I have been thinking about what Pres. Palin and a conservative Congress can do to FIX the country when they take power. Here are a few ideas:
1. The USA is BANKRUPT. Therefore, we need to declare CHAPTER 13. All contracts, promises, and ENTITLEMENTS are on the table. Create a National Bankruptcy Trustee Council that will dictate the changes just like a bankruptcy judge would. That way we only have to pass ONE BILL to make all of the painful changes.
2. Lay off 80-90% of all federal workers. Eliminate departments, agencies, and commissions. Examples include Dept. of Education, most of the Small Business Administration, most of the EPA, HUD, National Public Radio, National Endowment of the Arts, et al.
3. Privatize every function possible. Fire the union TSA and hire a contractor with a free hand to “profile” terrorists.
4. Sell off assets. SELL, don’t lease, mineral rights offshore. Why the hell does the federal government have to own 50% of the land West of the Mississippi? Sell the BLM and most National Forests. Sell federal office buildings and lease back the ones truly needed. Sell off every technology that is not classified. Sell off dams and powerplants. Sell Amtrack.
5. Reduce all Congressional pensions to ZERO. Both the Republicans and Democrats bear responsibility for the mess they got us in. They can go back and work for a living. Cut civil service pensions to a minimum. Regardless of rank, pensions should be what the lowest civil servant gets.
6. Invalidate all federal union contracts and their right to represent federal workers.
7. Eliminate farm price supports, dairy cartels, etc. Let the free market drive down prices.
8. Obviously, eliminate earmarks, aid to cities and states, and other pork barrel spending.
9. Allow elderly people to have HMO coveerage or catastrophic insurance instead of Medicare.
10. Raise the retirement age for Social Security gradually. We are living longer, healthier lives.
11. SEND THE ILLEGALS HOME.
12. CUT TAXES AND REGUALATION TO RE-START ECONOMIC GROWTH.
13. PAY DOWN THE NATIONAL DEBT.
I’ll think of a few more areas to cut later. How are the above for a start?
The year is still young, but FWIW, this is my favorite post of this year so far.
Many thanks for actually setting down in writing real solutions for our all too real debt death spiral.
Yes, I’d love to see more of your ideas!
To your list I would add:
In keeping with the Tenth Amendment, transfer to the States all powers and responsibilities including regulatory bodies and agencies that can reasonably be assumed at the state level.
I wouldn’t have the government sell off the mineral rights, leasing is a gift that keeps on giving in terms of money. If the government sells, then they get a quick injection of money, but like a drug addict... it’ll be looking for more later. And without the added revenue from the leases, then it’ll be coming even harder for you and me.