RE: Stossel "My State of the Union"
Animus, if this guy reflects your thinking, then you both need to think some more. I agree with some of his stuff. But some of it makes me very nervous too.
Point 1 - Closing the Dept. of Education: I disagree.
We could eliminate much of this branch of government. But total elimination is a bad idea. There needs to be some sort of educational standard baseline, and an organization to make certain that those standards are maintained. Turning it over to private education means that only the wealthy will be educated, and those without education will become nothing more than servants to the educated upper class...
Point 2 - Closing the Department of Housing and Urban Development: I agree.
Urban planning - good or bad - should be done by the community being developed. If somebody is to be blamed for something that is poorly planned out, let it be somebody local - and not somebody who's never been to the place...
Point 3 - Eliminating the Commerce Department: I disagree.
We need an organization to regulate commerce, both interstate and international. Unregulated commerce is called the black market, and the stuff sold there isn't always what you'd call kosher...
Point 4 - Selling Amtrak: I disagree.
Letting private companies compete to run the trains, means the end of trains, and trains are the cheapest way to move people and freight. American companies prefer trucks, buses, and cars, since they don't have to worry about the train company's schedule, and they can make more profit by padding additional expenditures with surcharges...
Point 5 - End the War on Drugs: I agree.
Ever since the War on Drugs was declared, we spend more money each year fighting drugs, and there are more drugs on the street every year, with a higher and higher potency. A majority of the cases tried in our courts today are drug related, and the number grows each year. We could empty half our prisons, eliminate a huge annual expenditure, and collect a sh!tload of taxes by legalizing and regulating the drug trade. This would get the drug dealers out of the schools, eliminate the major source of income for the criminal element, and stop a huge drain on the economy...
Point 6 - Privatizing Social Security: I disagree.
As long as the government is taking care of politicians health care with no deductible for life, as long as they get elected ONCE in their lifetime, the government should provide every citizen with the exact same health care. The health and care of their citizens is the government's main trust and mission throughout history. It's the reason civilization was created in the first place. Ending such care means the end of civilization IMO...
Point 7 - Military Spending: I agree - to a point.
The military industrial complex has too strong a hold on the reins of government. All of our forefathers thought this was a bad idea, and advised against it. I'd like to see us step away from such a militaristic posture, and removing troops from foreign bases (except embassies) would be a good way to do it. I do agree that we do not need to be the world's policeman...
Point 8 - Eliminate the IRS: Your guy totally missed this one, and it's a biggie.
The elimination of the IRS, removing income tax from your paycheck, and instituting a national sales tax would save the government billions. It would probably save the taxpayers as much in fees to accountants and specialists, who are needed to navigate the complex maze of IRS regulations. That way everybody pays their share as they go, and nobody needs to worry about whether they paid enough or too much...
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