Do we need ‘saving?’ I think so. Our national debt, as I write this on Sunday, 10/25, is $127 trillion, $132 billion and change. Soon, the debt will equal the GDP, and then we could be economic toast. We actually are now, but we can still pay the interest, and that’s why the Fed keeps the interest rate low. Good for those who need a mortgage, and the government can borrow at low interest rates of less than 1%. Why would anyone loan government their money at less than 1% interest, when the ‘official’ inflation rate is 2%? For the same reason that most people don’t save in gold and silver: They’re too stupid, uninformed, unthinking, illogical, or just numbly follow the pack.
Why do we have such a huge national debt? Is it because of foolish spending by bureaucracy? Partially. Is it because of the armed forces and wars? Partially. Is it because of defense build-up? Partially. Is it because of the Chinese virus? Partially. Is it because of government waste? Partially. But the major part of the national deficit, is one simple word. Welfare. ‘Welfare,’ is an all-encompassing term including hundreds of bureaucracies, writing checks to every possible group, individual, church, or charity, paying people to eat, keep warm or cool, make calls, have a roof over themselves, keep well, have transport, clothes, shoes, medical care, and everything a lazy, unemployed, poor, (take your pick) or all of the above, and the list seems to be endless. Welfare costs America dozens of trillions of dollars each year, not counting the bureaucracy wastefully administering it, or the human degradation and crime it causes.
There are over 40 million citizens and illegals, eating off of the taxpayer with food stamps alone. There are 1.3 million public housing units, and millions of free Obamaphones. There are subsidized heat, electricity, water, gas, gasoline, cars, transport, busses, and anyone can walk into the emergency room of a hospital and get free treatment. All of these items cost the government close to half of its expenditures; far outreaching the first ones I mentioned in the previous paragraph.
Weeping liberals and some of the soft RINOS will say, “Who will take care of them, if government doesn’t?” Who took care of them before Franklin Delano Roosevelt initiated welfare in the 1930’s? There were no public housing units or food stamps then. I remember 1972 when I first heard about food stamps, I was shocked. Today, no one even thinks about it. The handouts continue daily, and the deficit grows exponentially. Government waste is chronic at all levels, because no government can produce anything as can private industry making a profit. Why do you think Silver and Gold Eagles are more expensive than those gold and silver coins made by private mints? Because they are made by union employees of the Federal Government. That should explain it. And don’t be fooled by the current $69 Silver Eagles made in Philly. They are exactly like any other Silver Eagle and a rip off.
Whenever the Libertarian phrase of TANSTAFFL occurs (There ain’t no such thing as free lunch), people will disagree, saying that welfare recipients get most everything free. Free for the recipients, but very costly for inflation, crime, recipients’ character, and the national debt. Why has welfare grown like Topsy in the last 85 years? Because politicians buy votes with legislation allowing poor, sick, Illegal, etc. eat and feast at the welfare trough. The Constitution’s Article One, Section Nine, says that Congress can pass just about anything it chooses, even if bankruptcy occurs, passing laws giving away the store. This brings up the question of, wouldn’t it be great if no-one could vote unless they had an income, job, or were self sufficient in some way other than a handout by government? The 24th Amendment of our Constitution, won’t allow it.
The Constitution allows politicians to pass legislation giving freebies to whoever they think may need it, and especially if such a law may literally buy votes, allowing them to win elections by such nonsense. We therefore are slowly going broke by politicians voting us that way. No one passes up a freebie, and especially when the cost is so hidden.
Spoilt children often grow up to be irresponsible and useless because their parents gave them everything they wanted, and provided no discipline. Recently, government gave everyone who applied, $600 a week, above their normal wage. That was so nice, that recipients didn’t want t go back to work…understandably. Welfare has destroyed the work ethic of millions, caused millions of single parent households, rampant crime, and destroyed neighborhoods. Why work when government supports us? Women can have more babies, because every new one increases her income.
I have an idea, and I think it may be Constitutional if it could be passed. To wit: The welfare buying, freebie giving, bankrupting American laws passed by politicians, which has been ongoing for 85 years cannot be stopped, I know, but maybe additional recipients can be prohibited from partaking. In other words, let’s stop any more additions to any welfare program of any kind. Current recipients will continue receiving their stuff, but no more entrants. The recipients would die off eventually, be killed committing a crime, die of disease, or what have you, but no more entrants.
This would stop illegal immigration I am certain, and anyone from now on, would have to work, beg, or ask for help from a charity, church, or volunteer group. This is what it was like before the 1930’s under FDR and his Democrats. No one is being deprived of what they have been given, but no more newbies. Government bureaucrats who determine applicant qualifications, would be eliminated. No-one would be qualified. Slowly, the entire welfare bureaucracy would die off, crime would decrease, and America would be on the road to balancing its books, greatly reducing the National Debt. No riots, because no one would be taking their freebies away. Social Security would not be affected, but would slowly be brought under control. Imagine, no new welfare recipients of any kind! I don’t know if this could be done with an executive order from the White House or not, because Democrats would rally against it as would many Republicans, because their re-election wins may be in jeopardy. It’s just a thought. Since the Constitution allows politicians to vote themselves into office by passing welfare providing legislation, would it be possible to add to Article One, Section Eight, a sentence saying that, “Congress shall not pass any law subsidizing anything or anyone.” Or a 28th Amendment saying that “The United States shall have a balanced budget every year, other than a war or severe economic devastation, and such a deficit must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Congress.”
-Don Stott
-don@coloradogold.com
These columns are the opinions of Don Stott, the founder of Colorado Gold. They are not meant to be seen as the opinions or directives of Colorado Gold, Inc.