Posted on 11/23/2013 6:27:32 PM PST by RWB Patriot
Why stop at a free “basic” income. Wouldn’t it better to give a trillion dollar coin to each adult in the U.S.? Then we’d all be rich, right? And no one would ever have to work again, either. Since everyone would be rich.
I am going to risk it all and go way, way out on a limb here and play Devil’s advocate with this one. I admit I am kind of thinking out loud and am prepared to have my arguments decimated here... but I think it might be possible to implement this in some fashion without violating conservative principles. (Before flaming, hear me out.)
Countries like Kuwait have done this with reasonable success from my understanding by distributing their profits from their abundant supply of oil to their citizens. Now don’t jump to conclusions. I do not support the government taking over our oil production or robbing owners of their rights. I am just giving an example.
There are three sources of wealth generation: work, exploitation of natural resources, and innovation.
It is in this third area I think it might be possible to implement a conservative form of government that actually makes a profit for its citizens. The Constitution specifies Congressional authority to grant intellectual property rights...
“To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.”
Natural law does not dictate the ownership of inventions per se. These are negotiated agreements by our federal government in ways to grant inventors (innovators who create wealth) a limited monopoly in order to be compensated for their efforts and ingenuity. Treaties also support these rights.
So the federal government does play a role in providing a means for wealth generation in this arena. It is feasible to share this wealth with citizens since citizens are voluntarily relinquishing their rights (temporarily) to use these innovations without paying for them.
Okay. I am done playing Devil’s advocate. If anyone wants to find a flaw in my logic here I would like to know what it is.
You might say he was before his time. I guess his influence only got as far as “A chicken in every pot”.
It’s also fitting he was killed by a gun, considering he was clearly intending to live his life by the gun.
Once the government takes over the entire private sector, there will be no need for wages...
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