World

Bloated Bureaucracy: Britain Cuts 200 Government Agencies

LONDON (The Blaze/AP) — Britain is cutting nearly 200 agencies from its thicket of bureaucracy, the government said Thursday, handing pink slips to organizations with such names as the Horserace Totalisator Board and the Government Hospitality Advisory Committee on the Purchase of Wines.

The agencies are known as “quangos” — or quasi-autonomous non-government organizations — each one a power center that is not accountable to public. The 901 quangos carry out various government functions, handling 13 percent of total government spending with 15 big quangos controlling three-fourths of that expenditure.

The Conservative-led government has promised deep cuts in spending to grapple with record national debts, but its primary argument for abolishing quangos was to restore accountability in decision-making.

Potential savings are limited because three-fourths of quango spending is simply passing money along to grant recipients.

“This exercise is not principally about saving money, although it will do so,” Francis Maude, who heads the Cabinet Office, told the House of Commons.

The Government Hospitality Advisory Committee on the Purchase of Wines, Maude said, for instance, flunked the first test: “Does the body need to exist or its functions need to be carried out at all?”

Other quangos marked for extinction included the British Hallmarking Council, the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Advisory Body, the Office for Tenants and Social Landlords, the Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites, and the Railway Heritage Committee.

Some quangos would survive in other forms, perhaps taken back into government departments or handed off to local governments, others will be merged, Maude said.

The Design Council and the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts will be turned into self-financing charities.

Some of the agencies have ardent support. The government’s previously announced plan to abolish the British Film Council has already provoked heated opposition, and defenders rallied for other quangos Thursday.

“In many cases the government is abolishing bodies that cost peanuts but provide invaluable scientific or other expert advice to government,” said Paul Noon, general secretary of Prospect, a civil service union. “In other cases the costs of closure are greater than their running costs.”

Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke, the most experienced figure in Prime Minister David Cameron’s Cabinet, argued that fewer quangos would sharpen the government’s performance.

“One of the big problems with quangos is that half of them were created so the minister could say it wasn’t his fault” when something went wrong, Clarke said.

Cutting government jobs, however, is part of a larger plan to pull Britain out of debt. The Wall Street Journal reports today that the pink slips in combination with tax increases will reduce Britain’s borrowing by £113 billion ($180 billion) a year by 2015, or 6.2% of that year’s expected gross domestic product.

The news of the cuts comes on the heels of the Queen’s announcement that she is canceling Buckingham Palace’s staff Christmas Party due to budget concerns.

“It was decided it was appropriate for the Royal Household to show restraint and not hold the party this year,” a spokesman said.

Comments (111)

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  • Miss_E
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 12:22pm

    I think a 3% or 4% flat tax needs to be put into place, get rid of the IRS.
    Keep the best people put them into Welfare Reform, let them crunch those
    numbers, randomly visit houses & check on full compliance. Illegal aliens should not be allowed to receive benefits, grant money, housing assistance, job training assistance,
    all the other perks this government hands out. That should be kept for those who go through the process & become citizens. There is private charity already in place for assistance.

    Report Post » Miss_E  
    • abc
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 12:33pm

      A 3-4% flat tax will not even cover the military and security costs. But I guess the charities already in place can take up posts in Afghanistan for us…

      Do you actually read stuff, or do you assume that one can just blog without knowing anything at all?

      Report Post »  
    • copatriots
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 1:02pm

      Interesting you would be so concerned about funding the military and security there, ABC. I thought you libs were all for peace and kumbaya by apologizing and talking with our enemies who want to kill us. Funny how that isn’t quite working out the way you and your great leader thought it would.

