So what can we cut #1

I've argued a number of times that the only real solution to our Federal debt problem is to cut the size of the Federal government. Of course anything that is cut will have a constituency that will complain loudly and warn of dire consequences to any reduction or elimination to their programs or subsidies. But cut we must.

So my first proposal is to eliminate entirely the Department of Education, with its 5000+ staff and $50 billion budget.

Why the Department of Education? Because in our country the Federal government actually has very little to do with education at any level. Elementary and secondary education is controlled, funded and managed at the local level. Higher education is either private or managed and funded by the states. So what role does the Federal government actually have in U.S. education? Almost none, though it supports a mass of expensive education "experts" in Washington, most of whom have little actual relevant experience in a classroom.

The only major thing the Federal government has done in recent years in the education field is the "No Child Left Behind" initiative, which has proved to be yet another example of how a bureaucracy can take a reasonable idea and turn it into an expensive nightmare. If this seems an exaggeration, go ask a nearby teacher or local school administrator.

Of course now the Dept of Education has this program to "reward" schools that innovate with millions of dollars. What exactly is this "reward"? It is millions of dollars first extracted from the taxpayers across the country (or borrowed), and then returned to their schools less the (considerable) administration expenses of running and administering the program. It is hard to see what value add the Federal government offers in this transaction.

No doubt one can find a few minor things of value offered by the Dept of Education, but I don't see $50 billion in value of out of it, so it is my No. 1 candidate for elimination. Of course, with this Congress $50 billion is just pocket change, but it is a start.