He has finally responded to all his nay sayers, and given them what they've been asking for all these years. An answer to the question of "How would you do it Bill?"
Fabulous response. Great advice.
It is spot on for all governments who outgrow their aspirations, by extending their control beyond the borders of their own countries.
Didn't work for the Roman empire 2000 years ago. Ain't gonna work for the good ol' USA 2000 years later.
The two paragraphs below originally appeared in “Washington, the American Mecca,” an essay by Frank Chodorov-- in 1954! Chodorov was one of America’s most notable libertarians of the mid-20th century. He was also literary executor for the estate of Albert Jay Nock, to my mind the most eloquent libertarian of the first half of that century. Given the metastasis of the central government since 1954, one can only imagine what Chodorov would say today about “the American Mecca.” By the way, if you haven’t already read Nock, treat yourself to his books “Our Enemy, the State” (1935) and “Memoirs of a Superfluous Man” (1943).
“The debunking of Washington is the great need of the country. It is a colossal job, seeing that billions are spent each year for the specific purpose of deifying political power. But, it is a job that ought to commend itself to the young writer looking for a rather virgin field to work in. It will require the satirical skill of a Stephen Leacock, the epigrammatic ingenuity of a Charles Graham Sumner, the classical incisiveness of an Albert Jay Nock. Perhaps a Gilbert and Sullivan would be most effective.
The job should be approached from a basic premise, namely, that all the legitimate functions of the national government could be carried on, as someone has said, ‘in a good-sized kitchen’; surely, in not over one-tenth the floor space now occupied, and with one-tenth the present personnel. That means the country would have to be instructed in the proper functions of government--the functions for which it is designed and in which it has some competence: briefly, the dispensation of justice, cheaply, and the maintenance of order. When it goes beyond these limits, government becomes a harmful intruder into the affairs of men. There is nothing the government can do that free men cannot do better.”
Bill: You talk of phasing out Social Security…hmmm. Perhaps you forgot what the acronym stands for…Federal Insurance Company of America. We the wage earner contribute money out of our paycheck and our employer matches it. This was not supposed to be part of public funds! Thanks to Lyndon B. Johnson FICA funds were moved into the General Fund to pay for his “New Deal.” Another bad deal for citizens by Democrats.
Now you propose we do away with it all together! For a great many Americans this is their only retirement. This was never meant to be a socialist program.
When will we ever get true leaders to step forward? In my humble opinion it will only happen if we adopt term limits. If two terms are good for our president, then two terms should be good for our Representatives and Senators.
Our founding fathers intended our elected representatives to serve their country and then return to their former private lives! They were not to have government careers.
First to Bill, Merry Christmas! We are a dying breed, unafraid to insist that our rights do not end where someone else's feelings start. As to the price of housing, talk about price distortion brought about by the dishonest meddling of the FED! What business would operate at a 4% to 5% gross return on capital? That is presently the common gross return on capital from rental real estate. Any business must compete for a reasonable return on capital. They are in business to make a profit, not watch the value of their assets shrink due to inflation, If you multiply the gross monthly rent generated by any rental property one hundred times you will arrive at the actual value of the property. That will gross you a twelve percent return on your investment. You then deduct all expenses; maintenance, insurance, taxes, administration, commissions, vacancies and miscellaneous expenses to arrive at your net income. This will usually yield about a 6% to 9% net return before taxes. That is comparable most other businesses and makes Real Estate an attractive proposition. Almost no one I have ever met actually realizes where the true "profit" comes from. You work hard to keep Real Estate rentals profitable and deserve compensation for your work. The compensation is the income produced , namely your net profit. The true profit in Real Estate comes from having tenants pay off your mortgage, whatever amount that may be. It is unusual for property to appreciate more than inflation over the long haul, but you will pay Capital Gains tax on any amount of price vs. sale increase at the time of sale. All deferred taxes also become due at that time, ie: depreciation. The most successful real estate investors never sell, they inherit.
Dear Bill, Thanks for your insight and missives. Merry Christmas to you and yours! I could not agree more with today's post, and you've summed up everything I would do if I could wave a magic wand. Except cutting 1950 government agencies, I'd just go for a round 2,000. As for me, I'm heading abroad in the coming months, so as to be able to afford my later years in some kind of peace and comfort. Sadly, I'll watch the wanton destruction of the country formally known as the United States from afar...
The only problem I have with Bill's vision of Utopia is that he left out Murphy's Law, unintended consequences, the existence of black swans, and ability of humans to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Still we can dream, can't we? Merry Christmas to BPR and its subscribers!
I'd add all funding to academia would be suspended, college loans would be illegal within the first 4 years. When I attended Temple University in Philadelphia tuition was $750 semester, in the second year banks started lending for tuition which quickly shot up to $3000 a semester.
Earning a degree in gender studies would be on your own dime.
No child would be allowed out of grade school without attaining a high degree of common sense.
Kudos to Bill.
He has finally responded to all his nay sayers, and given them what they've been asking for all these years. An answer to the question of "How would you do it Bill?"
Fabulous response. Great advice.
It is spot on for all governments who outgrow their aspirations, by extending their control beyond the borders of their own countries.
Didn't work for the Roman empire 2000 years ago. Ain't gonna work for the good ol' USA 2000 years later.
No matter what PGV thinks or says. :)
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to Bill, the Team and ALL the Friends and Foes on these boards! LONG LIVE FREE SPEECH...