      Report Post »  
    • abc
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 2:00pm

      CoPatriot has a bad habit of making non-sequiters rather than addressing the issue. Whether I chose the DoD or the SEC/Fed or the DoT. The point is that people are making comments and getting to vote on Congressmen setting the budget when they don’t even know the most basic numbers. Miss E is so numbers-challenged that she doesn’t realize what a 3-4% flat tax would imply by way of budget cuts. After the interest payments, you would have to cut 95% of other spending. That would eliminate 75% of the defense budget and everything else–no patent office to protect intellectual property, no SEC to avoid insider trading, no immigration service or department of Homeland security to keep the Mexicans and terrorists out. This is just stupid talk, like saying I think the Tooth Fairy should wear green tomorrow. It really makes me fear for America when people allowed to vote know so embarrassingly little. But you don’t worry about that. No, you are simply upset that I mentioned the military rather than Department of Transportation or Health and Human Services. You rearrange deck chairs while the ship sinks. You’re worse than Miss E.

      Report Post »  
    • copatriots
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 3:31pm

      So….ABC, your superiority knows no bounds apparently. Just demean people and call them names. Nice strategy.

      There is innumerable waste and corruption in every government agency I can think of. Your answer is to give them more money to waste. When do you suggest they be held responsible for the money they already receive? You mentioned Medicare in a previous comment. Medicare is a perfect example of mismanaged government program. If they can’t properly handle costs and reimbursements under Medicare, what makes you possibly think the government can manage all health? Very naive outlook, ABC.

      Or another example is the numbers of illegals who are immediately put on our welfare program.

      Then again, as I mentioned before, since you obviously don’t pay taxes, you really don’t care if the government mismanages the money from those of us who do.

      Report Post »  
    • abc
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 5:10pm

      CoPatriot writes: “So….ABC, your superiority knows no bounds apparently. Just demean people and call them names. Nice strategy. ”

      My superiority, which is grounded in the fact that I actually cite evidence to support my statements while you do not, is true superiority. It is like pitting an MD against a witch doctor. As for the name-calling, I do that as well, but only in addition to establishing evidence–the basis of my superiority. You only do the name-calling bit, which is why your arguments fail. If I am rude, you are worse: rude and WRONG.

      “There is innumerable waste and corruption in every government agency I can think of.”

      Wrong. Waste and corruption (or the cost of it) can be measured. Therefore, you cannot call it innumerable. And I expect you to offer an estimated amount. Otherwise, this is not a debate about accounting, economics and budget but a religious discussion with no right or wrong answers. Save the latter kind for dummies. Intelligent people use numbers when talking budget. You should try it some time.

      “Your answer is to give them more money to waste. When do you suggest they be held responsible for the money they already receive?”

      Wrong. I said the answer is cutting spending AND raising taxes. Which part of cutting spending didn’t you get? It is just that you cannot close more than about 10% of the gap in our structural deficit (or 1% of GDP) via spending cuts. You are in denial about this and are lying to hide that fact.

      “You mentioned Medicare in a previous comment. Medicare is a perfect example of mismanaged government program. If they can’t properly handle costs and reimbursements under Medicare, what makes you possibly think the government can manage all health? Very naive outlook, ABC.”

      Actually, the costs of Medicare are being handled, and while there is waste in the system, there is waste in other systems too, like $500 toilet seats sold to the military. That is an argument to clean up the waste not cut the whole system. That Medicare is “losing money” means that it is underfunded, but so are a lot of other things. That Bush chose to fund the military’s involvement in Iraq technically meant that the military budget was also underfunded, but that didn’t prompt calls from you to cut the military entirely. this is bogus logic from people who really know very little. The key is that Medicare delivers outcomes just as good as the all-private system while containing costs much better, which means that the gov’t ought to fully fund it and support it, since it offers better value than the all-private system. Let me repeat in a way that even you will understand: medicare is a toyota Camry while all-private is a Rolls Royce Continental GT; the former offers better value for the money than the latter and has seen its price increase far less in the last 20 years. That the government chooses not to fully fund buying the Camry has NOTHING to do with its superior value over the GT. If you cannot get that, you are beyond hope.

      “Or another example is the numbers of illegals who are immediately put on our welfare program.”

