The disgusting policy of Affirmative Action yet resounds throughout this land of ours. Why? Because those politicians who know and believe it to be wrong are afraid of being called racists.
I have a young son. He's 6. Right now, his chances of admission to a first tier university in September 2023 are diminished because of some other 6-year old being of a preferred color. My son is half-Chinese through his Mother and half Caucasian through me. He was born in Pasadena CA so he's as American as you can get. The other 6-year old may not even be in the United States yet. He or she could be in Africa, the Caribbean, Mexico or Central America. They don't even need to show up until, say, 2023. But, because that child is a NAM (Non-Asian Minority), he will be admitted before my son or yours for that matter. Tell me again how that is a reasonable penalty to impose on your son or mine because some people believe that NAMs were oppressed. Especially show me where Latinos were oppressed. You want oppression? What about the oppression of the Chinese coolies who were brought here to work as if indentured. That's a lot more oppression than the Latinos ever had.
Any black or Latino who believes his or her child is entitled to step ahead of my son bacause of their color is a racist, a bigot and a disgrace to this land of justice for all.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Gordian Economics
All my long life, I have had a sense of economic inferiority to economists cited by various media or pundits. These wise and mostly men have powerful credentials: first tier doctorates, tenure or think-tank chairs, peer acclaim, authors of text books, numerous articles and more. Few have managed a business; these wizards manage governments. Some are trying to run the world. Impressive stuff that.
Recently, I was thinking about the economies of nations. The wreckage reminded me of Ozymandias. Everywhere one looks in the Western world, there is economic ruin. America is in hock to its eyeballs; a larger percentage of its workers is unemployed or under-employed than at any time in decades, inflation has returned and our leaders do not have any idea as to what to do. The President's proposals gain nearly unanimous disdain. Few have confidence in the ruling class; none of the awe inspiring economists has stepped up to economic leadership. Few pundits even pretend to understand the problem much less offer a solution.
Accordingly, it falls to me to cut through the Gordian economic knots in which we are ensnared.
As a general principle, the solutions need to be set forth so that they are understood by almost all, thus gaining support from the people. Since it is "the people" who are suffering the brunt of the chaos, their recognition of answers on the way will restore the confidence necessary to begin recovery. There can be but few principles; 20 cannot be fathomed much less sold. Here are The Ten Economic Commandments:
1. The federal government's present budget will be reduced to 95% of what it spent last year. Each succeeding year, for the next 8 years, an additional 1% will be lopped off of last year's budget. Reductions will be across the board, in all departments and branches with the heads thereof deciding who and what is eliminated. Excess revenues over operating expenses must be applied to debt reduction.
2. The military will be brought home from Europe, Korea and similar billets to be retired or honorably discharged. The military budget may not be raised for the next 7 years absent a war declared by Congress.
3. The federal reserve will announce support for a strong dollar and that it will not attempt to restrain interest rates in any form.
4. The federal income tax rates shall be 5% on the first $50,000 of gross income; 10% on the next $450,000 of gross income and 15% of all gross income over $500,000. There will be no deductions other than for charity which will be limited to your highest tax rate. There will be no tax on capital gains; all income shall be deemed ordinary and taxed accordingly.
5. If you are between 55 and 50 years old, you may not draw on social security or Medicare until you are 70 years old. If you are between 50 and 45 years old, you may not draw on social security or Medicare until you are 71 years old. This sliding age scale decrements in 5 year increments with a 1 year increase in the retirement age. Thus, between 45 and 40 = 72 years; 40 and 35 = 73 years; 35 an 30 = 74 years and if under 30 = 75 years.
6. The fence between the US and Mexico will be completed; all illegal aliens will be deported via legal deportation; the social security check system will be required to hire anyone in the US with severe penalties to those caught cheating, including individuals.
