Taxation Without Representation

                                                                                        

We've already reviewed some, but certainly not all, of the expenses assumed in our names by the government pledged to uphold the Constitution. The greatest of these are the so-called “entitlements,”ⁱ such as the welfare package, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and the like.ⁱⁱ It's a mixed bag. Part of it is shared by the states,ⁱⁱⁱ while the Federal government is solely responsible for many of the programs. Indeed, some of it is funded through the donations^iv of individuals. But the combination of the cost of entitlements and the debt service for what we owe^v is more than can be handled by the implementation of an internet service so they will not be further addressed here, except to note that these programs are here to stay. Their promises have been around too long for us to back out now, and too many people have come to depend on them. All that we can try to do is to rein them in, make their administration less burdensome, and implement some of the cost-saving methods that have been proposed.

 

But it's time to return to the use of the internet to reduce the National Debt, and, more specifically, how we can trim the expense of collecting revenues.   I am most interested in the revenues provided through the Internal Revenue Service, the IRS.^vi For better or worse, we all deal with it. At least we're supposed to.

The tax system is chaotic. And no one understands it although there are a lot of interpreters who claim they do, or promote their own ability to play the system. Filling and filing taxes is a big business – especially for tax franchises and computer software makers. The IRS is now able to handle returns filed electronically, but that merely remains an option. Universal internet access should be used to make this kind of filing mandatory. Forms should be completed on line – using a government-designed audio/video program guiding taxpayers. There's a lot of money in it and it makes sense that some of it should go back to the taxpayers. The program would ask the same questions as (or possibly better questions than) existing programs and services. Actually they should be a lot better. It's reasonable to expect that the IRS's questions will be more perceptive than someone else's, since no one could possibly understand IRS regulations better than the IRS,^vii and the forms should be simple enough^viii for the average citizen to manage on his own. All IRS forms should be included in the program so that it is (theoretically) possible to complete the task on your own. Even so, some individuals may still require “professionals” to do the dirty work for them, especially for businesses or others who require complex returns, but if the government program is mandated the rest of us can get a cut of the action, even if done by a professional.

Requiring electronic filing of a governmental form, with no option for any kind of filing requiring expensive human intervention, will provide more than the saving of money (a Good thing by itself). Instantaneous auditing of all returns will be possible, as well as immediate payment. By instituting governmental credit/debit cards the IRS can rapidly collect what is due, as well as interest payments on what is owed. And if refunds are warranted, they can be credited immediately. The credit card accounts that result from this system can also be used to collect fees for other services^ix

Converting the existing method of tax collection to an internet/credit account such as this will allow the government to identify those who haven't filed their returns.^x As would be the case with voting, machine function would be frozen if tax forms are not filed. Until the form is completed,^xi what might appear on screen is a notification of the penalty, which would increase daily, for not filing the tax forms.^xii Prior to the filing date, for some predetermined period of time, a daily countdown of days until the deadline would be on screen continuously until filing, and it may annoy some people enough to file, in order to rid themselves of the reminder.

The discussion, however – that of mechanisms of lowering the debt – cannot be completed without acknowledgment that many jobs will be lost. It was previously suggested that the workers would be beneficial to private industry, especially computer construction, but there could be governmental jobs as well, though some may require retraining. Many individuals will be needed for computer repair and internet management, and this will absorb some of the bureaucrats who won't be needed. Most important, though, will be construction of the “infrastructure” – an act dear to the hearts of all our people. Included in such an effort, of course, would be the construction of communications capabilities, including the burying of overhead wires and cables which are susceptible to weather damage, and the protection of the nation' electrical system.^xiii But this is only a small part of what needs to be done. Great efforts should be undertaken to shore up those areas in which damage can be anticipated from future episodes of unusually harsh weather. It will require a large work force to do this, but it will lessen costs and grief in the future. It may diminish the expenses for agencies like FEMA.

Most important in the construction effort would be the building of new roads across country. Much is said about the inefficiency of the automobile as a source of transportation^xiv and the need for more public transportation. The reality, however, is that Americans love their cars. And the personal vehicle can get someone to the place he wants to go, rather than to a “central” clearing house inconvenient to everybody. And the individual driver makes his own schedule. Imagine having modern highways coast to coast with E-ZPass and never having to stop between Key West and Point Barrow^xv or wherever. At least not for tolls. The availability of the roads will create a stimulus for the automobile industry and a need for additional gasoline, until another power source is perfected. Many displaced workers could be employed in the shale-oil industry. Properly managed, shale-oil will make us the greatest producer of gas in the world, and if that is as much of a boon to our economy as anticipated, it will certainly have a long-lived and beneficial effect on our National Debt.