      Yes, please give me the numbers and show how it is a net deficit after considerting all the illegals that pay taxes and do work that would not be done otherwise. I’d love to see a few numbers from you. The estimate in CA alone for illegal welfare recipients is about $8B, which is far less than the value of the other illegals that pay taxes and create value by doing work in industries producing hundreds of billions of dollars in value and pay billions in taxes.

      “Then again, as I mentioned before, since you obviously don’t pay taxes, you really don’t care if the government mismanages the money from those of us who do.”

      I assure you that I pay more in taxes per year than you do. You assume too much on very little information. Just like everything else you write about at this site.

      Report Post »  
    • copatriots
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 5:47pm

      Having the last word seems to be the priority in your every argument, regardless of how wrong your views are. I get it……exhaust your enemy with your views and have the last word so that makes you right. Wish I had time to entertain you further but, alas, I have other things to do. I do expect you to write another “last word” post so I am sorry I won’t be here to see it.

      I‘ll leave you with questions for which I obviously won’t see the answer……. Why is it that liberals always want to raise taxes when they can voluntarily pay more any time they want? Why doesn’t Buffett, Gates, Bloomberg, et al. just give their money to the government and voluntarily pay more in taxes? Why don’t YOU?

      Report Post »  
    • copatriots
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:28pm

      ooooh……i just couldn’t help myself from checking here when I had a free moment! I am quite sure ABC donated his entire wealth to the very well-managed government while I was gone…..

      Report Post »  
    • abc
      Posted on October 16, 2010 at 1:48am

      CoPatriot, what voluntary tax rate would YOU pay?

      Report Post »  
  • Rowgue
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 11:40am

    Everyone with a brain from Europe has been screaming at the United States for nearly a decade to stop following their lead because they are on the brink of collapse. Socialism simply is not sustainable. The European countries that realized that and elected conservatives to office are turning the corner and on the road to recovery. Meanwhile the brain-dead and handout beggars in this country were busy electing socialists and communists into office.

    Report Post »  
    • abc
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 12:38pm

      The reason why Europe is coming out of the recession faster than us is because their citizens at the individual level are not as deeply in debt as Americans are, and because most of Europe didn’t experience the real estate boom-bust crisis that we are going through. There are no exotic 5-1 ARMs in continental Europe and the banks had far more conservative balance sheets. Also, because the governments there pay for health care, higher education and a bunch of other services that Americans go into deep debt to pay for in this country, and because the consumer finance industry in Europe doesn’t allow Europeans to go as deeply into debt as Americans do, they will naturally come out of this recession faster. You know so little about the economy, so you naturally explain it in the only terms you understand–the ones that Beck tells you apply. This is understandable, but completely wrong. It is like saying that the great god Zeus hurls down electric javelins when you try to explain lightning. You are too uneducated to know that it is merely the discharge of static electricity in the lower atmosphere. Similarly, you know next to nothing about the economies of the US, the UK and continental Europe, so you make up a story to explain it. It would be better to consult experts and learn how to speak more informatively on the issues.

      Report Post »  
  • silentwatcher
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 11:39am

    And THAT is what it is going to take to get our U.S. asses out of this mess-a serious reorganization of the government operations. Our government preaches the majority of our populus is overweight, but it’s the government who is obese. Slash, slash, slash, and OUTLAW PORK SPENDING. There will be many out-of-work ex-government employees,,,but the economy will start to stabilize and employement will be found. Maybe we can STOP useless spending, as well. If strong controls are not taken to control the goverment,,,we are ALL going to be out of work and our standard of living will be that of the stone age. Tea Party is not just a name. Rock on!

    Report Post »  
  • Slevdog1
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 11:33am

    Ah, cutting bureaucracy, what a noble and correct idea! Please bring it here!

    Report Post »  
  • George Washington
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 11:29am

    The handwriting is on the wall. As we moved toward public healthcare insurance coverage, Britain realized that it does not work. So, it is taking steps toward the free market system of healthcare insurance coverage. Now this happens. What else must occur before the idiot in the Oval Office and his fellow morons figure out that what they are doing will do more to harm our country than all of the previous administrations since Woodrow Wilson’s, put together?

