Posted on 04/03/2016 2:28:33 PM PDT by drewh
As president, Donald Trump would sell off $16 trillion worth of U.S. government assets in order to fulfill his pledge to eliminate the national debt in eight years, senior adviser with the campaign Barry Bennett said.
"The United States government owns more real estate than anybody else, more land than anybody else, more energy than anybody else," Bennett told Chris Jansing Sunday on MSNBC. "We can get rid of government buildings we're not using, we can extract the energy from government lands, we can do all kinds of things to extract value from the assets that we hold."
In a wide-ranging interview with The Washington Post, Trump said he would get rid of the $19 trillion national debt "over a period of eight years." The article noted that most economists would consider Trump's proposal impossible, as it could require slashing the annual federal budget by more than half.
However, when pressed on whether the United States could sell off $16 trillion worth of assets, Bennett responded affirmatively on Sunday.
"Oh, my goodness," he said. "Do you know how much land we have? You know how much oil is off shore? And in government lands? Easily."
The federal government's assets totaled $3.2 trillion as of September 2015, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. However, that does not include include stewardship assets or natural resources.
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...
Alaska for sure.
We don't own it but we sure do pay taxes for it. What a great scam they got goin.
haha. You are correct about that. He would Love Alaska. If he were alive way back then he would have been pissed when we bought it. Seward's Folly , I think. How wrong the politicians were about that purchase.
Put me down to buy Mt Rushmore. I always wanted to carve my mug in granite!!!
"Oh, my goodness," he said. "Do you know how much land we have? You know how much oil is off shore? And in government lands? Easily."
And WHO would we be selling it off to? Foreigner's?
Trump is at Greta’s town-hall now telling us the ‘rich’ are probably going to have to pay more in his tax plan.
This shows he understand there’s a problem but not the root of the problem, the progressive tax policy.
This is a great idea.
Every deficit adds to the national debt. HOWEVER, some of those deficits (and much of the debt) are NOT “operating expenses” i.e. salaries, purchase of consumables, all non-capital expenses, etc., rather they are spent on capital assets. These assets can take many forms.
THEY ARE NEVER ACCOUNTED FOR when discussions about the debt are held. I have been complaining about this lack for years and wondering when anyone would get around to noticing this accounting failure.
Finally, we are going to get a president who DOES account for these assets. Whose thinking is not circumscribed by FEAR.
Land sales initially made up the majority of federal revenues and, with the tariff, provided all the operating revenues for the United States government.
Most of the western states have vast amounts of federal land, much of that has wealth of incredible value underneath it. How much is the state of Nevada worth? Idaho, Utah, N & S Dakota, Montana, Wyoming all have unbelievable amounts of federal land. Other states are in the same boat. There should be a close examination of the costs/benefits of selling it.
Yet again Trump shows how insipid and thoughtless the typical politicians are. They think YESTERDAY’S thoughts with yesterday’s methods. Pedestrian, unimaginable, cowardly thinkers.
Another brilliant idea from Donald. My only question is does the American people deserve a real leader like Trump. They appear to be as gutless and clueless as the political class which is a reflection of the people.
BS, you’re politicking for Cruz. Clearly you’re allowed to do that and state your opinions, it’s just gets a big obnoxious to be honest. There are probably less than 30 left on this site hanging on and waving those Cruz pompoms. But it’s not going to happen for him, and I’d be willing to bet on that.
Save this post and read it in few months.
YOU own nothing. The government is the steward and can, under the constitution you pretend to understand, do anything with that land LAWFULLY.
See my last post for an understanding.
I like this idea. Specify that public lands must only be sold to US citizens for a generation, and I’m on board a hundred percent.
Whoever that diplomat was that sold Alaska would be spending some time in Russia’s winter resort area.
Just the cessation of the subsidization of vicious bastards would add to the wealth in an immense way. Think of the damage this progeny does to just their own communities, the businesses they drive away, the businesses never undertaken because the capital for such is stolen. It is immense.
The Black LIARS Matter movement is an incredible spike in the wheels of progress in black neighborhoods because it thugs undermine the very basis of the Good Life - the Rule of Law.
BRILLIANT!! And by ensuring we have a strong military, we can enforce these laws.
Federal Reserve money buys US debt from the Treasury.
Treasury pays it interest on its bonds.
Profits (after operating costs) are RETURNED to the Treasury to the tune of
BILLIONS every year.
Over a third of the US debt is owned by the federal reserve system.
It does not operate the way most people think.
Of course I am politicking and giving my opinion supporting my candidate. That's what this site was intended to do: and to support small government, life, liberty , personal freedoms, and conservative values. Wasn't it?
The Trump supporting posts are that, aren't they? And On the fact that there are only 30 or so people left on FReerepublic left supporting Cruz - You are correct and I agree with you about that. Most have been like me and just left reading the site, because of the vile projected against any opinion against Trump. I only post now when the facts are too egregious to ignore. And in this case , it was. Trump had flipped in just four weeks and is now advocating what Cruz ( and honestly MANY other republicans have proposed in the past) But most Cruz supporters have been run off of here. you are correct about that. sadly. If Trump wins the nomination, I will wish him the best of luck and success for our country. I have stated several times in the past over many months that I will support him if he is the nominee. But I will continue to support my chosen candidate until then. But mostly silently , like many other Freepers. And not so much here on FReerepublic. They have quit posting or left the site altogether. They have been run off.
His discussion involved DEBT not deficits. Keep up.
Great post. I like this comment, “My only question is does the American people deserve a real leader like Trump”.
I said nearly the exact same thing 4 months ago to someone who wasn’t deserving. I think of what Trump said early on: “I don’t have to do this, I could be sitting on a yacht in the Bahamas having fun.” Since he announced he’s been attacked 24/7 around the planet, from all the right enemies, multiple death threats to him, his family etc.
Since 6/16/2016 this has been an amazing historic journey.
You can post whatever articles you find. I’ve watched all of the debates, and can’t remember Ted bringing up the debt while Trump does over and over. I’ve seen many, many interviews of both - ditto. It’s not a central issue of Cruz’s campaign while it is in Trump’s top 3.
Whoop... since 6/16/2015
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