National Debt/Deficit
Isn't it common sense that you don't spend more money than you take in? That's how I run my personal finances. It keeps me "in the black" and keeps the debtors away. Though there have been times through the years when I have wanted a newer this or a bigger that, all I have had to do is look at my finances and see if I could afford it. If I couldn't, I didn't buy it. I hate debt because it enslaves you.
Most American Taxpayers understand that if you spend more money than your employer pays you it won't be very long before you're filing for bankruptcy (or living on perpetual credit). Why can't our leaders apply this most basic concept of finance to our national budget? Why do they continually insist on spending more money than what comes in? Why do they keep putting our nation deeper and deeper in debt? We all know that this isn't good for our country.
At this writing, on 12/12/06, the national debt is somewhere between $8,657,640,994,433.84 and $8,663,169,896,566.13. Every day the debt increases by 2 billion dollars or so. Divided equally among the population, your part of the debt is about 28,000 dollars. Isn't that good to know? [These statistics were taken from "The U.S. National Debt Clock" at: www.brillig.com/debt_clock/ and other websites. Or just Google "national debt" and you will find any information that you need.]
Obviously our leaders have not gotten serious about this at all. If you were to sit down with them and ask them what in the world they're thinking, I'm guessing that they would agree with your argument. But what are they doing about it? I'll tell you what they're doing about it. They're making it worse - every day. This has gone on since World War II and has been increasing like crazy since about 1980. Do our leaders look at the last 50 years and think that we've gotten away with it this long, so we can continue? I'd like to know. Because it seems to me that they are purposely trying to bring the country to it's financial knees. From what I've read one fourth of the national debt is owed to foreigners. Can you imagine? What would our founding fathers think?
Being the cheapskate that I am, the national debt makes me want to scream. Watching the national deficit climb, adding to the national debt every year, is a never ending cycle that our leaders just refuse to stop and it is completely uncalled for. I wonder if they run their own finances this way. [The national deficit is considered to be the yearly debt added to the already crazy national debt. Or look at it this way. The national debt is the sum of all of the years that had a national deficit. Last years national deficit becomes part of this years national debt. That's the way I understand it.]
One of my presidential pledges is to not accept the presidential salary until the national debt is paid off. I know that it will be impossible to completely erase the national debt during my years in the White House so I'm not planning on getting any salary. But be assured that I will be pushing continually for a new mindset in Washington concerning the spending of the federal government. That mindset is obvious: Spend less money than what we bring in and let's get the national debt erased completely as fast as possible. This must be made a priority in the minds of our elected representatives.
I realize that our elected representatives are going to get a good laugh at my expense over this since our nation is now in such a deep hole financially. I can see them now - getting a good laugh over this guy who is coming to Washington to change everything and doesn't have a clue about how complex this problem is! But I have a surprise for them. In areas like this where I don't feel qualified to make the necessary changes, I will find those who are qualified - but not government people.
I plan on setting up a citizen only (non-government) financial committee which will study the situation concerning the national debt. They will figure out what needs to be done and then they will inform the federal government concerning the steps it needs to take to pay down the national debt. They will also have the authority to monitor the federal government's spending. The financial committee meetings will take place on national television for all to see.
This financial committee will be made up of a number of volunteer retired American Taxpayers who spent their careers in finance and economics. Recruiting non-government people to do this job will absolve the need to be worried about a conflict in interest. They will be much more qualified to lead this effort than I am (or other government officials who are not trained in these fields). They will also be much more apt to side with their fellow taxpayers (and their tax money). The committee will be made up of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans who want to serve their country on this prestigious committee. They will work together, they will keep each other "checked and balanced", and they will come up with a solution to this national crisis that we call the "National Debt". I'm confident that they will come up with the correct solution.
Once the "Get Rid of the National Debt" financial committee comes up with a solution, it will immediately be presented to the American Taxpayers in the presence of their elected representatives for their approval. I promise that it will not be implemented by your legislators until the people have had a chance to vote on it. The taxpayers deserve to be in on this since it is their tax money at stake. Using the "Meet and Vote" process we will "meet" via nationally televised meetings so that everyone can get properly informed about the findings of the study and the proposed remedy.
The live audience of American Taxpayers will be allowed to ask questions, as will those at home (by telephone and the internet). Once we believe that the American Taxpayers understand what's going on, they will be asked to go to the polls and "vote" on it. As usual, the majority will rule. Your elected legislators will then enact any changes that need to be made to the laws of the land so that the new policy will go into effect.
[All of the issues in Index 2 that require a vote will be settled quickly and efficiently using the unique "Meet and Vote" program. It is based on the idea that the people not only want a say so in what direction our nation is headed, but they also have the brains to vote properly when they are properly informed on an issue. This principle is simple. The majority of American Taxpayers will get it right the majority of the time. This will head our nation back in the right direction. This is all designed to put the taxpayers (who are the real government) back in charge of America - bypassing the nonsense that has become Washington politics. It will also make life easier for our legislators since they can't seem to get things right now days. Their responsibility will be relegated to enacting the will of the people into law. Are you looking for real change in 2008? Vote the American Taxpayer party.]
| INDEX 1 - AGENDA | INDEX 2 - ISSUES |