    Report Post »  
    • abc
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 12:29pm

      So we have a UK based health care system in our country already. It is called the VA system for military veterans. What is interesting about this system is that it has been the best one at keeping health care cost inflation in line. The purely free market system of private insurance and the hybrid system of Medicare have not been as good, although the latter has been far better than the former. There is a lot of data on this topic and it is all very clear. The issue is not free market versus Communistic dictatorships–the easy narrative that dumb conservative pundits use so that they don’t have to think very hard–but rather, the issue is that there are very real MARKET FAILURES that cause there to be no statistically significant correlation between quality of health care outcomes and the amount of money spent. The free market system overspends and gets little to show for it. Moreover, the existence of other problems under the UK or VA system do not disprove this statistical fact. So if the problem is that we are bankrupting our economy by paying too much in health care, then it is hard to see how your suggestion that we move to a fully free market system will help. This is like noting that our ship is sinking and then suggesting that we put more weight on it. It makes no sense and only highlights how little you actually understand about the issues involved. This is what happens when you rely upon Beck, O’Reilly or Hannity for your information on health care rather than consulting real experts like Atul Gawande.

      Report Post »  
    • copatriots
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 12:53pm

      ABC, you are truly insane to use the VA as a model for your example. Go ask the Veterans how wonderful the VA hospitals/care are. You must have missed all the oh-so-happy news about the condition of the VA hospitals. Yes, that is exactly what we should have in this country. Wish you could go for care to a VA hospital when you need medical attention. But, I am quite sure you are not a veteran being a liberal who likes freedom of speech without putting your hypocritical self on the line to protect that freedom.

      Report Post »  
    • Juan Gault
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 1:43pm

      George, With respect, those ‘morons” you refer too, know EXACTLY what they, and their programs are doing, and why!

      Understand your adversary, and win the debate, the struggle and the EL CT ON !

      Report Post »  
    • abc
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 1:50pm

      CoPatriot, while I am not a vet I have volunteered in VA hospitals and am aware of the unique problems there. My brother spent a year working in one as well and we are in agreement on those problems, so please do not assume that I am ignorant about them. But the fact that the VA hospitals have problems, which are worse than the UK system, does not mean that a single-payer system doesn’t control costs better than a private sector one. Moreover, it doesn’t change the fact that the added costs of the all-private system are not justified by the differences in outcomes. Let me repeat, as bad as the VA system has been reported to be, the amount of extra money spent in the all-private system does not yield commensurate increases in quality care in all-private hospitals using all-private insurance. You continue to use illogical arguments that fail to disprove my original contention. Go read Atul Gawande’s stuff before making a total fool of yourself.

      Report Post »  
    • abc
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 1:52pm

      Yes, Juan, win the debate. By avoiding debate but merely asserting as unquestionable truth your beliefs. You are losing the debate but all the health care industry money will fix that by buying off the politicians. So I understand your unwillingness to actually cite statistics and marshall arguments. I dare you to try to win the debate. I double dare you.

      Report Post »  
    • George Washington
      Posted on October 18, 2010 at 1:54am

      TO ABC. If the free market system is so terrible, why is it that the Prime Minister of Prince Edward Island had to come here for heart surgery? I will tell you why. This past Summer, he had to come to The United States for his surgery because in Canada, he would have had to wait six months before his operation could be performed. As for the V.A., that program is for military and former military personnel and their dependents. That is how our Government provides healthcare to this particular group of its employees. If you delve farther into the quality of care at V.A. facilities, you will discover that there is a lot lacking. I personally know two people who recieved care through the Veterans Administration. They loved it so much that the next time they needed to be hospitalized, they went elsewhere.