And that brings us back to where we started. There's been some rambling, and there's one more topic I want to cover,^xvi but the bottom line is that a national internet capability will offer the possibility of changing America (for the better). We might even get our representatives to actually represent us and cut our taxes. A higher internet may help us lower our safety net – at least what it costs us.

Enter.

Next episode: “Oh, Give Me A Home” – Help for the foreclosed.

i      How these are viewed depends very much on your philosophy. Some see them as a religious obligation – an act of charity – while others see them as a moral obligation of the rich toward the poor; some consider them to be in keeping with the Constitution, though some view them as contradicting the ideas of the Founding Fathers. Some don't care about the ideas of the Founding Fathers, and some simply don't care.

ii     Conservatives argue that the whole system represents redistribution of wealth from those who have, to those who do not; that the provision of entitlements furnishes a paving stone (or several stones) on the road to Socialism. Liberals point out that everyone, even Conservatives, gains by government programs. (Some might even contend that Socialism is preferable to Capitalism – but that's a different discussion.) They're likely to cite such benefits as the funding of the government itself, the military, road building, and various subsidies. These, however, are dwarfed by the entitlements which the government has taken on itself, and, indeed, some of the programs noted by the Liberals, like the government and the military, are specifically mandated by the Constitution. (Many of our citizens would prefer to pay fees for the non-Constutionally-mandated services if, in exchange, their taxes were significantly lowered because they were not forced to pay for services they did not need or want.)

iii    Or imposed on the states. Like “entitlements,” definitions are in the eye of the beholder.

iv    “Donations” isn't really an accurate description of the funding method of Social Security since participation is mandatory. In any event, your donations may not cover the extent of your benefits, and the difference must be covered by those currently working and by taxpayers in general.

v       Over sixteen and a half trillion dollars at the time of this writing (February 13, 2013).

vi      The Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution legalizes the income tax, but our “representatives” (the legislators), and the bureaucrats they hire to write the rules, have found ways to soak us that we would never have approved if given the opportunity. In reality we understand neither the rules nor the forms.

vii     Okay. You can stop laughing now.

viii   Perhaps it's wishful thinking to credit the IRS with the ability to make anything simple, but it would be nice if they could.

ix     Like the “co-pay” for computer repair, lottery payments, and the fee for voting if the individual accepts it.

x       It hasn't been discussed, but a parallel internet mechanism would have to be instituted for businesses, charities, and other organizations, so they can receive pertinent information and file necessary documents.

xi      No matter how long it takes.

xii     In addition to interest on unpaid taxes.

xiii  Perhaps we should consider a second electric grid as well to provide redundancy in times of disaster.

xiv    And its carbon tireprint.

xv     We'll give Canada a cut if they participate.

xvi    See “Oh, Give Me A Home,” which will appear on March 17^th. I'll bet you can't wait.

Between Jobs

                                                                                       

As I write this, we – or at least the Roman Catholics among us – are in an interregnum (that, however, doesn't seem to be the right word). By the time you read it, though, a new Pope will probably have been elected.

Elected.

That also seems like a funny word. While “elected” is often understood to mean “chosen by G-d,” in this instance it is the College of Cardinals that is doing the choosing. Perhaps they're working under His direction, however the discussion seems to be more about management than sanctity. Should the position be entrusted to one of the Old Guardⁱ or to a reformer? There's little discussion about saintliness or miracles.ⁱⁱ There seems to be more attention paid to politics than theology.

Many religions do not accept any distinction between secular and religious law. There is G-d, but not Caesar. Consequently some governments hold this view. The American perspective is different. Our Constitution, in the First Amendment, forbade Congress from making any law regarding the establishment of a state religion, and many have interpreted the meaning of this stricture more widely. They consider any law regarding religion, or any action by the state which may be seen to help all religions as violating what Jefferson termed “a wall of separation between Church & State.”ⁱⁱⁱ The amendment, however, only deals with the establishment of a single official faith. In any event, any politician whose faith deviates from normative “American Protestantism” is looked upon with some suspicion. Indeed, when John Kennedy ran for President he had to state that he would not let his (Catholic) religion influence his political decisions, and there cannot be much doubt that his election would have been far easier had he been a Protestant.

The choice of a religious leader, however, follows different rules. There is an assumption of faith in all of the candidates, although each may understand the requirements of that faith somewhat differently from the others. And no one declaims or disclaims any political views – at least not publicly. We all have views on a wide variety of different subjects and it is unrealistic to believe that our decisions will not be molded based on everything we have been taught and everything we have experienced before. We cannot separate ourselves from any aspect of our beliefs, whether they be social, political, or religious, and we are fooling ourselves if we think we can.

