Welcome to the Third Degree: Tough, Brief, Weekly Interrogations on matters public and private that force thinking and response. This Sunday we target: Some Answers

  • Why target “some answers” in a column with long possessed purpose to present probing questions pushing and prompting readers (the writer too)?
  • “P” word preoccupation again, but now aside, was last Sunday’s article the tide turner?
  • Did reporting, inter alia, on the GAO’s 2023 financial report and its too credible, federal, fiscal, doomsday, conclusion point to needed solution but offer no specifics other than vanilla nostrums to cut spending and/or raise taxes?
  • In truth, did problem identification, quantify the need, just for the Feds, to find a TRILLION DOLLARS a year for the next 75 years or face sure ruin as a nation?
  • How do we get mental hold of a trillion dollars? Think of a million multiplied by a million? Then do it every year for 75 years adjusted for inflation of course?
  • Must we accept that American wealth, largess and freedom of action, will be curtailed domestically and internationally?
  • Is the trick, the real task, to make that enormous yearly nut while maintaining American prosperity and world position?
  • How do we do that?
  • Must we act in our own interest? Are we good at that?
  • Are there unfettered economic steps, that can enable us to earn our way out of profligate peril?
  • Should common sense with uncommon speed be the norm for relaxing/revoking inhibiting regulations, including government contracting, especially in the DOD, permitting, and the like?
  • Do we need to think and measure results in days versus years? Automatic approval absent action?
  • Imagine, by just adding 25% to domestic oil production (or equivalent energy), Read: Coal, Gas, large and small, safe thorium reactors (like India), hydrogen plus UNSUBSIDIZED “clean energy”), we generate much more than a trillion dollars (GDP) a year?
  • Why not much more? A real and desired energy new deal, with government reaping revenue in the 20 to 30% range, why stop?
  • Why not use that new energy to exploit our agriculture advantages, pushing high cash crops (tobacco for sure) plus solving water problems with major desalination efforts?
  • With current food exports at $200 Billion annually, what stops us from making the 8 billion plus world population reliant on American agricultural might and products? How about half of ’em enticed to spend $1000 per year? Big numbers?
  • While military exports can help (and loans–no give aways), can bacon and beans go boom too?
  • Can culture transfer be another major profit center while hundreds of millions in aid and international organization support (billions actually) not only not buy friends but fund enemies?
  • Are there social Malthusian-like solutions available, however harsh?
  • Are we willing to accept losses in accordance with Lincoln’s statement that government should only do for the people what the people cannot do for themselves?
  • Should societal parasites expect a reasonable time in the safety net but, given fair and advance warning, expect ejection onto their own, or non-government funded, support systems?
  • What specific categories of ‘unfortunates’ come to mind?
  • Is it time to make your own list to deal with those who drag down the substance and the spirit of society?
  • Money making/saving political and social reforms can work too assuming such reforms can be crafted to work and be measured and automatically be eliminated if ineffective over a specified time?
  • Given millions of illegal aliens and a swollen federal work force with whole departments begging extinction, would 4 to 5 million off the payroll at a $150K each (conservative number) save 3/4 of a Trillion/year.
  • Are the answers my friends not written on the wind but in the painful ledgers of the land?
  • What you are willing to do to ensure an American future for you, your kids and their kids and….? Awaiting some answers?

Socrates reminds: “The unexamined life is not worth living. The answers and actions are yours.