As the Cookie Crumbles (8/09/11): Solutions

(WWH, 8/9/11) Some folks say: Hey Dr. Woody! You sher gotta lot to SAY about stuff. What do you DO about it, huh?

I have not heard the same complaints leveled against the "professional" economists, and one thing I notice about their commentaries is that they often includes lists of things that should be done, even if doing them was rendered impossible by any number of existential hurdles and obstacles. Though I am not a professional economist, nevertheless, I inferred from this that proposing a short list of suggestions by means of the institution of which the solutions to our national crises and dilemmas could be achieved, is a way to demonstrate 'seriusness.' So I thought I might disperse my own critics with a similar list, and here it is: Dr. Woody's Four Ways To Solve All Our Problems and Decline Prosperously Into Imperial Obscurity

Solution #1: "Save" Social Security by removing the income cap. It's now solvent through 2038. Increasing the cap to $200K would fix things through 2075. Lower retirement age to 60.

Solution #2:
Tax the wealthy: Institute a the Robin Hood tax ,(.05%) on all stock and bond transfers. Raise the top, marginal tax rate to 50%, over $5 mil.
Solution #3: End the (fucking ) wars. Close overseas bases, down-size the USer war machine...(Who the FUCK is gonna attack us? We still have more than 5000 independently targetable warheads; probably some in space. C'mon!)
Solution #4: Universalize Medicare. The "debt" is not the most pressing or the biggest money problem out there. That's the national health system. In private hands, it will NEVER not expand to the profit motive. Remove the profit motive.

See there? Problems: Solved

Of course nothing I suggested is politically doable. Every item would run into unbreachable opposition from all relevant quarters...and millions, as well.

I just figgered I'd join the pundit parade and put out a list of totally impractical, undoable shit so it would look like I was DOING SOMETHING. So the next time somebody says: "Jeezus, Woody. Why'ncha DO SOMETHING??? Instead of just bitching all the time?"

Well now ya got my solutions! You know, like the old chemistry joke: If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate...