13 February 2009

Economy Fix

I have become quite tired with all the stupid arguments over what will or will not fix the economy. In my personal opinion, our economy is so flawed that continuing to run it like we have been is impossible. Even government stimulus is only delaying the inevitable.

Stimulus is like an addiction; the only way to sustain the economy with stimulus is to continue to give it. Once it is being given, it will integrate itself into the economy so totally that removing it will result in a worse crash than not giving it in the first place. The problem is the way businesses are handling assets.

In the past the economy has worked fine without large amounts of consumer debt. If it can't do it now, there is a problem. The solution is not to throw money at the problem. That will only result in dependence. I have a better, albeit harder, solution.

The government is throwing enormous amounts of money at this problem. Part of it is in the current stimulus package and part of it is in public assistance programs (welfare). The government also has plenty of other programs that are costing large amounts of tax money.

Here is my solution:

Take all of that money; temporarily suspend some programs, reduce spending to minimal amounts on others, then divide all of that money among the populace. Send the checks out with pamphlets that tell people that the money should be used to stock up on food and other resources, for coming hard times. Then sit back and watch the economy crash. From the ashes a new, more resilient economy will arise.

Yes, there may be several years where it is very difficult to find food or other resources, but that's what the money was for. The pamphlets should have instructed people on what kinds of resources were available that would last that long. If people chose not to heed the warning, the fault, and consequences are their own.

Many large businesses will fail, but consider this: how long have you been complaining about those big businesses robbing us blind? Yes, it is true, many of them are. I think we will be better off without them! As far as I am concerned, while times may be hard during the recovery at least we would have the opportunity and means to secure resources to hold us over this way. The current policy will only help the businesses, while the rest of us starve.

Lord Rybec

2 comments:

  1. Spoken like a true Alaskan.

    The pamphlets are a particularly good idea. Perhaps the government should also consider a website, blog, TV ads or viral marketing campaign of some sort to get the word out.

    Right now two groups of people are hurting most: contractors and people who sunk their money into things that work like banks but are not called banks or regulated like banks. It's time to take what these people are learning about how to get by and avoid these problems and turn it into public information for everyone to use.

    A generation that never saved a dime has just done a 180 and they seem to be adapting quite well, but we need to make sure no one who is working hard to do their share gets left behind because they got a bad investment tip or need to find work in a new field.

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  2. A lot of people are talking about this Orlav guy and his prediction of a Former USA. His vision and your words on this blog post are very similar. You are in good company.

    http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/2009/02/journal-the-former-usa-fusa.html

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