Absent events like those leading to the election of Pope Fabian in the third century of the common era, the new Pontiff will be chosen by fallible humans based on what are primarily political concerns. As his predecessor was a man of unshakable faith, so must the new Pope be. But the man elected will have a political agenda along with a religious one. We can only hope that the choice will be well-advised and the new Pope will guide his “flock” with faith, love, and wisdom. We can be sure he'll have political savvy as well.

i      Not the Swiss Guard, but a supporter of the Roman Curia – one favoring “inside” control of the Church.

ii     Although many think it will be a miracle if the new Pope can make the scandals of the past disappear.

iii    The quotation appears in a letter that Jefferson sent to “a committee of the Danbury Baptist association in the state of Connecticut.” The letter dates from 1802.

Vote Early

                                                                                   

We've reviewed a few of the services that might be provided by a nationwide internet system, but there are many more – and most of them would provide additional revenues for us, although that should not be a sine qua non to justify them.

For example, the hallmark of a democracy is participation of the governed. In a “true democracy,” every citizen would have the opportunity to vote on every issue. While that may have been possible in small communities like the ancient Greek city-states, it is not practical in our modern republic, and representative democracy forms a part of a larger and more complicated system. The issues and the problems we face are far more complex and numerous than they were then,ⁱ making the casting of informed ballots on all the issues impossible. Learning all we would need to know to do so would be more than a full-time job. When citizenship was limited to the propertied with ample leisure time, and voting was considered a privilege and expectedⁱⁱ of every good citizen, and there were fewer and more clearly stated questions, that ideal was far easier to achieve.

Not so in a twenty-first century America. It's too much work to keep abreast of the issues. There are far too many of them and they're more complexⁱⁱⁱ than we can handle. So we hire full-time “representatives” – our Executive and Legislative branches – to do the learning and thinking^iv for us. That way we can ignore whatever we choose, with the knowledge that we can vote out of office anyone is “wrong” on issues important to us. That is, if we vote at all. And, unfortunately, after demanding paid time off from work in order to exercise our right to vote, too many of our citizens, whose ability to do so is not limited by the strictures of the ancients, are not motivated to cast ballots.^v Only about sixty percent of eligible voters do so in a presidential election^vi for a variety of reasons – long lines, poorly functioning voting machines,^vii a belief that one's vote doesn't really count,^viii and ignorance about the candidates and issues are among them.^ix And, of course, there are those who are lazy or simply don't care.^x

Most of th0se problems could be addressed by internet availability of whatever information is needed^xi to make an informed choice, and the ability to vote more easily and within seconds of^xii the decision to do so.^xiii A constitutional amendment eliminating the Electoral College might also give voters a greater feeling that their vote counts. And using computers issued by the government to specific individuals, there is less chance of voter fraud.^xiv The importance of the franchise, a privilege that is not universal, might be emphasized by a nominal charge (perhaps a dime, perhaps some other arbitrary amount, or even a sliding scheduled linked to your income)^xv to vote. But because voting is ordained by the Constitution, those who cannot afford the cost or are opposed to a charge on principle should be able to opt out and still vote.

A final module in the voting program should lock the machine on election day to any capability other than voting after a certain time – if that has not already been done – and only unlock it thereafter. While the votes of those who don't care or would prefer not to vote, shouldn't be forced, they should be asked to declare that in some polite way. For many who intended to vote but have forgotten, this will be a good reminder. The use of the machine should again be possible after the polls have closed so after that even those who don't vote, and don't want to say so, will be back on line.

There are numerous other potential functions that could be satisfied by a governmental internet service and I can't mention them all, and certainly not dilate on their full extent, but I must mention a few. The first is the census. At present we only conduct it every ten years but this might give us more opportunities to count thus providing us with a more up-to-date data base. Even if we keep the spacing as it is, however, it would take a lot less time and cost much less to do so. That's sure to make the Secretary of the Treasury happy. And we can also use the system to apply for passports and for other government documents. Whether they're gun permits or driver's licenses, whether Federal or State, making it possible to do some or all of the work from home will make it easier for the applicant and cheaper for the government. Win-win.

Additionally, the internet can be used for draft registration and application Social Security coverage.  And a daily National Lottery, playable at home, could be instituted.  With participation by all states and territories, the payouts would be huge.  A cut for the Federal government would make an important contribution to the Treasury.  Ideally the prizes will be smaller and much more numerous to promote spending – and that will help the economy in general.

You probably noticed that I haven't said much about everyone's favorite government agency: the IRS. I'll do that tomorrow in the penultimate installment of this series.^xvi

Until then, be a good citizen. No matter how much it hurts.

