Dear Gov't,
The president recently releases a budget, and I've noticed some things you might be missing your your attempt to balance it. I want to do my part to help. Here are some suggestions I've come up with off the top of my head:
1. Stop all warrantless wiretaps. I don't know how much those cost but I'm sure they're not cheap!
2. Stop deploying dangerous and ineffective scanners at airports. They're not cheap either, and from what I hear, the initial cost doesn't even include maintenance.
3. Make incumbent telco providers start paying rental for the right of way they've been granted. I think they build-out cost has probably amortized at this point. If they don't like that idea, they can alternately start improving that infrastructure by laying fiber to the home to make it worth our while.
4. Start making lawsuit mills pay fines for tying up the courts with flimsy cases.
5. Fix the patent system, which would lessen stress (and cost) on the court system.
6. Increase the staff of the EPA and actually fine people for breaking regulations.
7. Close loopholes in corporate tax regulations and actually collect taxes from companies that owe them.
8. Stop subsidizing industries that promote health issues and contribute to our national health crisis.
9. Break up monopolies or duopolies that disrupt people coming into markets and providing real competition, creating jobs and increase tax revenue.
10. Re-regulate. We've slowly been peeling back regulations that have staved off the periodic wild swinging of our economy since the last great depression. If we hadn't removed some of those safeguards there wouldn't have been a need for billions and billions of bail-out funds propping up a failing private sector and trying to stabilize our economy. This won't put money in our pockets at the moment, but it would potentially keep the last few years from happening again.
There are more controversial suggestions I have but some of these wouldn't even require changes to existing regulations, and may might just have other positive societal benefits as well. Feel free to contact me for further advice.
Sincerely,
A concerned citizen
