Universe On The Couch

The decade referred to as the "sixties" was approximately 1963 to 1973. The economic prosperity continued. The working class lived well with good secure union jobs making things. Goods. The country also achieved its greatest accomplishment: Putting men on the Moon and getting them back safely. This was done within ten years of the first man in space and a dozen since man sent anything into orbit. Amazing.

Yet all was not pretty. Most of those older than the Boomers have always seen it as turmoil and the loss of much of what really mattered in the country. And they were right. It's funny that the unraveling began when the society was peaking, but the world is complex.

There has always been dissenting voices, but in the post-war period, it was growing in two groups, academia and the drop-outs. The Student Movements on campus began to question issues such as racism and poverty. A fracture line formed between the boomers and those older than them.

Vietnam also formed further fracture lines in the nation. Old vs. Young. Even among the young adults the college kids and drop-outs turned on the combatants and vets of Vietnam.

Political violence became a more common occurrence. Protesters were gassed and beaten by police. Radical groups bombed buildings. JFK, MLK and RFK were all murdered. The 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago was a disaster. Young people started to lose hope in the system. Many Blacks lost hope as well and strengthened separatist movements like Nation of Islam and violent groups like The Black Panthers



An implicit assumption was shared by the new movements that destroying the old structures would allow something much better to naturally grow in its place. Drop acid to scramble your perceptions and be enlightened. Skip the discipline and the kids will grow up gentle. Forget marriage and "love" freely. So we ended up with drug burn-outs, VD, broken homes, unwed mothers and a crime epidemic.

The era had some very positive aspects. Civil rights. Medical advances. The Space Program. And a questioning that needed doing.

However, the stage was set for further decline in the years to come.

No discussion of the demise would be complete without looking at the generation born approximately 1946 to 1960. The dates are a rough estimate as many of their leaders were older and younger folks were part too to a lesser extent.

Nor does this discussion apply to all those born at that time. It is a general view. It applies more to whites than minorities, to the college educated, the more affluent and those that did not serve in Vietnam. Still, few were immune to all the unique aspects of this group.

They were unique in three ways. First, they were such a large demographic bulge, they would receive great attention their whole lives. The market would cater to them. They had their own culture like no other generation. Later, they would severely impact the social programs as they got older.

Second, they enjoyed a great prosperous period in world history. The economy was booming and marvels of science and engineering were continually coming out. It was for the most part a period of peace. They were spared the Great Depression and WWII.

Finally they were raised on television for at least part of their childhood and all of it for the later Boomers. This had dire effects. And these effects only got worse with subsequent generations. First, they read less. Second, their was less play, an essential part of childhood. Third, they had their consciousness to some extent limited to a hypnotic gaze at edited sound and a contrived limited visual field. Finally, their minds were programmed with consumerism, banality, superficiality and infantile gratification.

These factors would indeed become the way of the USA, Western Civilization and the entire world.

After resounding victory in WWII and the only essentially untouched industrial nation of this very destructive conflict, the United States enjoyed a great era in all ways: Prosperity, social stability, science, technology and record numbers entering college. This golden age lasted nearly twenty years until the mid-1960's.

The period truly was a golden age. The prosperity was great. A factory worker could support a housewife and children, buy two cars, a house with a yard, travel on vacation and even send his kids to college. Science and technology were full of wonders. Vaccines and antibiotics had rendered much of infectious disease treatable or preventable. The only real negatives in the American consciousness were Communism and nuclear bombs. But there were some real problems taking root.

The first problem was institutionalized racial discrimination. This was contrary to the supposed principles the republic was founded on. Despite the abolition of slavery and right to vote, blacks were clearly inferior citizens. Post-WWII would have been an ideal time to bring blacks fully into American society as full members with full rights. There were plenty of good jobs. We had just won the great war against such delusional prejudices and horrible actions based on them by both Hitler and the Japanese. And finally, so many black men had served with honor in that conflict.

The second was Vietnam. After WWII they wanted their independence. France refused. It seems funny since a war had just been fought over oppression. France had also had three ass-kickings by the Germans in 75 years. Its no surprise the Vietnamese kicked their asses as well. So the USA foolishly came in to help. Now America had its last chance to gracefully pull out, but Ike blocked the free elections to avoid Ho, a communist, from being elected. Ho's heroes were, interstingly enough, Washington and Jefferson. So we escalated a war over two decades, broought China and the USSR into the conflict, and found no easy way out.

Third was the Baby Boom generation.

