The 2018 Discretionary Budget, and what it will mean

/in /by

With regard to the public sector many budget items have been maintained as of 2018 as well. Firstly the new Administration’s first budget has been released and brings changes with it. The new era has arrived and disrupted the status quo. Under the careful crafting by the executive branch, the Discretionary federal budget has undergone a large increase in defense spending in comparison to the previous Administration.

12121

The discretionary budget is one of the best means to understand the priorities of the administration in power. The budget represents several departments including the DOD (Department of Defense), DOA (Department of Agriculture), DOE (Department of  Energy) as well as agencies such as GSA (The General Services Administration) and the SBA (Small Business Administration). Based on the data above, the assumption is that the new administration will devote more money and attention to the country’s national defense, than prior. This will be the highest budget the department of defense has been allocated since the $602 billion dollars it was allocated in 2008. As well as the first time the aggregate of the rest of the budget will be less than the total allocated to the DOD. While this means spending cuts in other industries as they will have to function on fewer resources, for the military this will be able to help pay for research and development, equipment and information.

The above listed agencies on the chart, are those that fall under the discretionary budget.The spending cuts while minimal will affect the day to day operations of the other departments and agencies, with less money in their programs although it will be more difficult to function it will not be impossible.

Author: Bobby Cottingham, Sabre88 LLC

Editor’s note: Original Sources

https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/budget/fy2018/budget.pdf

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BUDGET-2017-BUD/pdf/BUDGET-2017-BUD.pdf

Net neutrality at a glance

/in /by

In 2015 the previous administration advocated for the creation of the Open Internet Order or, Net Neutrality, the vision was to create an open unrestricted internet for all to use equally. Net Neutrality is the proposition that internet service providers should allow access to all online content without favoring or blocking particular products or websites. This idea can be beneficial to the general population because it fosters small business growth along with keeping prices low and affordable. Net Neutrality was the prerogative of the U.S. government for two years, however, it is no longer in effect. Ajit Pai, the current administration’s chairman for the Federal Communications Commission, removed net neutrality a full year after his inauguration. Pai’s drive for ridding the internet of regulated neutrality as he said in his press conference last December comes from his belief that as one of Americas greatest success’ the internet needs to be un-regulated in order to fully prosper, and that the regulations have taken us away from consumer preferences not towards them. Pai is correct in that a more open, less controlled internet is pleasing to the average consumer because it grants more access to more online applications and content.

Ajit Pai’s removal of Net Neutrality occurred in December of 2017, with the turn of the year, expect to see more in your cable plan, options for free Netflix in exchange for paying for a slightly more expensive internet bill. This is positive because immediately one will start to see faster internet and convenient packages, and collaborations between internet providers and mainstream content. As the internet progresses, now without regulation expect to see more dominance of that mainstream content and even possibly cheaper prices for that content.

While the internet deregulation brings a promise of cheaper prices to the services we use every day, it will come at the cost of budding entrepreneurs. Unregulated internet will bring in an era of pay for speed; the speed of smaller applications and content will be far slower than that of the corporate giants. Look forward to longer loading times and less accessible content if you prefer the little guy to the larger one.

 

Author: Bobby Cottingham, Sabre88 LLC

Editor’s note: Original Sources

http://fortune.com/2017/12/15/net-neutrality-pai/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshsteimle/2014/05/14/am-i-the-only-techie-against-net-neutrality/#4e4c811170d5