Next episode: “Taxation Without Representation” – You get what you pay for. So if we pay the IRS less … If only.

i       In large part by design.

ii      Or required.

iii    So that voters won't recognize that their tax money is being stolen and squandered, or that the authors of the various bills are as confused as they are.

iv     Imagine. We pay people to think for us. That, in itself, is worth thinking about. Let's hire a consultant.

v      The United States ranks 120th of the 169 countries for which data exists on voter turnout, falling between the Dominican Republic and Benin, according to a January 2012 study from the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.

vi   According to Michael McDonald, a political scientist at George Mason University. Citation by LiveScience.

vii   All kinds of regulations and specifications have been imposed recently to ensure greater efficiency in the voting process. Maybe it's just me, but they seem to be slower and more dinosaur-like than ever before, and they seem to require more (paid) staff than in the past. Perhaps that was the intent.

viii   The Electoral College is among the reasons for that. Because the President is not elected by popular vote, and the candidates and their fiscal supporters focus primarily on “swing” states, there are many votes that really don't count. That's one reason, but not the only one. In some states the “result” is announced by the media in advance of the election. Of course it's only an educated (or wishful) guess, but it's enough to convince many people not to “waste” their time.

ix    There are some who don't believe there's much of a difference between the parties and they don't wish to vote for the lesser of evils.

x     One individual commented on the internet that he didn't vote so the government wouldn't get his name for the jury list. He didn't want to participate in the judging of others in as evil a judicial system as there is in this country. He then spent several paragraphs expounding on all of America's faults. It was sad that he was forced to stay here when he could be an illegal immigrant in some more honorable country.

xi      Including political statements and other propaganda.

xii     At home.

xiii  Since the computers will be portable, absentee ballots won't be needed. You can vote wherever you are. And if you won't be carrying your machine, you can program it, before you leave home, to cast your ballot on Election Day. Even the military can set up computer voting stations so a delayed count will not be required and the results can be tabulated as soon as voting hours are over.

xiv   The program should include the opportunity for other family members to register and vote, and there must be a voting program that assures that there will be anonymity. Who can vote will be limited, but the choices will never be connected with the individuals.

xv    That's not likely to bring in very much to the government, but a penny here and a penny there … Senator Everett Dirkson is reputed to have said: “A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon it adds up to real money.” That kind of thinking by our representatives is how we got into this mess.

xvi   The last – which will discuss some of the profits to be made by ridding ourselves of a few of our functions – will appear on March 17, 2013. Stay tuned.

Saving America

                                                                                           

Now that we have all the members of Congressⁱ sequestered at home and in their underwear,ⁱⁱ it's time to consider some additionally possible economic benefits of the internet age which has already arrived. But before we do so, a caveat is in order: within two minutes of the implementation of a nationwide internet system,ⁱⁱⁱ many of our landsmen, and the mischievous of other nations, will be looking for a way to “hack” into it. A robust firewall should be made part of the algorithm before release, as well as a method for tracking those who would breach the wall, and to charge them^iv for their destructive efforts.

Assuming that we've attended to this possibility, we should explore the many ways in which our new system can enhance our country's revenues.^v The most obvious stems from the recognition of what we will have built: a nationwide internet system with connections to every household, and a network of transmission towers more extensive than that of any commercial enterprise. The facilities that comprise the system could be made available those enterprises^vi – not for their programs to appear on governmental machines, but to serve as platforms for transmission that they will not have to build. Current licenses would not be affected by these efforts, but the use of governmental facilities might be beneficial to the private companies. Indeed, the use of increased transmission potential might allow for additional programing, and more revenues for our nation's treasury.

Advantage may be taken, however, of the wide distribution of receivers set to broadcast a government channel. A second channel could be made available to advertisers^vii seeking a wider distribution of their “educational” messages, especially since the postal system will be a much less frequent distributor of commercial mail. No programing would take place on this channel, only advertising. While this may appear to threaten existing advertising, it is more likely that the opportunity will be seen as an additional outlet for advertisers, to be used to supplement that already existing. A third channel for political advertising^viii would give our representatives a method for contacting voters^ix as we discourage mail. There is likely to be considerable discussion about fees for this, but remembering the goal of raising money and the propensity of the political parties for soliciting contributions for advertising, it makes no sense to give screen-time away.

It was suggested yesterday that the units should contain GPS sensors so that they can be located at all times. Such a capability, however, could have other applications. With satellites that always view our entire land mass^x and see every road and obstruction in real time, as well as every computer (they'll all be portable), we have the basic elements of a close to perfect travel aid.^xi The capability of preparing maps and travel instructions will also be present and the government may be able to market trip planning materials – especially to potential tourists. There are certain to be protests that the system will be a boon to Big Brother, but sooner or later we're going to have to face the new reality.

