted straight Republican, but my expectations are low. They made a promise and I am waiting on them. But at least I know Democrats have no intentions of lowering spending.

They do and have talked about them read Devin Nunes book it just came out (I've got a signed copy).

It gives specifics here a few ideas that I have heard republicans talk about.

1. Raise the retirement age.

2. Increase US Oil production by allowing more drilling in more places. (this doesn't have to be in the ocean).

3. Build Nuclear Power plants.

4. Cut back on social programs and put limits on how long you can be on them. Sorry Welfare shouldn't be a way of life.

The increase in US Oil production would decrease our trade deficit 50% of which is crude oil all by it's self. A decreased trade deficit will equate to an increased GDP. That will equate to an increased wealth in America. Increased wealth equals more people in higher income taxes which equals more tax revenue.

Nuclear Power if built in places that are heavily reliant on Coal and Natural Gas would shut down those Natural Gas and coal plants. This will lower the cost of Natural Gas making it cheaper (simple supply and demand). Lower cost of natural gas means it's more desirable to use as a fuel in cars. That means more people will be inclined to convert their cars to use it as a fuel. That means less people will buying Petroleum Gas. That means lower prices on those prices. it also means 1 barrel of crude oil will go further. It will also mean the remaining Natural Gas power plants can get their fuel cheaper. This in turn will equate to lower energy costs across the board. Which will give people more money to spend in other places of the economy.

1 Nuclear Power plant can create up to 366Gw of power. That's a TON of energy Cheaper energy equals cheaper production costs for factories and so on.

Solar and Wind are great but they wont meet the US Demands. They only produce energy when there is wind or sun and the energy production from solar is at a fairly slow rate. They really are only good for powering homes. Not to mention the return on investment is terrible.

http://www.roadmap.republicans.budget.house.gov/

Just click on that light blue text above, it'll take you to a different web page. Don't be frightened by the page change it's how it works. Then you have to use your eyes and read the text. You may have to go over it a few times to fully understand it but don't get discouraged. When you're done, I'll give you a chocolate milk.

Additional: The condescending tone is because you looked right at the specific plan with specific details. I'm not sure what you're looking for then. Do you want the Republicans to detail specific people they'd fire or what?

http://www.crossfiteastbay.com/assets_c/2009/03/ch...

I'm not siding with Republicans...but it's a bit biased and hypocritical to ask this of Republicans and not ask the same of Democrats about Obama...who campaigned for hope and change, told everyone what he wanted to do...but never said HOW he would do any of it...

I think both parties need to start working on details.

They're damned if they do and they're damned if they don't. The Left will demonize the Right for any cuts they propose. It's time now to put an end to this runaway spending and money printing. Instead all we get are proposals for more of the same with impending tax increases to pay for this recklessness on the horizon.

Republicans have no plan. They can't get beyond their standard phrases to actually think of anything. If they start messing with the big ticket items they will alienate much of their base. If they deal in little petty items, they won't have any effect.

They want to try to brow beat the Democrats into doing the dirty work.

"how about making cuts to social security and medicare for starters?"

Can you say POLITICAL SUICIDE?

Retired people are a very powerful voting block. They will chew you up and spit you out.

Some of Paul Ryan's ideas are very reasonable. The taxation plan he presents is a pipe dream. And a $2,300 dollar tax credit is not an answer to the health care problem. I've been charged twice that for a 45 minute visit to the emergency room.

They wanted to get elected. If they say their cutting things specifically on the campaign trail, the people who it affects won't vote for them. Politics as usual.

We need drastic cuts though.