There's no hope

[glatt]

Seems like the simplest way to balance the budget is to do it proportionally. If we need to cut the budget 10%, you cut each and every program 10%. Including military, SS, medicare, medicaid, and all discretionary spending. You just cut everything. No fighting needed. No politics needed.

Personally, I think the infrastructure needs real attention, so I'd actually increase that a lot, and then cut everything else just a little bit more to make up for it.

Leave all the political stuff alone. It's too contentious. But just about everyone can see the need to maintain our infrastructure. It's non-political.