Responsibility #67

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=110 BGCOLOR="#666699" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04900840erlcjm.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>NATIONAL SECURITY--Structural,Moral,Economic,Domestic,International</B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="NATIONAL SECURITYStructural,Moral,Econom"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility Contents"><U>Responsibility Contents</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id34.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 1"><U>Responsibility #1</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 2"><U>Responsibility #2</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 3"><U>Responsibility #3</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 4"><U>Responsibility #4</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id38.htm" 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#57</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id91.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 58"><U>Responsibility #58</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id92.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 59"><U>Responsibility #59</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id93.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 60"><U>Responsibility #60</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id94.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 61"><U>Responsibility #61</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id95.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 62"><U>Responsibility #62</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id96.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 63"><U>Responsibility #63</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id97.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 64"><U>Responsibility #64</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id98.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 65"><U>Responsibility #65</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id99.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 66"><U>Responsibility #66</U></A>   |   <B>Responsibility #67</B>   |   <A HREF="id101.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 68"><U>Responsibility #68</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id102.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 69"><U>Responsibility #69</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id103.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 70"><U>Responsibility #70</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id104.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 71"><U>Responsibility #71</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id105.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 72"><U>Responsibility #72</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id106.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 73"><U>Responsibility #73</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id107.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 74"><U>Responsibility #74</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id108.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 75"><U>Responsibility #75</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id109.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 76"><U>Responsibility #76</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id110.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 77"><U>Responsibility #77</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id111.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 78"><U>Responsibility #78</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id112.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 79"><U>Responsibility #79</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id113.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 80"><U>Responsibility #80</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id114.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 81"><U>Responsibility #81</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id115.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 82"><U>Responsibility #82</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id116.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 83"><U>Responsibility #83</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id117.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 84"><U>Responsibility #84</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id118.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 85"><U>Responsibility #85</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id119.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 86"><U>Responsibility #86</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id120.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 87"><U>Responsibility #87</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id121.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 88"><U>Responsibility #88</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id122.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Health Care Letters to President, et al,"><U>Health Care Letters to President, et al, 8/24/94</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id123.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Arguments for Delay in Enactment of a He"><U>Arguments for Delay in Enactment of a Health Care Bill</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id124.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Post WORLD WAR IIPost COLD WAR Deja Vu"><U>Post WORLD WAR II--Post COLD WAR Deja Vu</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id125.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 89"><U>Responsibility #89</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id126.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 90"><U>Responsibility #90</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id127.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 91"><U>Responsibility #91</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id128.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 92"><U>Responsibility #92</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id129.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 93"><U>Responsibility #93</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id130.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 94"><U>Responsibility #94</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id131.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 95"><U>Responsibility #95</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id132.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 96"><U>Responsibility #96</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id133.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 97"><U>Responsibility #97</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id134.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 98"><U>Responsibility #98</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id135.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Structure of Our Nation is Unsound"><U>The Structure of Our Nation is Unsound</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id136.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ltr. to Editor, 3/19/96, Property Taxes "><U>Ltr. to Editor, 3/19/96, Property Taxes and Education Funding</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=190 BGCOLOR="#CCCCFF" TEXT="#080000" background="04311c00egdysm.png"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=370 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> Responsibility #67</div> <div> (written June 1993)</div> <bR> <div> To the People of the United States of America:</div> <bR> <div>      We continue the <U>fourth postscript</U> to the initial set of 63 RESPONSIBILITY papers.  