      Report Post »  
  • abc
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 11:27am

    Before you conservatives start to get an erection, carefully reread the article and note that the UK government doesn‘t expect to save very much from cutting these quangos because they don’t constitute much of the budget. Similarly, the programs that Tea Party candidates and other Republicans like to cite to cut our budget deficit are very small and don’t get us more than to 10% of the budget shortfalls. These articles when cursorily read feed the myth that we can fix our budget woes without tax hikes, which is absolutely false.

    Report Post »  
    • copatriots
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 11:50am

      It is just like a liberal to think reducing the budget by $180 Billion a year, or 6.2%, is insignificant.

      “The Wall Street Journal reports today that the pink slips in combination with tax increases will reduce Britain’s borrowing by £113 billion ($180 billion) a year by 2015, or 6.2% of that year’s expected gross domestic product.”

      Report Post »  
    • copatriots
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 11:56am

      The issue isn’t tax receipts. Our bloated government gets more than enough money to properly run this country. It is the MISMANAGEMENT of the money that is the problem! Yes, ABC, let’s follow your inane argument and give the government even more money to waste.

      Report Post »  
    • abc
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 12:23pm

      Copatriots, you DO realize that the MAJORITY of the 6.2% savings is from the tax increases, right? So 3% of the savings is from the program cuts…at most. And 3% is below what I consider significant. Heck, the SEC only requires disclosure of large customers–showing client concentration risk to a company–at 10%. And most opinion polls carry a +/-5% error rate. So 3% IS insignificant. And you continue to be a poor reader by ignoring the TAX INCREASES that were also undertaken–which was the point of my original post.

      As for mismanagement, please explain what funds were mismanaged so that we can see where you can find the other 94% of the problem that doesn’t require tax hikes. You can look at the UK or the US. Just show me where all that wasted spending is so we can take it out. Your buddies named Boehner, Cantor and Ryan can’t find it, and I’m betting you cannot either.

      Report Post »  
    • copatriots
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 12:34pm

      ABC, you cannot be serious that you think there is not massive waste in government. You obviously don’t pay taxes. And, it is obvious the British are just getting started on cutting. I might trust the government with more money to solve our problems once they have proven their ability to properly spend what they already receive.

      http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/Federal/All_Agencies/index.shtml

      Report Post »  
    • silentwatcher
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 1:00pm

      then we cut deeper

      Report Post »  
    • abc
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 1:45pm

      I ask for cut proposals and you link me to an index of government departments. Are you an idiot? Incidentally, I went to the “D” page and found a lot of departments starting with the word “defense,” so I guess I should conclude that paying the salary of Marines is a waste.

      Try sending a serious list with real budget numbers or admit that you have no idea what you are talking about but just like to make opinionated but factually incorrect statements to amuse yourself. Kind of like scratching your backside–but far less useful.

      Report Post »  
    • copatriots
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 2:47pm

      Talk about an idiot! The mere fact there is a “D” page is evidence, in and of itself, there are innumerable areas of government waste!

      I have an idea……how ’bout you go through the entire list and give me some suggestions on what should be cut? You cannot possibly believe there is justification for all government programs. But we all know you are simply a troll and here to be argumentative and antagonistic.

      Report Post »  
    • abc
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 4:58pm

      Again, CoPatriot makes the dumb non-sequitur comment. He comments on my selecting “D” over E or F. But fails to produce specifics on what to cut. And then, after making the claim that much can be cut, he asks me to show him where. You are a total fool. Do you realize this? If you assert a claim, then YOU must prove it. Not mock me for demanding the proof that you should have given in the first place. Please stop making empty assertions that are CLEARLY WRONG. If you cannot back up your claim, then your claim is wrong and you are TOTALLY STUPID for making it. Again, my initial contention stands, totally unrebutted by the ignorant people writing here:

      You cannot cut the deficit without both cutting more spending AND raising taxes. Anyone who asserts otherwise is a LIAR.

      I dare anyone to produce evidence to prove me wrong. I will not hold my breath, given the intellectual capacity of this crowd.

