The Friday Podcast: Our Listeners Vs. The Budget Deficit

On today's Planet Money, listeners suggest ways to cut the federal budget — and experts evaluate their suggestions.

 

Among the ideas: Get rid of manned space flight, cut "welfare and warfare," and stop paying Social Security benefits to high earners.

This is the first of several stories we'll be doing in the coming months on government spending, and the way things like earmarks, subsidies and entitlements affect our lives.

We'd like to hear from you. Do you have interesting stories about getting money from the government or doing business with the government? Tell us in the comments section below, or email us at planetmoney@npr.org.

More on the budget:

• This NYT graphic gives a nice sense of perspective.
• The CBO has a good overview of what's coming in the next few years.
• The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget lets you figure out how to stabilize the national debt.

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