http://storyburn.com

Solutions do not emanate from a monetary economy. This monetary system has taken Babylon, Greece, Rome over a cliff. Ego oriented, antiquated [4000 years], it seems quaintly out of place, in the technological world of today.

Not surprisingly, our 5 senses correlate with our needs for clean food, clean water, safety and reproduction. The senses of touch, smell, taste, sound, and of sight. These are resource based research, tools. [As an aside, Homo sappiens respond highly to the “look and feel” of Apple products. That is how we “roll”.] We all researchers in our own right.

The planet provides the resources and our survival is a testament to a high functioning, ability to find and use these resources. We get together and passionately volunteer our time and energy to promote the freedom. If u want high functioning people, u design around and stay within this simple, stackable, 5 sense, system. When u put homo sapiens outside this five sense, research capabilitiy u have people in the streets of Rome, Germany

Funny, no sense of an on going monetary computation, required to sustain life?

Somewhere along the way we picked up this parasite that promotes, taxation, indebtedness, aggression greed…etcetera, etcetera, U could help me fill many pages. As u mention trying to take more from rich people is just the flipside of shameless commerce. This parasite pounds a nail thru the forehead of every homo sapien on the planet poor and rich alike. The evidence shows, as reported world wide, in many, languages, that this monetary system threatens our freedom.

As for human flourishing, when u care about the monetary system u care about the wrong system. When a parasite is found do U promote, regulate – “fix” it?… or eliminate and replace with a resource based, system, that we are designed to deal with? The wealthy need not fear loss, as they will enjoy positions of extremely high influence and with their leadership, we have never been more capable. I expect we will have something to brag about. TICK – TOCK

I can understand the rationale for cutting spending, and not raising taxes. First, raising taxes reduce growth, and thereby hurt revenue in long term. Second, when policymakers raise taxes, and either dont cut spending or try and do both, they are actually thinking to themselves, “hey we will be raising more money, so why not build that new pet project, or fund my little study group or etc…” Raising taxes promotes pork barrel spending, while cutting spending, well, obviously reduces it.

Interestingly enough, we are witnessing this occurring in the US. Most states are taking a large axe to their budgets, and there is little talk of raising taxes. If they follow through, and pin the unions to the mat, then the states fiscal future may end up alright.

Unfortunately, the elephant in the room, which is not addressed by spending cuts, is entitlements. Unless they are addressed, specifically public workers’ pensions and health benefits, then I dont see how the states can capitalize on the spending cuts, since funding entitlements will always eat into any savings.

Also, all government spending aimed at spending areas is ‘pork’, depending on whether you got the money, or the other guy did. You can cut his paycheck all you like, don’t cut ours, we aren’t pork, we’re a vital national investment!

Now, paying for basic research is great, but just means that more and more companies will cede the research to the government as a cost center, then go and make the money off the discoveries. Good or bad? Hard to tell.

==Bob

http://wjmc.blogspot.com/2010/05/how-wou ld-californians-react-to.html

Thanks for the opportunity to comment…

Certainly the overall mood in the electorate supports dealing with the deficit and spending, but when polled on individual entitlements and government programs that consensus and support can quickly evaporate. This means that while Congress and the President may want to implement a plan to cut spending the overall initiative could easily be scuttled by individual politicians protecting their electoral chances with constituents by voting against or killing specific cost-reduction measures.

Unless someone is forcing the US to cut spending as is the case in Greece–and, therefore, providing political cover for individual politicians–it is hard to imagine progress on this front in the near term.