GOP Fiscal Realism

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) has proposed cutting Medicaid eligibility from the current maximum income of $24,645 to $5,317 a year for a family of three.

Let's try a little family budget reality check. A typical family budget looks like this:

Housing 36%

Food 13%

Auto 12%

Insurance 5%

Debts 5%

Entertainment 6%

Clothing 5%

Savings 5%

Medical/Dental 4%

Miscellaneous 5%

School/Child Care 6%

Investments 5%

Well, we sure don't want poor folks getting any entertainment, and I think we infer that their savings and investment accounts are on hiatus. And Misc? They sure don't deserve any "miscellaneous."

So here's their Monthly Budget

Annual Monthly

$5,317 $443.08

Housing 36% $159.51/month

Yep, there are a lot of $160 apartments available in NJ. Might be tough for this family to scratch together the security deposit, though

Food 13% $57.60/month

2 dollars a day for 3 folks.

Auto 12% $53.17/month

There's a lot of gas for you, not to mention payments, insurance, maintenance, etc. Let's see: at $3.75/gallon, they can burn through 14 gallons a month, Assuming their junker gets 15 mpg, they get to joy ride for about 7 miles a day.

Insurance 5% $22.15/month

LOL

Clothing 5% $22.15/month

$7.38 a person. I'm thinking a pack of whitey tighties per person per month at Walmart

School/Child care 6% $26.59/month

Medical/Dental 4% $17.72/month $5.90 per person a month. There's a lot of health care for you.

And the Republicans want us to think that they know what they're talking about when it comes to finances and fiscal reality?