      Report Post »  
    • copatriots
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 5:15pm

      Even a 2nd grader could have understood my point. It doesn’t matter what letter page you would have chosen. The fact there are that many government agencies is evidence enough that government is too large and cuts could clearly be made. Again, I’ll say this in very simple language for you, the government mismanages/wastes taxpayer money. Are you seriously needing examples? Maybe you could Google search it yourself if you really need proof…….

      http://articles.cnn.com/2007-07-26/living/mf.gov.projects_1_canal-great-pyramid-cheops?_s=PM:LIVING

      Report Post »  
    • abc
      Posted on October 16, 2010 at 1:44am

      CoPatriots, for all your words, you still haven’t shown me specifically how to get more than 10% of the budget deficit via spending cuts. Either name the waste in the programs and show how it adds up to more than 10% or admit you are wrong. Merely showing a long list of gov’t departments as proof of waste is not proof at all. You have a long list of different cells in your body, so which ones don’t you need? A large number or variety of departments is hardly proof of the waste. Redundancy is proof of waste. So show that and how it adds up to $1.3T per year, or concede the argument.

      Report Post »  
  • COMMONCENTS
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 11:03am

    Now we‘re talkin’. I‘m just shocked it’s happening “over there”.

    Report Post » COMMONCENTS  
  • Iamtheoracle
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 10:46am

    In my best Briteeesh accent – I say – cheerio quango.

    Report Post »  
  • printdesignchicago.com
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 10:05am

    we need to seriously impeach obama on the grounds of communist usurpation

    Report Post » printdesignchicago.com  
  • tisherself
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 10:00am

    We need to do the same thing, But our government will just move them from the government payroll to the government welfare rolls. Kind of defeats the purpose doesn’t it? Either way it’s our money paying them. A lot of government workers couldn’t make it in a civilian work place. If you have any doubts just pick up the phone and call any government agency with a question.

    Report Post » tisherself  
  • Patrick
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:13am

    With over 1300 government agencies in the US i think we can probably lose about half with out any one seeing a difference (minus the employees that will now have to find a private sector job).

    http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/Federal/All_Agencies/index.shtml

    Report Post » Patrick  
    • JD Carp
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:43am

      Patrick, I think your estimate is a bit conservative. I went through that list you so kindly provided and sense that closer to 97% of these useless and often redundant agencies can be eliminated. May I dare say these sort of waste and nepotism driven agencies has resulted in the birth of the “racist” Tea Party movement. If eliminating government waste and fiscal accountability is racist and hate driven, then Ben Franklin and I are racist and full of hate. “A penny saved, is a penny earned.”

      Report Post » JD Carp  
  • DannoDog
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:13am

    Kind of sickening in that we used to be the ones who lead the world in doing what was right…But give credit where it’s do – Good on ya mates…

    Report Post »  
  • RobR
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:13am

    THIS JUST IN: A high level official in the Obama administration has just announce the , sight unseen hiring of all 200 of these displaced beaurocrats for various positions in the White House.

    Report Post » Barack Must Go  
    • drbage
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:27am

      The agency will be called the World Governance Council and they will all be members of SEIU.

      Report Post »  
  • tarpon
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:13am

    How did people ever survive without such crap.

    Report Post »  
  • starman70
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:07am

    When will the American politicians follow suit?

    Report Post »  
  • adifftake
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:05am

    I think too little too late. The horse done left the barn. I would like someone to answer me the following question: Where on the net can I find a breakdown of the US government budget so I can take a crack at cutting it down to size.

    Where does one begin?

    Report Post »  
    • M31Sailor
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 3:19pm

      vote the Socialists out Nov 2nd, then keep a hawkeye out for big spenders and weed them out next election

      Report Post » M31Sailor  
  • Barnett
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:02am

    Great job Britain. You said you were going to cut your deficit and minimize government and you are doing just that. Great leadership from the Queen as well.

