In your opinion, what is the biggest budget problem that the United States has and why?
491895
*Unfunded entitlement programs* e.g. Social Security\n\nWhy it has the problem: politicians wanted to give people money (and so make themselves popular) without waiting for years of contributions first to fund these systems.\n\nWhy this is a problem: these systems rely on the taxes of people working now to compensate retired people. Which is fine when there are plenty of working people and not many retired people, but a major problem when the number of retirees increases compared to taxpayers.\n\nWhy this problem won't go away soon: making the transition from existing unfunded system to a funded one will cost a huge amount of money AND require some cutting of benefits. Which people won't vote for until the disaster is upon them.\n\nAn unpopular idea associated with an unpopular president...
677989
The biggest problem in the US as far as school is concerned is the language barrier.  If the schools I have experienced are any indication, there's not much being done about the language problem.  There seems to be this policy of "Learn English" or fall behind, because we teach in one language and one language only.  Its not good.
318693
The single biggest issue facing the US at the moment is the ability of Tel Aviv to control US foreign policy in the Middle East. AIPAC is immasculating US congressmen and silencing detractors with accusations of anti-semitism.\nAmerica is prosecuting a conflict at the behest of Israel... This is making a mockery of the most powerful democracy in the world and showing Americas Achilles Heel to all of her enemies.\n\nI think this ranks as the most important issue facing that country at the moment.
411597
Emergency rooms clogged and closing down, Schools overcrowded, school lunch programs running out of money, traffic, car accidents with no insurance, going to the bathroom in public in from of Home Depot waiting for a job, having to print signs in multiple languages, denying a better education to children because the teacher has to try and help those learning english too, jails overcrowding, trash collection and public services pushed to the brink, wages depressed, teenagers having a harder time finding jobs.  This just a portion of what the costs to the American Economy are.
903823
It's just the dumbest possible thing for people to be focused on....it's so aggravating....we have real issues in this country that are in need of attention
1082116
change problems to challenges.\n\nHigh wages and product cost cause several challenges to our budget costs
705648
it shows you are thinking about a major issue. Who will pay to make their country into a good economy? I the average tax payer can't afford what is allready coming out of my check and if we took on your project they would have to increase my taxes.
1076064
America has real problems and yes the undocumented WORKERS had become a scapegoat to the real problems which this country is facing :\n\n- the war on iraq : a war which seems to be eternal and meaningless . it is a fact that most iraquies do not like Americans or their precense in their country , they think that the only interest of Americans is their petrolium and just feel as stuck whit Americans like Americans feel whit them .\n\n- global warming : another huge issue which has been ignore by the bush administration and in fact has been atack as a real issue when every nation on the world knows it needs to be fix and that America is the main cause of this problem \n\n- the huge debt : one of the biggest problems and the one which will have the most lasting efects in America a country which bush recieved whit a record in money ( if anyone still wants to deny this i would like to remind u this is the reason why bush started to give money to his rich friends was the record money which he recieved , money which he did not produce ) and has rapidly become just another country where the richers is richer and the poor need to do as much as they can to survive .\n\nso are the immigrants the scape goat ? once again yes they are .
1047026
I think that the biggest problem America has had  to overcome as a nation is racism, which is basically fear of someone different from you. And from struggling with that problem and then conquering it we have learned to be more accepting, we have learned so much about different cultures, and we have become a better nation full of diversity and open minds.  \n\nUnfortunately, I know that there are still some people out there who still can't let go of their fear and still hold on to racism and that is truly sad. \n\nI hope I helped:)
414320
America is currently facing many problems, however a drastic decline in it's power is doubtful.  According to most rankings that take into account all aspects of a nation, The usa is by far the most powerful, and is more powerful than the second and third most powerful countries combined.  However, if our country continues on its current trend yes there will be problems.  Our currency is depreciating, and the gap between rich and poor is growing under the current administration, and there is also talk of starting our third war in this regime.  The only reason why i think that America won't decline though is because the Republicans will have nobody else to blame after this term, and once they are voted out these problems will be addressed.  The republicans control everything now and have lost their scapegoat.  The only people they have to blame our themselves.
102500
Well the US has a capitalist system, which is unbelievably more productive than the typical, say, communist system. Some believe us to be having trouble at the moment, to which I would reply that we are too busy paying for all the communist countries, or islamic or muslim or anything but capitalist countries, to get back on their feet after years of killing themselves with their lousy systems, and we aren't worried nearly as much about improving things at home. But one fact remains, without the US, the world would have a serious problem when it comes to finding people to buy their goods. The US is one of the largest, if not the largest, consumer around.\n\nWhat's a SWOT, anyway? Maybe you could reformulate your question to make it somewhat more grammatically correct and readable.
482146
i think the biggest threat in america is stupidity.  there are just so many stupid people in this country and its whats causing so many problems.  if people actually cared more about their lives and their education, instead of trying to be cool and popular and not care about anything but marrying into money and stop being lazy and actually TRY to learn something, our country would be MUCH better off.
464737
What is the rest of the problem?
1079484
1)  War on Terrorism, ignoring it only makes it worse, we have to finish it and it might take decades.  By this I mean the war on extremist in Islam but not the great Islam culture or religion itself just the extremist.\n\n2)  Health care; not a generalization but the elimination of a real shortage problem.  That shortage of staffing and facilities causes great price increases and reduces access to health care that is needed.  We need to recruit, educate and train more health care pro's...big time.\n\n3) Social Security; no reason I should pay $9k a year into a system for 40+ years and get so little return.  \n\n4) The archiac tax system needs to be replaced with a graduated flat tax....0 - $10k no taxes, $10.1 to $50k a 10%, $50k to $125k at 20% and over $125k at 30% ought to do it.\n\n5) Campaign finance reform; the issue is starting to tread on free speech and that can't be allowed to happen to the people of this great country.
89794
Health and Human Services (Which includes Urban Development, and Welfare) comes in at number one with a yearly projected budget of 650 Billion Dollars. Department of Defense is number two with a projected budget of around 515 Billion Dollars, and the Treasury Department is number 3 with a projected budget of 415 Billion Dollars (mostly due to the interest we pay on the national debt.)\n\nThe next largest after that is a huge drop with the Department of Agriculture with a projected budget of around 90 Billion.\n\n\nPlease Note that Social Security is not part of the Federal Budget general fund. It is a separate account and has its own source of income. As a comparison though, Social Security has an estimated budget of 500 Billion. \n\nFission
414609
The biggest problem is that it will take my family's, family's, family, to even get close to balancing the debt of this Administration since they wont contribute to America. Selfishness and greed are not the agendas of the Democrat party's politics. Clinton cleaned up their mess from Ronald Regan/George Bush seniors years, in 5 years with reserves. They are just mad and scared they will have to contribute. Well I say if they don't want to then they can leave America and live in Iraq. Americas Democrat soldiers are also tired of cleaning up the Neo_Con's messes.
979423
It takes a lot to manage an entire country.\n\nThere are social service programs.... our biggest cut of the money, the federal courts, the government it self, federal law enforcement agencies, the military... the list is endless.\n\nAnd lets not forget foreigner aid to all the countries that hate us.  That's millions of dollars a day.