In 1984, industrialist J. Peter Grace and syndicated columnist Jack Anderson created Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) to act as a voice for the American taxpayer.  CAGW’s mission is to uncover, expose and eliminate government waste, mismanagement, and inefficiency.  Twenty-six years after its inception, CAGW is the nation’s premier taxpayer group, comprised of more than one million members and supporters across the country.  To date, CAGW has helped save taxpayers $1.08 trillion.

On February 23, 2009, President Barack Obama pledged to cut the deficit in half by over four years.  The President continued his tough rhetoric on November 3, 2009 when he stated that “…government is going to have to get serious about reducing our debt levels.”  However, despite all the tough talk, the United States enters 2010 with a record $1.4 trillion deficit and a $12.3 trillion national debt that is spiraling out of control. 

CAGW’s Prime Cuts 2010 addresses the spending addiction that has plagued the federal government.  The 763 recommendations provided by CAGW would save taxpayers $350 billion in the first year and $2.2 trillion over five years. 

Elimination of wasteful and duplicative programs is a good first step in putting the nation’s financial system back on track.  The 2010 version of Prime Cuts features many vital recommendations, including elimination of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Market Access Program (MAP).  The program aims to help agricultural producers promote U.S. products overseas; however, MAP funnels millions of dollars to large corporations.  If eliminated, it would save taxpayers $231 million over five years. 

Also recommended for elimination is the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC).  Created in 1992, the NDIC is Rep. John Murtha’s (D-Pa.) expensive pet project.  The NDIC is an ineffective and wasteful program that costs millions each year, and the Department of Justice has asked Congress to shut the NDIC down because its operations are duplicative.  In addition, prior to the center’s opening in August of 1993, the Government Accountability Office stated it was a waste of money and redundant of efforts to combat drugs in Washington as well as a center on the Mexican border.  Taxpayers would save $220 million over five years if the NDIC was eliminated.

One of the more expensive projects in Prime Cuts 2010 is the New Moon/Mars initiative.  The initiative began as a Bush Administration plan to continue NASA’s exploration of Mars and to return to the Moon by 2020.  The elimination of the New Moon/Mars initiative would save taxpayers $1.5 billion in one year, and $11.5 billion over five years. 

CAGW’s Prime Cuts 2010 can serve as a blueprint to cut government spending and put the nation on a path toward fiscal sanity.  Prime Cuts 2010 is essential reading for taxpayers, the media, and legislators alike.