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Carissa Williams Mr. Hawkins Government; Period: 1 February 24, 2014 Budget Essay Budget Cuts We the people is the set up of the US Constitutions preamble that assists the decisions of the federal budget. The controversial topic centered on the federal budget is are we slicing the pie correctly. According to FY 2012 budget, the US government spent 3.8 trillion dollars which can be broken down into three main groups, big five, middle five, and the little guys. In each of these budget clusters, the US government should make adjustments in the way it distributes its money to better fit the guidelines of the preamble using the big five, middle five and little guys. The Big Five represents eighty-two percent of the budget, but as the years go by there is a need of a nine percent drop in their budget. (Doc C) Defense, one of the big five, can take a drop to only ten percent instead of nineteen. Over the past years, the US has started to not have a hefty need in defense. With us leaving Iraq, there isnt any other constant battle that we are currently in. The budget sends a signal to our enemies saying how much we are prepared to take on a fight, but there is a point where we go overboard. (Doc A) The US is seen as a powerhouse to over countries, and we are the one they call on in time of war. But at some point we need to be laid back and worry about ourselves. The Framers of the Constitution believed that a strong national defense was needed, because at the time we were still working on our independence and establishing ourselves as a country. We are not fighting anymore, and we have no reason to be. We spend a massive amount of money on a program that is nt as much needed as it once was. That nine percent of money can be better spent somewhere else at this time. In a time of need, we can make the sift back to defense. As many citizens can see, we are not in a war where we need a large army. The only war we, as a country, are in is one verse ourselves. The federal government is what it spends. (Doc A) The real question is Are we just all muscle or is there something else to us? The government has to show that we are just not all muscle, but intelligent as well. Next, the Middle Five contribute to ten percent of the federal budget and deserve an increase in one of their categories. (Doc D) Education should use about eight point two percent from the defense budget to increase its own to ten percent. Education is mainly the only category that stratifies securing the Blessings of Liberty outlined in the preamble. (Doc D) With it being the only one justifying this objective, it deserves to be a little bit larger. Also, it will lessen the burden of the state and local governments. State and local governments spent on education in 2012 about $875 billion. (Doc D) Most education spending is from the state. The states dont have as much as they need to make education as easy to get into as it once was. For example, college tuition has increased steadily over the past years, which is making it harder and harder for high school graduates to get into. Education falls under securing the Blessing of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity in the preamble, then state and local governments shouldnt be paying for it. ( BE) It is the US government obligation to be paying for. With this increase, more students will be able to go off to college and not have to stress about paying back student loans. Education rightly deserves to be pumped up to ten percent, so it lessens the burden of state and local government. Finally, the Little Guys contribute to three percent of the budget according to the FY 2012 federal budget. (Doc E) In this category, two subcategorizes should change, energy and NASA. First, NASA can take a large decrease of half of its budget, point five percent. NASA has been in a decline in recent years. It isnt as important as it once was back in the day. It does still have a purpose it serves in the world. Many technologies have come from this program, but there are more significant things the money can be used on at this time. Taking the point five percent from NASA and the remaining point

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eight from defense, and put them into energy. NASA does fits into the general welfare objective of the preamble, but so does energy. (Doc E) This will increase energy to around two percent. Energy focuses on developing clean energy alternatives to oil and coal. (Doc E) Energy is greatly needed in our society. As of today, pollution is taking a bigger toll than ever in our environment. As a society,

that should be a bigger focus instead of space. The Framers wanted a strong national government in order to build a strong economy so that all people could live a good life by working, buying property, and pursing happiness. (BE) Finding alternatives to oil and coal will better serve to building a sturdier economy then NASA is. The preamble gives government a basic guideline of what should be their main focus, and the federal budget is how the government shows society. Adjusting defense, education, NASA, and energy percentages will better the nation and fall perfectly within the preamble. These changes will help better slice the pie correctly and change our nation to become not all muscle. We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.