The two paragraphs below originally appeared in “Washington, the American Mecca,” an essay by Frank Chodorov-- in 1954! Chodorov was one of America’s most notable libertarians of the mid-20th century. He was also literary executor for the estate of Albert Jay Nock, to my mind the most eloquent libertarian of the first half of that century. Given the metastasis of the central government since 1954, one can only imagine what Chodorov would say today about “the American Mecca.” By the way, if you haven’t already read Nock, treat yourself to his books “Our Enemy, the State” (1935) and “Memoirs of a Superfluous Man” (1943).
“The debunking of Washington is the great need of the country. It is a colossal job, seeing that billions are spent each year for the specific purpose of deifying political power. But, it is a job that ought to commend itself to the young writer looking for a rather virgin field to work in. It will require the satirical skill of a Stephen Leacock, the epigrammatic ingenuity of a Charles Graham Sumner, the classical incisiveness of an Albert Jay Nock. Perhaps a Gilbert and Sullivan would be most effective.
The job should be approached from a basic premise, namely, that all the legitimate functions of the national government could be carried on, as someone has said, ‘in a good-sized kitchen’; surely, in not over one-tenth the floor space now occupied, and with one-tenth the present personnel. That means the country would have to be instructed in the proper functions of government--the functions for which it is designed and in which it has some competence: briefly, the dispensation of justice, cheaply, and the maintenance of order. When it goes beyond these limits, government becomes a harmful intruder into the affairs of men. There is nothing the government can do that free men cannot do better.”
I have always felt we should get rid of the FED and let the market determine the interest rate
Bill: You talk of phasing out Social Security…hmmm. Perhaps you forgot what the acronym stands for…Federal Insurance Company of America. We the wage earner contribute money out of our paycheck and our employer matches it. This was not supposed to be part of public funds! Thanks to Lyndon B. Johnson FICA funds were moved into the General Fund to pay for his “New Deal.” Another bad deal for citizens by Democrats.
Now you propose we do away with it all together! For a great many Americans this is their only retirement. This was never meant to be a socialist program.
When will we ever get true leaders to step forward? In my humble opinion it will only happen if we adopt term limits. If two terms are good for our president, then two terms should be good for our Representatives and Senators.
Our founding fathers intended our elected representatives to serve their country and then return to their former private lives! They were not to have government careers.
Dick Langham, Scottsdale, AZ
First to Bill, Merry Christmas! We are a dying breed, unafraid to insist that our rights do not end where someone else's feelings start. As to the price of housing, talk about price distortion brought about by the dishonest meddling of the FED! What business would operate at a 4% to 5% gross return on capital? That is presently the common gross return on capital from rental real estate. Any business must compete for a reasonable return on capital. They are in business to make a profit, not watch the value of their assets shrink due to inflation, If you multiply the gross monthly rent generated by any rental property one hundred times you will arrive at the actual value of the property. That will gross you a twelve percent return on your investment. You then deduct all expenses; maintenance, insurance, taxes, administration, commissions, vacancies and miscellaneous expenses to arrive at your net income. This will usually yield about a 6% to 9% net return before taxes. That is comparable most other businesses and makes Real Estate an attractive proposition. Almost no one I have ever met actually realizes where the true "profit" comes from. You work hard to keep Real Estate rentals profitable and deserve compensation for your work. The compensation is the income produced , namely your net profit. The true profit in Real Estate comes from having tenants pay off your mortgage, whatever amount that may be. It is unusual for property to appreciate more than inflation over the long haul, but you will pay Capital Gains tax on any amount of price vs. sale increase at the time of sale. All deferred taxes also become due at that time, ie: depreciation. The most successful real estate investors never sell, they inherit.
Bonner for president
Dear Bill, Thanks for your insight and missives. Merry Christmas to you and yours! I could not agree more with today's post, and you've summed up everything I would do if I could wave a magic wand. Except cutting 1950 government agencies, I'd just go for a round 2,000. As for me, I'm heading abroad in the coming months, so as to be able to afford my later years in some kind of peace and comfort. Sadly, I'll watch the wanton destruction of the country formally known as the United States from afar...
If nothing else, Bill is consistent, libertarian to his core-lol.
The only problem I have with Bill's vision of Utopia is that he left out Murphy's Law, unintended consequences, the existence of black swans, and ability of humans to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Still we can dream, can't we? Merry Christmas to BPR and its subscribers!
I think your plan would make an excellent movie. Call it "Woke up" or something, just to stir the pot.
Wow- seems too easy! Right to the point. I loved it!
I'd add all funding to academia would be suspended, college loans would be illegal within the first 4 years. When I attended Temple University in Philadelphia tuition was $750 semester, in the second year banks started lending for tuition which quickly shot up to $3000 a semester.
Earning a degree in gender studies would be on your own dime.
No child would be allowed out of grade school without attaining a high degree of common sense.
Nothing on the 50 million or so illegally in our nation or the continued invasion that has reached 5-6 million during this administration alone?
Nothing on securing the borders?
Come up with all the financial plans you like, but our immigration situation will bankrupt us in the end.
Policies are temporary. People are permanent.
Glaringly absent from Bill's fix-it commentary is how the Upper-Crust pay their fare share in this recovery. Spread the Wealth, Bill.
Don’t forget the:
$5 million for Putin’s head, paid to you in Bitcoin, if you can pull it off. It’s in the small print on page 3,622 of the bill, Bill. J/K 😂
Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year, Ho, Ho, Ho! 🎅