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Thursday, September 22, 2011

A measure of minimalism,..

Most people assume that I am against social welfare programs because they are bad. Let me get this straight though, or at the very least try to clear shit up. I do not think free health care for the masses is a bad idea. Social security is not a bad idea. Hell most government programs that are out there are not a bad idea. The bad idea is that they are run by the government. To me it roots in with that same topic I discussed earlier about personal freedom. With each task you had over to your government you had the freedom corresponding to that task to the government.

Lets look at what all the issues are, and I will try to show you my solutions. Social security is a retirement fund, or could also be look at as insurance versus injury. They do have these available in the civilian sector. You can get workmen's insurance, and also look at investments or savings as retirement. So what you are doing with social security is telling the government that you would like them to handle your 401k. So now you are putting this in their hands and giving it control. What choice do you now have in regards to what that money does? You get to draw on it when you retire, or are unable to work. In the mean time while you are working you could try to become more savvy and use that money in a way that not only stimulates the economy (creating jobs) and invest it as you see fit. You could use it to purchase shares of gold, silver, or other commodities that have shown a much sharper return. You could in essence keep control on that aspect of your life. Being responsible for yourself helps feed that ability to be free.

 Many tell you that the healthcare system is broken, and I agree. However the fix is not to get the government involved by providing healthcare insurance for the entire population. The solution is in controlling the rising cost of healthcare. By telling me I must have insurance, the government is taking away choice on my behalf. Insurance is available now, to everyone, it is just not affordable by everyone. The aspects that need regulation will not be regulated by our government though, because those that stand to lose the most are the ones making contributions to the campaigns of those making the legislation. When a band aid cost you the consumer four dollars, because it was given to you by hospital it is the source of the problem. This being brought on by further meddling by the government in our freedom. It is cost that drives the industry, it is laws not friendly with business that drive cost. It is that cost that drives up price, and it is that price that takes away the ability of others to afford insurance. So in essence the more the government interferes the more they interfere with our freedom of choice.

The concept I see of government is simple. The federal government is managing itself poorly. They are constantly spending to provide services to us as the people, that we could provide for ourselves. In that they are driving up the debt and doing what many Americans do anyway. They live beyond their means. Taxing the rich, or a flat means tax could resolve the debt issue we have with our country. The issue is the amount we spend. We have to borrow money to stay with the lifestyle we have grown accustomed too. Well in my house when we don't have enough money to go to the movies, we don't go to the movies. We do not borrow money from our neighbors to still be able to go. We cut our expenses (government programs) in order to live with in our means. We do not go and seek out more things to spend money on if it goes beyond our income (taxes). So as we whittle off our freedoms to the government, we are also destroying out future.

We are destabilizing the dollar, and this is going to cause greater issues down the road. You can learn more about that here. I am not saying buy this guys program, but the research is there in the first part of the video. It is pretty solid logic. The thing is this could be prevented if we just stop trying to live beyond our means. Having a hot tub is not bad, but if you can't afford it son't continue to borrow to do it. Live within your means and you can make shit happen. You can actually save your country. You country should be looking at how to save itself, and part of that is to get spending inline with income.

Great ideas are great ideas, but there is also this thing call realism. I want to buy the whole world a Pepsi, but I can't afford it so I don't. I would like to cure cancer too, while I am listing all the things I would like to do, but seriously I am not that guy. Its not an easy thing to say, but I said it. We spend to much money. We can get a pay raise (increasing taxes) but it will not be enough to pay for the lifestyle we live. If we want to keep our house (country), we need to shave what we can to pay the damn mortgage. Some good things have to go to do, but if we get back to the basics, and think about how our great grand parents lived, we can do it.

1 comment:

  1. I could talk to you on Taxes and Government intrusion on our lives. It has been said that 2/3 of the Federal Government income id derived from other sources OTHER THAN income tax. ie. Fees, exise taxes, tarrifs, sales taxes and other taxes are the main revenue source. From these sources alone and by 1887 the government had a huge surplus. PROOF: part of Grover Cleavland's State of the Union in 1887:
    "The amount of money annually exacted, through the operation of present laws, from the industries and necessities of the people largely exceeds the sum necessary to meet the expenses of the Government."

    By 30 June 1887 our government had amassed a sum of $55,567,849.54 in excess revenue. We can and SHOULD go back to the days of old were the people are NOT taxed except on what they buy and sell. Any other tax is unfair and un-needed.
    Mike

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