    Report Post »  
    • drbage
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:26am

      Yes, but you have to wonder if she chose Christmas to save 50,000 pounds/euros or if it was done to placate the Islamists…..Did you see/hear the head imam latest? He is the one who proclaimed on Christiane Amanpour’s show that the flag of Islam would soon fly over the White House. He has opined that under Sharia law, it is impossible for rape to occur in a marriage, because intercourse is a husband’s right!

      Report Post »  
  • missmarie
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:00am

    We can easily find this types of inane agencies in our government as well. I’ve been sending a listing to my congressman and senators for some time now. Now that our AAA rating has been downgraded, I hold out hope that our newly elected officials will have the courage to cut them from the government payroll. A thorough cleaning, to rid our country of waste is in order.

    Report Post » missmarie  
    • adifftake
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:06am

      Our rating has been revised down? By who?

      Report Post »  
    • missmarie
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:08am

      FYI, the article on the Debt Marketing downgrading our gold plated Triple-A rating is on the Fox Nation.

      Report Post » missmarie  
  • LastManStanding1
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 8:53am

    Britian is getting serious, let’s follow the lead!

    Report Post » LastManStanding1  
  • chazman
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 8:52am

    We now have the perfect example for our elected officials. ENGLAND. If they don’t get it now then break out the baseball bats! Maybe if we clobber them they’ll get it …

    Report Post »  
  • chrisser
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 8:44am

    Liberals are always pointing to Europe as an example for us to follow.

    Here‘s one instance when they’d actually be right.

    An example of broken clocks being occassionally correct, I suppose.

    Report Post »  
  • Sledgehammer
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 8:43am

    Coming to America, November 3rd.

    Report Post » Sledgehammer  
    • BoilitDown
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 3:59pm

      SLEDGEHAMMER: I do hope you’re right about that. However, I think we‘ll have to be on their back’s 24/7/365 to be sure it happens. They cannot be let to believe that politics as usual can survive any longer.

      Report Post »  
  • snowleopard3200
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 8:43am

    The British cut their government while ours continues to grow out of control. Yet people still complain about protecting their home turf from being cut. Bottom line – Broke is Broke!!!

    November hopefully we will start the reversal of our own out of control government.

    http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm (mixed art)

    Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • BQI
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 8:42am

    Here we go again. A European Socialist nation, GB, now sees the error of their ways. Government is not the answer, rather the free market sysem with minimal government intrusion.

    New Article “The Road to Serfdom- From Capitalism or Socialism” @ http://www.blackquillandink.com

    Report Post » BQI  
    • snowleopard3200
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 8:53am

      @BQI – Finally the Brits see the light. Agree that smaller government and a free market are needed and the best cure for Progressives and Socialism.

      Have checked out your web link briefly, appears to be of interest, good work.

      http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm (mixed art)

      Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • M31Sailor
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:25am

      BQI
      Went to the site. Its great But like Obummer said about “Press the Meat” i do not think many African Americans will go there. , unfortunatly. But then most thinking Americans won’t see PTM either

      Report Post » M31Sailor  
  • C. Schwehr
    Posted on October 15, 2010 at 8:41am

    Conservative candidates for public office please note this article!!!!!

    Report Post »  
    • snowleopard3200
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 8:51am

      Agree that the conservatives need to pay attention and act. I get a kick the British use the term Quangos when here we just call them Departments or Agencies. Except for the one really most nasty of the lot the IRS-KGB who should rightfully be called the Internal Ripoff Specialists.

      http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm (mixed art)

      Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • M31Sailor
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:02am

      WE could eliminate the Dept of Ed, , in DC, as all it does is siphon money from the states, skim off 40 % put it in their pockets then send 60% back to the states where there are strings attached which further erode its value. For a START
      Sailor

      Report Post » M31Sailor  
    • starman70
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:10am

      Hey don’t forget the Department of Energy, created to end our dependance on foreign oil. WHAT A JOKE! When created, we used 30% of our oil from overseas, now we use more than70%. Thid bloated beureacracy is a TOTAL WASTE of taxpayer’s money.