Another method for cutting costs and raising money simultaneously involves both the Library of Congress and the Government Printing Office. From my perspective, both their products could be distributed widely over the internet. For example, any document ordinarily produced by the GPO could be available on line and, if absolutely necessary, printed at home. But printing should no longer be at taxpayer expense, and the facility size necessary for function could be considerable smaller and not in Washington.^xii

Similarly, the Library of Congress could be relocated since any text it has could be transmitted over the internet. Books and research materials need never leave the protected environment where it will be housed. Damage and theft will be reduced significantly and the property in Washington need not be used. A warehouse adjacent to Fort Knox would be fine. Transmission of audio material could come from such a site, as could videos.^xiii Significant savings would be possible, and charging for documents and other material would provide added revenues.

Speaking of the transmission of audio material, the system would allow immediate notification of our citizens of weather and other hazards, as well as other governmental information and announcements. The simultaneous and instantaneous transmission of important information to the entire population^xiv would provide a very important service.

There's more to be said about services that could be made possible over a national network and how every citizen, not only our representatives, can spend the day in his underwear, so tune in tomorrow as the internet provides you with the unarguable wisdom of the Imperious Loudmouth.

Next episode: “Vote Early” – And more that can be done on line.

i       Men (and women) may come and men (see prior parenthetical clarification) may go, but (unfortunately) Congress goes on forever (except over prolonged recesses).

ii      See “Net Profit” which appeared yesterday. By the way, we'd probably be greatly (and gratefully) benefited if the President stayed home as well.

iii     If it takes that long.

iv    Not only legally, but fiscally. Even this offense can be used to help in our primary goal of lowering the National Debt.

v      No. I'm not talking about taxes. At least not now.

vi     For a fee, of course.

vii    See note number vi. In reality, some members of the public may see products advertised by this method as having a government endorsement and the fees may be significant. There are 31,536,000 seconds in a year (actually more, but I only worked with the 365 complete days of the year) and if we can command anything like Super Bowl prices we'll make out like Robber Barons.

viii   There can even be another channel for C-SPAN, but that will probably get fewer viewers than the ads. It will, though, take less from the treasury than broadcasting it as a separate service.

ix     As part of this capability, there should be means for providing feedback or otherwise contacting our representatives.

x      How we would handle the various US territories, like those in the Pacific, will require some discussion.

xi     A basic system would be built in, but extra bells and whistles would be available at an added fee. There are always people who like to brag about their bells and whistles, even if they never use them. Should be a good money raiser. And with an occasional advertisement ...

xii     Sometime soon I'll publish my thoughts on relocations and land use.

xiii    Of events at the Kennedy Center, for example.

xiv    Although regional broadcasts can occur as well.

Net Profit

While one of the primary reasons for the internet proposal is to save money, start-up costs should be anticipated. I noted yesterday that satellites and nationwide transmission towers would be required, though to a great degree the government could use existing facilities to lower the costs.ⁱ But we shouldn't gloss over the likelihood that it will be expensive at the beginning. All entrepreneurs already know this, though. However great the ultimate profits, getting started can be expensive.ⁱⁱ

Another notable starting cost will be the computers. Since, in the twenty-first century and beyond, our government is to be based on the internet, we must be sure that government-use computersⁱⁱⁱ are available to all citizens. If, however, we can further the development of inexpensive units for the poor of other countries, we should be able to do the same for our own people. Although it might seem costly to distribute units to all Americans, in the end they would pay for themselves, and after the initial round, the annual expense would be modest. Rules will be necessary to designate who is entitled to a unit, but one per “family”^iv would seem to be reasonable. Beyond what most of us accept in terms of what constitutes a family though, additional definitions would be necessary.^v Census and marriage records might be employed in the determination, and those who are excluded could apply for additional units.^vi Similarly, those wishing additional units can obtain them at a reasonable price.^vii And, as for the opposite situation, anyone concerned about the clutter of an additional computer could have the program(s) downloaded onto an existing unit.

It is inevitable that repairs will be necessary and a government repair service should be available widely.^viii The cost of repairs should be minimal for bare-bones machines, and some form of cost-sharing between the owner^ix and the government should be implemented. In many cases it may be cheaper to trade out the unit than to repair it, but there should be some charge for this too, to encourage responsible care. If a repair cannot be accomplished immediately, and use of the system is necessary, local libraries, or other similar institutions, might provide back-up services.

A side benefit of such a program would be to encourage and improve computer literacy – possibly even before children start school.^x Literacy programs, at all levels, should be made available (at nominal cost?^xi) since it is obvious that the future is the internet and preparation of all our citizens should be a priority.

