800,000 non-essential Federal government workers laid-off

[donttread]

I won't argue with you there. Furthermore, if they ended the Income Tax you could also eliminate 100,000 IRS workers. The IRS was originally created in 1862 by Lincoln as a means to fund the War Between The States when Lincoln installed the first income tax. The IRS is of course part of the Treasury Department as is the Coast Guard. I would also cut down on the number of military bases on foreign soil. We currently have military facilities in 80 different countries. We could take a number of those men and instead of protecting the borders between France and Germany we could station those men on our Southern Borders and protect this country

Oh, and I think I would keep The State Department but take it out of the spying business.

Some good ideas although I admit to being nervous about militarizing the boarder. The other thing is we have become so dependent upon government we would have to change in stages . An economic detox off the government if you will. Even IRS workers need to feed their families as do tax preparers. It's not just the jobs that are directly government , it's the jobs that exist , at least in part, because of government , that we have to factor in. There has to be some place for these people in the private sector when we down size government.

[nathanbforrest45]

Some good ideas although I admit to being nervous about militarizing the boarder. The other thing is we have become so dependent upon government we would have to change in stages . An economic detox off the government if you will. Even IRS workers need to feed their families as do tax preparers. It's not just the jobs that are directly government , it's the jobs that exist , at least in part, because of government , that we have to factor in. There has to be some place for these people in the private sector when we down size government.

You are correct. You can't very well dump 1 million plus workers into the work force. A RIF over a period of time would be necessary. And it won't be a year or two either. More like up to 10. It has taken 100 years for the government to grow into the beast it is. It won't end quickly or quietly

[Captdon]

The FDA can be done without the government? hahahahahahaha

Do you know what the FDA does? They ensure that ALL PRODUCTS are safe and effective. If you've ever been to the doctor and received a prescription....thank the FDA. If you've had surgery.....thank the FDA. If someone you know has had a mammography......thank the FDA. If your lady wears make up.....thank the FDA. If you have children......thank the FDA. If you have pets......thank the FDA.

It cannot be done by contractors or industry because they are driven by profit NOT safety or effectiveness.

We did fine before them and we can do fine with outsourcing them. All we need is a few people to fact check them. We outsource all of our military weapon production and do just fine.

That you'd have to find another job makes it personal but that's not my problem

[Captdon]

Yeah, right. They've done such a great job that the country is in the folds of an opioids crisis because they LIED. You think it's wasn't driven by profits? How about tobacco, they've done a great job in that arena too.

Where was the government then?

[Captdon]

The FDA only received authority over tobacco in 2009 and even that authority is limited thanks to crooked congress and senate. As far as the opioids issue, the problem isn't with the product but with prescribing the product and again back to the kick back that congress and senate gets from big pharma. You know big pharma that will kill people for profit.

So, more government would have prevented that?

[Captdon]

I'm starting to understand how Trump got elected.

To stop people with your ideas. You're welcome.

[Captdon]

This is probably the dumbest response I've read today. So what if there are outbreaks. Go and look up the amount of products FDA oversees and then come back and cry over several outbreaks. It could be a lot worse.

Sometimes the only way people understand how things impact them is if they are a victim. Let's hope you and your loved ones never become one of those citizens caught up in one of the adverse reports.

The FDA doesn't have the power to order a recall. So, what good are they?

[Captdon]

I don't follow you. The federal government helps maintain the tracks, and RR's most certainly are federally regulated.

No, they do not. They regulate but repair nothing. AMTRAK is like the post office. it is semi-independent.

[Captdon]

Actually, we were originally staying in Germany to protect the French from being invaded by the Germans and the Germans from being invaded by the Russians.

No. We were never protecting France from Germany.

[Captdon]

Yea, there are recalls "because" the FDA regulates the industry. If that was not the case, there would be no consumer warning when a product has been tainted, so instead of a couple of hundred cases of sickness, there would be tens of thousands to millions.

The FDA cannot order a recall.