What are your solutions to the current economic problem in the US?

I'm out of ideas at this point. The government should have been fiscally strong, so it could still manage to govern and provide the basic services. Thus perpetuating the economy through hard times. Rather it's doing the opposite, and is going to have to make huge cuts which will in many ways further the economic collapse, and it's own hardship. The government not only has to cut back from the overspending it had already been doing during a good economy. But cut back twice more, once to pay off debt and second to adjust for having nothing saved for an economic decline.

Cut all departments and agencies by 10% (including both houses of Congress, the White House and the US Supreme Court. Phase out all federal departments with no direct Constitutional backing. Investigate and audit all remaining departments and agencies for fraud and waste.. then cut their budgets accordingly, since they have proven they can exist just fine without that money.

We need a National Sales Tax, Repeal the Income Tax, and A Constitutional Amendment that sets Spending Limits based on the National Gross Product. They also need to reduce spending by 10% for next year, not 10 years from now. In any budget crisis the last ones to get paid are the Elected and Appointed government officals. Every Congressman and Senator should submit a list of budget cuts that will be made this year and next year with a separate up or down vote on each item. For example each of the 56 programs to teach the American Citizens how to be financially responsible would receive an up or down vote. Give each congressman or Senator 5 minutes to make the case for cutting the program then take the vote. No accounting tricks like cutting the military budget increase by 5% in 2020 when they will receive an automatic 10% increase.

Many government employees make way too much money. Really if they are working for the people, they should live like the people. As far as stopping aid to foreign countries - I think we need to also stop some aid HERE in our own country. There are too many people I know that are living off the system even though they are healthy and able to work. However they have lived off the system for so long that they now think they are entitled to free money for the rest of their lives - honestly I know people like this. Some people I know on welfare seem to have no idea where that money comes from. I've even had people surprised to find out my husband and I don't use WIC to support our daughter. They assumed EVERYONE could get that. Hello! Anyway, my one solution that would help a lot is getting people motivated to get out there and WORK. I know people who turned down jobs b/c the pay was a little less than unemployment or welfare wages. Honestly, how do they expect to build themselves up in society if they don't start somewhere? Whatever happened to working your way up? I guess as long as they are getting freebies, some people are unwilling to work. Maybe if some of those freebies were taken away, they'd finally be motivated to take charge of their own life. Sorry for the rant, I have just dealt with some people who really do everything they can to get free money, but aren't willing to work.

All law makers should take a immediate pay cut until the jobless rate is below 5%. Any corporation that has moved to a communist country should have 6 months to relocate back to the Untied States or be arrested for treason and loose all possessions in forfeiture. Americans didn't die fighting ternary around the globe just so workers can compete against slave labor around the world. Obviously end foreign aid asap.

Hi! Your President recently paid us a visit down here & it sounded like he had a fair bit to say on "getting our fiscal house in order". While I'm certainly not in favour of wasteful spending, of which I only need to look at the many examples our own government has displayed over the years, I'm not necessarily in favour of massive cuts, which come at a price. I'm an advocate for better spending - spending that makes or returns money & lending only on strict conditions. Ignoring for the moment your point that the people need to change, which I agree very much with, the government - your government still has many options. I learned from your President's excellent speech that we invest far more money in the USA than we do in any other country & the USA invests far more in us than any other country. He reminded us that defense spending in the US is going to drop very quickly indeed & US troops are being recalled from all present wars (no new wars are currently on the cards), faster than our troops. Hence the need for more bases to save deployment costs & expediate assistance. Your President is also relying heavily on the new Asia-Pacific trade deal to really boost your economy. Please, please do not cut yourselves off from the rest of the world in isolationist policies - you have so, so much to gain by creating new & closer trade ties with others. As I see it, things should start to look up for you guys soon & though it might still get a little worse, the US is still the world's largest economy & has a heck of a lot going for it. Right the way through, your share market has consistently out-performed ours & is far more insulated against the Euro-crises than ours. Going back to your point about the people... I can't do much to change the attitudes & habits of others, but for myself, I will work longer, harder & for less, making better investments & cutting personal waste.