0592 - Ideas

Usually unknown to you Faithful Readers, there is a constant flow of e-mails to the Objective Observatory, responding to, applauding, or quarreling with, our sometimes pointed messages. One theme heard recently is that these columns criticize the failures of so-called "Leaders", but do not suggest remedies. Today, we supply ideas for improvement. We point out though, that while often accused of "Liberal" thoughts [the dirty word of certain bad politicians], in fact we are, and always have been, economically and politically conservative in thought and deed. On to ideas. [And we have more in reserve.]

1. Start with wildlife in Alaska . There is said to be some oil there, and there are certainly a lot of moose. We admire a good head of antlers, but at the moment the moose must move over a bit, and, with due regard for their sex lives, concede to carefully protective oil production. In return for this, and some offshore drilling, we expect the U.S. Administration to for once enforce strict air, water and environmental standards, without their usual whining that a little mercury or arsenic, or a lot of air pollution, is good for health.

2. With gasoline at an all time high price, our judgment is that it is an appropriately high time to do something, but not what you might expect. We propose an immediate extra tax of US$1 a gallon, possibly to be increased. The problem is plain: there isn't enough oil (nor is there refinery capacity) to fill constantly rising demand. The remedy is to make it more expensive to drive, and particularly to drive wastefully. European gasoline prices have always been higher than U.S. prices, due to fiscally-useful taxes. Higher prices mean lower consumption – all to the good. The cowardly U.S. Congress has collaborated in exempting giant SUVs from mileage requirements, so its time to go to the whip.

3. On the ever-popular Social Security front, we think the problem is rather simple: annuities cost more as people live longer. The Presidential suggestion that "All ideas are on the table" except higher taxes is arithmetically challenged, to be polite. But, there is a certain appeal in allowing beneficiaries to make their own choice of benefits (not including the disastrous idea of "Private Accounts"). So, why not allow workers to choose either (a) retirement at 65, which will necessarily cost the chooser more, or (b) retirement at a later age, which like a popular store will Cost-U-Less? The average person has no idea how to invest in the stock market, but they know when they want to retire, and what it costs.

4. It is also high time for the U.S. to accept that a country cannot constantly spend more money while lowering taxes. Such deficit spending is the well-known Argentine model, and results in fiscal disaster. We are also quite disturbed by the proposals to reduce taxes on the top one percent, and even to eliminate all estate taxes. This is the road to a Hereditary Plutocracy (or HP), which is a terrible idea. A successful democracy requires a reasonable distribution of wealth. It is not at all a good idea to have some with untaxed billions, and others working at miserable wages. There must be reasonable equality, with a chance for wealth. So, rich guys, you must put a little more money on the table.

5. We also note that Jerry Falwell is quite ill, so, in good taste, we must retire our JFGDF award. Instead, we shall institute the Robert Mugabe Sleazy Pol Award. The first Awardee is Tom DeLay, whose response to being thrice unanimously and bipartisanly censured for ethical lapses was to destroy the house Ethics Committee. We also don't believe he has got religion. Please stand and boo for Tom.

Next time: Nomenclature [OO #593]

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