Government Money-Saving Ideas

Cal Thomas | Syndicated Columnist | Updated: Feb 17, 2012

Government Money-Saving Ideas

The government can easily find ways to spend money, but has a difficult time saving any. There are numerous ideas for saving trillions, including the needed reform of Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid.

Here's one of many small ideas. The Government Accountability Office has proposed for the sixth time eliminating the $1 bill and replacing it with a dollar coin. It estimates the move would save $146 million per year and $4.4 billion over a 30-year period. Why? Because replacement costs for a coin are much lower than for paper money.

Britain has a one-pound coin and the paper money doesn't begin until you get to a five-pound note. IT's the same with the Euro: a one-Euro coin and no paper until the five-Euro.

It's simple. Is there a constituency for the $1 bill? Probably. There is for almost everything when it comes to government spending. Citizens Against Government Waste, the Heritage Foundation and House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan have come up with many more proposals for saving money. Look them up.

I'm Cal Thomas in Washington.

Publication date: February 17, 2012

Government Money-Saving Ideas