Quote Originally Posted by KukriKhan View Post
A perfect problem-solving answer. Bravo!

It mirrors Al Gore's "lockbox theory" for Social Security solvancy from 15-16 years ago. And I agree.

BUT: What do you do, from where does the money come, when unforseen events occur? Tornadoes, wars, earthquakes, floods, market meltdowns, and the like? I mean: you can plan for floods, and storms and earthquakes and employee retirements - set money aside for those things. Then somebody flies a couple of planes into some big NY and DC buildings, and the next thing you know, your army is in southwest Asia, needing beans and bullets. Not to mention that Aunt Sarah's street needs its potholes filled; you remember Aunt Sarah, the one who donated $5k to your election campaign, as 'primer money' for her garden club to imitate? To the tune of $125k, just enough to buy enough air-time on W-Podunk radio to put you over the edge and into office?

And that money is just sitting there. And your predessessors wrote provisions into the law creating those funds, allowing congressional dabbling.

All you, an elected Rep, have to do, is to convince 51% of 434 (that'd be 222 of them) other reps that you're right, and that their soldiers will be fed and provisioned, and their Aunt Sarah's potholes will be fixed, along with your own.
The money comes from higher taxation. Preferably on the rich out of necessity or practicality. Part of the reason to making the hard decision of raising taxes when more money is needed is that the public will realize that to have everything they need to pay for it. And if they refuse then they have to decide what it is that they can afford and spend their money on, a war, or social security. By shifting money around, the public doesnt have to make the choice, but the long term fiscal stability of the country is threatened.

And there is the problem with modern conservative thinking. They choose people who vow not to raise taxes, so they dont make the tough decision and instead shift the money around, the fiscal stability of the government is threatened and it feeds into the conservative idea that government doesn't work, and that it shouldnt be trusted with more money, so they pick someone who vows not to raise taxes....and the loop feeds upon itself.