Clearly there will be start-up costs, but the income and other benefits^xii will start accruing rapidly after that. One will certainly be in the way Congress functions. Senators and Representatives will be able to work and vote from home – to telelegislate (?telegislate?). Your representative can stay home and work in his (or her) underwear, thus considerably lowering his clothing budget and the travel costs we must pay.^xiii Whatever offices are necessary will be local, as now, or in Cheyenne Mountain where costs can be lower than Washington.^xiv The same is true for housing costs. Committee meetings would be managed using conference calls with the occasional face-to-face meeting held at Cheyenne Mountain.^xv There will be no need to take family on the short visits there.^xvi They will be able to remain at their own residences where school changes won't be necessary. In fact, if the Congressman and his family remain in their district, we'll all have greater access to our representatives, and we'll be better able to keep track of their meetings with lobbyists.^xvii Of course the travel costs for the lobbyists will increase, but they are certain to be written off as business costs by their employers. Finally, by allowing almost all Congressional business to be handled locally, there can be significant staff reductions and efficiencies, redounding to all of our benefits.

It is sometimes necessary for our legislators to communicate with us and there is no more efficacious way than by the use of the internet.^xviii They all proclaim their love of the environment and their wish to preserve it, and what better way to do so immediately than to limit the need to cut down trees to create educational materials. Those we have elected can inform us of their positions on current topics^xix much more rapidly and cheaply by posting them for all to see. There might even be a method for polling constituents or otherwise allowing for feedback since our representatives surely want to vote on legislation in a manner that reflects our wishes rather than their own. Okay. I'm naïve.

Some of these and future proposals could be employed by the states and localities as well. The efficiencies they provide are sure to eventuate in lower taxes even the Federal government imposes a nominal fee for the privilege. That, too, will be of value to taxpayers.

But wait. We may have put Congress in its place, but you ain't heard nothing yet.

Next episode: “Saving America” – Raising the bar and lowering the debt.

i      It's too early to start pondering eminent domain and the nationalization of all communication systems, but no option should be exempt from consideration.

ii     Investment capital might be sought as a last resort, however there should be plenty of tax money which could be found. There always seems to be enough for the hare-brained schemes of all our representatives. We tax-payers are a generous lot, even if we don't know how our money is being (mis)used.

iii    Since the functions will be limited and there will be no competition, it will be unnecessary to be constantly upgrading the operating system.  In addition, printers (black and white only) should be available at a reasonable cost.  People may want to print out what they see on line, but it shouldn't be free.

iv     The definition of “family” will require some thought if all citizens are to be able to participate in the program.

v      What happens when two “singles” with computers marry? What happens when a family breaks up? What happens when a child grows up and moves out? What happens if someone tries to sell his computer? These, and numerous other possibilities, will have to be hashed out in advance of the system's implementation.

vi    The application, itself, would provide additional information for the government data base.

vii    To discourage the resale of units, they should have GPS devices so they can be located at all times. (There are other uses for a GPS which will be discussed in a future edition.) In addition, machines removed from the country, should require the payment in advance of a deposit.

viii  The location of the repair facilities may prove a thorny issue, but we have managed to provide other governmental services around the country and there is no reason why this situation should differ.

ix     A user may not have ready cash for a repair but this eventuality, and others of a similar nature, could be dealt with in the context of the tax system, which will be covered in a future installment of this series.

x      Elmo can give them a head start.

xi     There will be loud demands that in this effort and in others that there should be no charge for the needy (however large the bureaucracy required to make that determination) so as to “level the playing field.” Such efforts should be resisted. A payment, even if small, gives the user an investment in the system rather than getting it for nothing like another entitlement.

xii    They're not necessarily the same. Some benefits will relate primarily to function, though efficient function will, ultimately, lead to either increased revenues or lowered costs.

xiii   It would be unseemly and time-consuming for members of Congress to travel by bus, so air travel (economy class on commercial flights) to Cheyenne Mountain, with a maximum of one staff member, should be provided by taxpayers and all involved can be housed at the dormitory.

xiv    See “Go Tell It On The Mountain,” which appeared two weeks ago (March 3^rd). For more details on what might happen in our nation's capital, see the upcoming “The Future Of Our Past.” As for the offices in Cheyenne Mountain, they should be frugal, with functional and comfortable furnishings, but reflecting a limited budget. Anyone wanting something fancier can foot the bill.

xv     Spare conference rooms should be available.

xvi    And no payment for those who choose to do so anyway for some Rocky Mountain skiing or other purposes.

xvii   And others – significant or otherwise.

xviii  Perhaps this will lessen the need for frequent “informational” (actually it's mostly just before an election) mail and flyers. This self-serving extravagance can also be controlled by limiting or eliminating the “franking” privilege which has little purpose than to serve as an extra “perk” for incumbents.

xix    And to create, as well, a record of everything the politician is willing to commit to “paper”(-less paper).

