There on many opinions on this topic. When the Constitution was originally written the authors felt the purpose of government was to provide national security for the entire country, provide a national currency and the branches of government would work together to write laws, enforce them and provide judicial review of them. The Legislative, Executive and Judicial Branches of government. Well, what started as what seemed a simple concept has evolved into the complicated mess which no one seems to be able to get a handle on. 

We the people have elected people to represent us and use COMMON SENSE, to address issues. Well, it seems when they get to Washington there must be something it the air which causes them to lose it and join the spend club. Government spending has grown to over $4 trillion. Entitlements are roughly 46% of the total. Social Security, Medicare welfare and food stamps are part of that percent.  No one seems to want to do anything about it, except blame each other for not wanting to fix the issue. 

There hasn't been a budget proposal passed through Congress for over 20 years. Continuing Resolutions is the band aid solution which just perpetuates old programs and the pork thrown in. How the American people continue to send these people to Congress to not do their jobs just seems irresponsible of the voting public. Somebody needs to be the adult in the room and stop this unsustainable spending.  

Congress needs to find the courage to address the spending and get its house in order. All the posturing doesn't mean anything if you fold every time. This is a hard thing to, but the well-being of our country is at stake.

Senator Scott (Fl. Rep.) has proposed to review all programs every 5 years and have Congress vote to renew them. This was immediately taken as a threat to entitlements by the Left. It wasn't well received by his own party. This is the problem we have with the perpetuating elections of the same old people to Congress. We need term limits to get out of this. The American people need to wake-up and realize that many people in Washington are there for their own self-interest. Get involved on the State level and support a Constitutional Convention to make the necessary changes to change the make-up and faces in Congress. Those who are there will never take up term limits, frankly it's not in their interest. 

All government spending should be reviewed periodically to either end the program because it isn't necessary anymore or to ensure that a review occurs to gage the impact of the program to spending and adjust the program accordingly.

Congress should also review the impact of rules that various agencies of the government issue that have a financial impact on spending or the economy that lay outside the actual language of the law passed by Congress. Congress has over the years allowed government agencies to act as legislative bodies enacting "rules" which   change the scope or financial impact of the intended legislation. That is why review of all government agencies, and their intended purpose and scope needs to happen. If our legislative bodies took their jobs seriously and spent more time at work this could be accomplished.