7. The minimum wage will be raised to at least $15 an hour.
8. Student loans will once again be dischargeable in bankruptcy but only in a Chapter 13 type procedure.
9. Financial institutions must mark their assets to market on a quarterly basis.
10. The United States will not seek to impose democracy on any other nation.
These are the principles. The rest will follow.
Recently, I was thinking about the economies of nations. The wreckage reminded me of Ozymandias. Everywhere one looks in the Western world, there is economic ruin. America is in hock to its eyeballs; a larger percentage of its workers is unemployed or under-employed than at any time in decades, inflation has returned and our leaders do not have any idea as to what to do. The President's proposals gain nearly unanimous disdain. Few have confidence in the ruling class; none of the awe inspiring economists has stepped up to economic leadership. Few pundits even pretend to understand the problem much less offer a solution.
Accordingly, it falls to me to cut through the Gordian economic knots in which we are ensnared.
As a general principle, the solutions need to be set forth so that they are understood by almost all, thus gaining support from the people. Since it is "the people" who are suffering the brunt of the chaos, their recognition of answers on the way will restore the confidence necessary to begin recovery. There can be but few principles; 20 cannot be fathomed much less sold. Here are The Ten Economic Commandments:
1. The federal government's present budget will be reduced to 95% of what it spent last year. Each succeeding year, for the next 8 years, an additional 1% will be lopped off of last year's budget. Reductions will be across the board, in all departments and branches with the heads thereof deciding who and what is eliminated. Excess revenues over operating expenses must be applied to debt reduction.
2. The military will be brought home from Europe, Korea and similar billets to be retired or honorably discharged. The military budget may not be raised for the next 7 years absent a war declared by Congress.
3. The federal reserve will announce support for a strong dollar and that it will not attempt to restrain interest rates in any form.
4. The federal income tax rates shall be 5% on the first $50,000 of gross income; 10% on the next $450,000 of gross income and 15% of all gross income over $500,000. There will be no deductions other than for charity which will be limited to your highest tax rate. There will be no tax on capital gains; all income shall be deemed ordinary and taxed accordingly.
5. If you are between 55 and 50 years old, you may not draw on social security or Medicare until you are 70 years old. If you are between 50 and 45 years old, you may not draw on social security or Medicare until you are 71 years old. This sliding age scale decrements in 5 year increments with a 1 year increase in the retirement age. Thus, between 45 and 40 = 72 years; 40 and 35 = 73 years; 35 an 30 = 74 years and if under 30 = 75 years.
6. The fence between the US and Mexico will be completed; all illegal aliens will be deported via legal deportation; the social security check system will be required to hire anyone in the US with severe penalties to those caught cheating, including individuals.
7. The minimum wage will be raised to at least $15 an hour.
8. Student loans will once again be dischargeable in bankruptcy but only in a Chapter 13 type procedure.
9. Financial institutions must mark their assets to market on a quarterly basis.
10. The United States will not seek to impose democracy on any other nation.
These are the principles. The rest will follow.
Ten Years Later
The Islamic terrorists of 9/11 and their supporters of any stripe or level are evil.
Like the Israeli's hunted the Nazis, we should hunt down al Quaeda unto eternity, just as was done with bin Laden. The pressure should never be lessened. The whole world should know what we are doing. That will isolate the targets; few non-terrorists will want to hang with them lest they become collateral damage. As recruits join the al Quaeda crowd, they are put on the list. Forever. Until they are all dead and gone.
Support them and you are a dead man walking.
That is my commemoration of 9/11.
It is known as Justice.
Like the Israeli's hunted the Nazis, we should hunt down al Quaeda unto eternity, just as was done with bin Laden. The pressure should never be lessened. The whole world should know what we are doing. That will isolate the targets; few non-terrorists will want to hang with them lest they become collateral damage. As recruits join the al Quaeda crowd, they are put on the list. Forever. Until they are all dead and gone.
Support them and you are a dead man walking.
That is my commemoration of 9/11.
It is known as Justice.
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