Safety Net

                                                                           

Twenty-first century. That's what it says on the calendar, although there are times when I don't think that's the way we're carrying on business. And America is a business.ⁱ

But America is losing money. Our debt keeps going up as we spend more than we have, and look for ways to trim the costs of those individuals and organizations that can deliver votes and the companies and lobbyists who make large contributions to our politicians. And, maybe, our own costs as well.ⁱⁱ

For, unfortunately, the same problem of increasing debt exists in our homes as well as in our government. Part of the hit on our personal budgets stems from the monthly cost for our various electronic devices. Paying for the internet, for television and for our cellular televisionsⁱⁱⁱ and other portable devices can take a large chunk of change. (So can our taxes. And so much of that is for services we don't need or want.^iv)

Is it possible to deal with both our national and personal problems simultaneously? I think so. In fact it might even be possible to help our own bottom lines while raising money for the government. And as an added bonus, perhaps we can bring joy to the hearts of both liberals and conservatives.

Pie in the sky? No. Satellites.

What we need is a nationwide internet system that would provide “Wi-Fi” service every-where to everybody. Everybody!^v

To begin with, the placing of satellites with geosynchronous orbits over the United States with a network of telephone transmission towers would allow instant communications for all our citizens. Wherever, for one reason or another, communications are spotty,^vi the construction of additional towers or underground^vii wiring systems would be undertaken. While this might be expensive initially, it would provide jobs for the unemployed improving our work statistics and allowing the collection of taxes from the newly employed, while lessening the need for the payment of support for large segments of the population.^viii The budgets for entitlement programs might be reduced.^ix

Let's use the Postal Service as an example of how we might benefit. That service would be completely overhauled with mail self-generated and delivered over the internet. Even if this didn't make money it would cut down on the annual losses by this “non-governmental” service, but by charging a small fee – much lower than “forever stamps” – this service could function “24/7” and not require as many mail deliverers.^x Postage for any remaining mail would be printed (at a slight additional cost) using the computer, and there would be advertisements^xi on the stamps.

Packages – which certainly can't be transmitted over the internet – could be farmed out to existing carrier services like UPS or Fed-Ex, who would benefit greatly,^xii even if they paid a fee to the government for permission to carry all packages.^xiii Alternatively, packages could be delivered by the remaining Post Office deliverers and the costs paid by competitive prices, with advertisers supplementing the income.

The Postal Service was only given as an example of how the internet might contribute to diminishing the National Debt, but there are numerous other ways, and I shall explore some of them next week. However it's important that we rid ourselves of old ideas. A good deal of the Founding Fathers' philosophy is as applicable now as then, though much has changed since then. While we should continue to be guided by the past, it would be wrong to ignore the possibilities of the present and future because “we've always done it that way.” The new safety net is all around us. And up in the clouds.

Maybe we can profit from it. Or, at least, lose less.

Next episode (tomorrow): “Net Profit” – The national robber baron.

 

 

i      “After all, the chief business of the American people is business. They are profoundly concerned with producing, buying, selling, investing and prospering in the world. I am strongly of the opinion that the great majority of people will always find these the moving impulses of our life.” January 17, 1925. President Calvin Coolidge. (Often stated as “The business of America is business.”)

ii      Of course the taxpayers aren't that high a priority for our representatives.

iii     And our land lines if we still have them.

iv     I'll have more to say on that subject at various times in the future.

v      How “everybody” will be able to participate is part of next week's discussion.

vi     For example, any place I go seems to have poor cellular telephone service or, if I'm in a four bar-location, the other party's transmission cuts in and out.

vii   Less unsightly and less susceptible to damage than overhead wires.

viii  This should please liberals and conservatives alike. In fact everyone, except those who would prefer not to work, should consider it worthwhile.

ix    Remaining entitlement payments should be given as a single payment, reducing the bureaucracy needed to make a plethora of often uncoordinated payments. It would be worthwhile to present a course in money management over the internet for those who require it to husband the single payment properly. (Whether there should be a deduction from the single payment for those using the course is a matter for discussion elsewhere.) Those who misuse the payment will, in all likelihood, eventually learn budgeting skills.

x      Some people will want hard copy or proof of date of mailing. If their printers are faulty or if the don't trust the date stamp on their computer, some delivery will have to remain.

xi      An additional revenue source.

xii    More business for business.

xiii   Payments to the government by private industry should please the liberals.