As the fifth month of the Clinton administration comes to a close, it is apparent that little or no progress has been made by the federal government in the following critical areas:</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  </div> <div> 1. Recession/Unemployment Relief.</div> <div> 2. Deficit/National Debt Reduction.</div> <div> 3. Health Care Premiums/Taxes.</div> <div> 4. Taxes/Appropriations/Organization Reform.</div> <div> 5. International Peace/Welfare Keeping.</div> <bR> <div>      <U>Recession/Unemployment Relief</U>.  President Clinton responded to the rallying cry of the 1992 election campaigns ("It's the economy, stupid!"), by hurriedly sending an "Economic Boost" package to the Congress.  The package was deemed to be filled with "pork" projects, and likely to do more harm than good.  It was filibustered and laid to rest by the Republicans in the Senate, with the admonition that our attention must be riveted on curing the deficits.</div> <bR> <div>      Indeed, it does appear that the United States has squandered its ability, to meet any near-term domestic or foreign need or opportunity, without further risk of total economic collapse. The U.S. economy is like unto an at-one-time burly giant, who has been confined to a hospital bed for over 12 years.  Throughout the Reagan and Bush years, the no longer burly giant has been kept alive by massive intravenous feedings (deficit spending). Except for a slip into a limited coma (recession) in the 1990s, and many frights along the way, particularly the cardiac arrest (stock market crash) in 1987, year by year his vital signs appeared to somewhat improve (anemic economic growth).  </div> <div>      The (spin) doctors gave credit to the hospital staff (Reagan/Bush administrations), for having achieved the longest period of physical (fiscal) improvement (economic growth) without a major patient setback (national recession or depression). Deemphasized was the fact that various organs and sections of his body (companies, industries, regions of the country, levels of society) had suffered temporary, if not permanent, impairment in the process.  Omitted in discussions with affected family members (the American public) was the fact that the patient was now totally addicted to the intravenous feedings (deficit spending). </div> <bR> <div>      Also not acknowledged was the fact that the lack of regular periods of robust exercise (periodic business cycles: economic slowdowns followed by economic sprints), had permitted the accumulation of massive toxins (governments, business, and personal debts) in his body.  This continuing buildup of poisons (particularly the national debt) is causing the patient's body to atrophy.  Soon the patient may be unable to respond to any treatment.  He may never revive to the extent of providing for his family (the American public) the standard of living to which they had become accustomed.</div> <bR> <div>      In fact the patient may expire.  Harry E. Figgie, who has the stature of having been a member of the Grace Commission, authored a book entitled "Bankruptcy 1995: The Coming Collapse of America and How to Stop It".  </div> <div> [Remember the Grace Commission?  That was the group of highly qualified business and civic leaders who were chartered, by President Reagan early in his first term, to study the federal government to come up with recommendations for reforms. The Commission's report was published in the mid-1980s.  Action taken by the President and the Congress: Placed on the back shelf, behind other books, and left to collect dust!  Had timely and effective action been taken on the recommendations in the report, undoubtedly our nation would not be in the degree of trouble that it now is.]      </div> <div>      Mr. Figgie's text and charts make a convincing case, that in 1995 our nation will not be able to meet interest payments on the extent of the national debt, that is projected to be reached at that time.  Technically or actually the federal government will be in bankruptcy.  Whether Mr. Figgie's scenario will come to pass; and whether it or a similar disaster will occur before, in, or after 1995; is problematical.  In any case it is clear that all demands on the federal government (including "It's the economy, stupid!") must be subordinated to action to eliminate the deficits, and to begin payoff of the national debt.</div> <bR> <div>      <U>Deficit/National Debt Reduction</U>.  But at best inadequate deficit reduction, and no national debt payoff, measures are being considered by the federal government.  President Clinton's economic plan purported to achieve several hundred billion dollars deficit reduction over the next several years.  This "modest" plan, even if accepted by the Congress, would still mean trillions more accumulation of national debt, before a balanced budget would be proposed for some indefinite future year.</div> <div>      Yet even this "modest" plan was unable to pass muster as a budget resolution in the Congress.  [Passage of a budget resolution is only the beginning of the Congressional appropriations process.  Even if the plan had run this roadblock, it would likely bear no resemblance to its original content, by the time both houses approved the final appropriations bill, before or after the start of the next fiscal year.]  A main prop of the President's plan was an energy (BTU) tax.  This feature was immediately scuttled, when the plan reached the shores of the Senate, and the Clinton administration abandoned ship.</div> <div>      So back to square one.  As this essay is being written, the administration and members of the Congress of the majority party are scurrying, to repackage the plan, to makeup for some or all of the deficit reduction lost, by the abandonment of the BTU tax. Being considered are higher gasoline taxes, further cuts in social security benefits, higher income taxes on the "rich", not achieving all of the projected deficit reductions, et al.  David Stockman, when did you hear this before?!!</div> <bR> <div>      The situation is reminiscent of Bil Keane's Family Circus cartoons in the newspapers.  When the question is asked, "Who should be held responsible to pay the new taxes or take less benefits?", the spectral images of all the children and Barfy are labeled "Not Me", "Not Me", "Not Me"!</div> <div>      The truth of the matter is that we must balance the budget, and start nibbling away at the national debt, in the fiscal years (1994 and 1995) that are under the responsibility of President Clinton and the 103rd Congress.  Only that way can we hope to avoid the national bankruptcy predicted by Mr. Figgie.  Only that way can we resolve that the economic sins, of our American society of the 1980s and early 1990s, will be passed on to our children and grandchildren, but not our great grandchildren.</div> <div>      How we must proceed was presented in Responsibility #50 through #62.  More on this in the next paper when we discuss Health Care Premiums/Taxes, and Taxes/Appropriations/Organization Reform.</div> <div>                     Publius IV</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id101.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility 68"><U>Responsibility #68</U></A></div> <div> Back to: <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Responsibility Contents"><U>Responsibility Contents</U></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>