      Report Post »  
    • Toader Gloat
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:21am

      Snow Leopard,

      Since you insist on linking to and promoting your art with every post, and considering you post to almost every story posted on The Blaze, I have decided to critique your art, because someone needs to.

      If you are under the age of 10, I’d call your art promising, considering you work hard. If you are an adult, why you are linking to it is an utter mystery to me. I am a lifelong zoologist, and take it from me…I found your portrayal of big cats not artistic in style or color…very uninspired.

      At best, they are reminiscent of the better drawings done by myself and friends in the sixth or seventh grade…seriously. You need to try another medium. Drawing ain’t your thing. It wasn’t mine either, so I started sculpting and found it much easier for me. Try it.

      Report Post » Shurmus  
    • drbage
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:22am

      Here in the US we weren’t creative enough to come up with our own unique term-quango, we just call them czars!

      Report Post »  
    • Mary M. Tebbe
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:50am

      c. schwehr: Well it’s a step in the right direction for our British brothers and sisters! Now if only Obama would cut the size of our government…starting with all those CZARS! I doubt he was planning a CHRISTMAS PARTY…Muslims don‘t celebrate our Savior’s birth right???!!!

      Report Post » Mary M. Tebbe  
    • Independent Tess
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 9:56am

      Just finished Daniel Hannon’s book “The New Road to Serfdom” where talks about the quangos. It is an excellent read and so “on point”. I highly recommend it!

      Report Post » Independent Tess  
    • slickmeister
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 10:10am

      Here’s an idea:

      Instead of following Britain down the rathole to socialist bankruptcy and THEN deciding to start cutting government bloat, how about we just skip the whole socialist rathole part and go straight to the cutting government bloat part?

      Report Post » slickmeister  
    • amwhatam
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 10:14am

      Wonderful. We need more talk shows to discuss the size and function of our bloated government. How many employees are in the DOE, Dpt. of Energy, FCC, EPA and thousands of other useless programs?

      Report Post » amwhatam  
    • OurFoundingFather
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 12:11pm

      Bravo British Convervatives!

      Report Post »  
    • untameable-kate
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 2:12pm

      Oh thank God somebody is finally making some sense. Think maybe we could use THAT European model here?

      Report Post » Untameable-kate  
    • pajamash
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 2:53pm

      “The agencies are known as “quangos” — or quasi-autonomous non-government organizations”

      OMG isn’t that straight out of Monty Python?

      Report Post »  
    • pajamash
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 2:54pm

      “The Conservative-led government has promised deep cuts in spending to grapple with record national debts, but its primary argument for abolishing quangos was to restore accountability in decision-making.”

      Sounds like they have a Tea Party over there that worked!!!! Can we get some of that?!!!!

      Report Post »  
    • smokie
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 2:57pm

      Then perhaps we, too, should call them quangos, and take away their false legitimacy. Useless money draining things should be called out as being as the useless money holes they are.
      I think President Quango wouldn’t approve, but he’ll get over it next golf outing.

      Report Post »  
    • M31Sailor
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 3:16pm

      Quangos
      Sounds like Bawney Fwank trying to call us gringo’s

      Report Post » M31Sailor  
    • *************************
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 3:32pm

      “Britain Cuts 200 Government Agencies”
      Republicans? Democrats? No way! I’m voting BRITISH this election!!

      “Well, don’t just stand there looking stupid, grasping your hands in pain. How about a round of applause for The Waco Kid?” -sheriff Bart, Blazing Saddles

      Report Post » WeDontNeedNoStinkinBadges  
    • johnnycatt
      Posted on October 15, 2010 at 7:01pm

      Take an ax to almost everything the feds do…

      Report Post »  
    • whitaker
      Posted on October 17, 2010 at 2:32am

      We need to disband homeland security its way too powerful and has a dangerous outlook on things. Considering our returning vets as dangerous potential terrorist and tea party and constitutionalist as radicals.
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPg9MdN9Gio

      Report Post » whitaker  
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