Go Tell It On The Mountain

                                                                         

With the passing of every moment our national debt increases,ⁱ and with it the need for cutting our expenses and increasing our revenue. I've already suggested that we outsource large parts of our government in the interests of saving money, but I noted that there were certain functions that we'd have to retain and execute ourselves. Certainly our military must remain local, and its control maintained in a secure facility. But that is only one among several such functions. For example, the Sixteenth Amendment has presented us all with the treasured gift of an income tax, and we surely wouldn't want anyone else laying hands on our money.ⁱⁱ

The Constitution that made us a nation designated three primary branches of government – the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judicial branches – and specified the responsibilities of each.ⁱⁱⁱ Our founding document was quite explicit about those responsibilities,^iv but was less concerned about the location of their performance. Indeed, the first Presidential inauguration was held in New York, our Supreme Court Justices used to “ride circuit,” and Congress, itself, has moved around since our Constitution was written in Philadelphia.

All the branches settled down, however, with the establishment of a national capital in the District of Columbia – Washington, D.C. And for more than two centuries that has been our center of government, where the offices of the President, Congress, and the Supreme Court are located. It's beautiful, dignified, centralized, symbolic, and very costly. But in addition it's a tempting target.^v

In the mid-1940s came the initial recommendations that the Air Defense Command (ADC) move its headquarters to a protected location. Although the ADC no longer exists, the move took place and currently a successor, NORAD (the North American Aerospace Defense Command), has placed its Alternate^vi Control Center in the Cheyenne Mountain nuclear bunker. It's secure and compact, underground, and protected by a mountain. It's the site from which our response to attack would be coordinated.

Mountains have always held some kind of mystical and spiritual connection for Mankind, even before Thomas Mann wrote “The Magic Mountain.” Religions ancient and modern have pictured mountains as the source of inspiration. Ancient pagan rites were held on mountains, while ranking high in western literature and culture is Mount Olympus, the home of the Greek gods. And the source of most of western religion was Mount Sinai, where the Law was given to the Israelites when they left Egypt. Even now the mystique of the mountain persists in our fantasy movies.^vii

For this reason we should consider moving our government – the part remaining after we outsource most functions – to a secure location somewhere in or under a mountain in the west, possibly in the Cheyenne Mountain complex itself. Roads are already built there, as are support facilities. And we already own the property. A pared-down government could be located in a single location and we could sell all our property in Washington.^viii What is clear, though, is that the cost of property in the west will be far lower than the value of our holdings in the east, so this will be of great help in lowering our debt. The space should be more than adequate, although some construction will be necessary. Even so, however, the costs of construction and maintenance over time will be far less there than what we pay in a big city. Our government will be far safer, and able to meet doomsday in style.

The idea of underground security, whether under a mountain^ix or not, isn't new. We bury the dead and build underground bomb shelters for protection against enemy attacks. In fact that's the nature of the Cheyenne Mountain facility itself. Saddam Hussein hid underground, though his bunker didn't offer all the protection he would have liked. And the Iranians are building their nuclear facilities underground in hardened facilities capable of surviving attack. We're America though, we're the best, and we can make our sub-sierran government hard and fast. No one can threaten us or beat us. They can kill us all but our government will remain safe and able to retaliate against anyone.

Our defense is already largely underground, and whatever isn't can be added to aerospace complex, or others like it. The outsourcing of many governmental functions along with the centralization of the rest should lower costs significantly and be an important part of lowering our national debt. And who wouldn't love the idea of burying the IRS and the rest of our government?

Next episode: “Safety Net” – And other applications as well.

i      At this moment – 1 PM on February 1, 2013 – it's close to sixteen and a half trillion dollars. That's even bigger than the Power-Ball jackpot.

ii     That, of course, excludes our own politicians. They're certainly entitled to dip in whenever they're short.

iii   Those branches may not always follow the guidelines set by the Constitution (our officials certainly don't) but they're there, and our President and representatives have sworn to uphold them. We're smart enough not to believe the politicians.

iv     Even though the writing of the Constitution itself was illegal – those present had been authorized to make some changes in the Articles of Confederation – our Founding Fathers didn't hesitate to set rules for future officials to obey slavishly.

v      It was invaded during the War of 1812, and, more recently, the Pentagon was damaged by Al Qaeda in 2001, on September 11th. More damage was planned but, fortunately, not accomplished in that action. As missile attacks become more feasible, even for smaller powers, a protected inland location would provide greater safety for our leaders.

vi     The primary command center for the NORAD/USNORTHCOM command center is at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado.

vii    You've seen them. Don't pretend you're above all that.

viii   I have a lot more to say on this, but it will be the subject of a future essay.

ix   According to the Jewish tradition, Mount Sinai was raised over the heads of the Israelites when they were being asked to accept the Law. In that case the security of the divine teachings was considered preferable to the security of the grave.