Looking back, it is hard to say when the decline really began, or at least the seeds of the decline. Some say the seeds were planted early in the 20th Century when Wilson decided to embark on empire. His decision to enter WWI was foolish. Germany was hardly an evil like WWII. The war itself was unnecessary as well. It was an incredible destruction of human life and property for nothing. It however had three outcomes: The creation of the Communist USSR, The Great Depression worldwide and the rise of Hitler/WWII.

Another seed was set early in the century: The Federal Reserve Bank. This gave private big bankers the power to control the economic system for their own benefit. They even were able to do this under the guise of being a public institution. This allowed financial manipulation to benefit the bankers at the expense of the citizens.

The progressive income tax was also began. Sold to the masses as a way to get the rich to pay the bills of ambitious empire, it would with the inflating currency reach into most peoples pockets over time and garnish an ever-increasing share of the nation's wealth.

The next seeds were planted in the 1930's by FDR. He took the speculations of Keynes as doctrine and spent like mad, creating all sorts of programs. Many were useful creation of infrastructure like damns to create electricity. But he created a bloated bureaucracy that never went away. He also created Social Security, a program that would expand over following administrations. It also bet on an age of death that was surpassed by almost two decades in ensuing years. Finally he confiscated people's gold, the only stable monetary value. This set a precedent for the future.

After resounding victory in WWII and the only essentially untouched industrial nation of this very destructive conflict, the United States enjoyed a great era in all ways: Prosperity, social stability, science, technology and record numbers entering college. This golden age lasted nearly twenty years until the mid-1960's.

In the next chapter, we will see a golden age of the United States, but also how during that period the seeds of destruction took root.

It is hard to imagine here in 2015 that the country and world were so different. People are quite nostalgic for the glorious late 20th Century. Teenagers today were too young to remember how it was. Of course the era is idealized, but it was much better than today.

People ask themselves what the heck happened? Blamestorming is the order of the day. The liberals and their Welfare State. The unions. The trial lawyers. The Christian Fundamentalists. The Moslem Fundamentalists. The Neocons. The Bankers. The SuperPlague. All these have some truth, but as we shall see the roots go much further back.

Here is a program that gives out money to those who are disabled. A worthy goal, but not without problems. It is very expensive, running into hundreds of billions of dollars. And it will get more expensive with time. The population is aging, so an older workforce will run into more medical problems limiting their ability to work. There also is an increase in medical pathology in our future for each age group. This is due to factors such as excessive drug abuse, obesity and diabetes. There is also an attitude of entitlement where many people think somebody else should support them.

For clarification there are two programs, Title 2 and Title 16. Title 2 is for those vested in social security by their work histories of paying into the system. This comes from social security taxes. Title 16 is from federal income taxes and for those with no meaningful documented work history.

Now this program is very expensive-and wasteful. On a minor level, the administration of the program is expensive. But the real problem is that so many people who can work are labeled disabled and given money.

So here are my solutions that will help solve our social security solvency problems and federal deficit in a huge way:
1. Only US citizens may receive T16 benefits.
2. No child benefits-they don't work anyways.
3. All applications screened by doctors. Those without reasonable merit are rejected.
4. Only doctors (medical doctors or osteopathic doctors only) making decisions.
5. May no re-apply while case is pending, including legal challenge.
6. May not apply or receive benefits for at least one year after final decision of denial.
7. No benefits or application allowed if on AFDC.
8. Immediate cut-off for any thirty day period of incarceration.
9. Cases of those who are currently receiving benefits can be discontinued at review if grant is found to be in error.
10. Applicants rejected if illicit drug use. Ditto for current recipients. Urine drug screening will be used and immediate ceasing of benefits if positive test.

So there it is. Legitimate disabled is one thing. The rest of you get a job.

Social security was meant to provide very basic money for retirees to live on. Workers are to put in money and get money back in the future. Hence any kind of means test based on assets violates this agreement. The problems are three. First, people are living much longer. Two, the aging population keeps making for less workers to support each retiree. Third and final, many people draw on the money at a much earlier age than retirement age due to disability. The third factor I will address in the future.

The solution is rather simple. Simply raise the eligibility ages. Each year raised saves billions. People are living longer and capable of working longer. Full benefits age for those born in the fifties is now 68. Born in the sixties 70. Seventies 72. Eighties 74. Nineties 76. And so on.

This will save Social Security without being an oppressive burden on younger generations.

Running such a massive and complex entity as the federal government requires a team approach. No person can know and do it all. I consider all government employees and officials part of that team. What I will address today is my plan to replace top officials. I expect a resignation letter from every appointee position in the federal and state government on file. Nobody is going to be replaced today, but change will come.

I will personally choose those at the top. I will surround myself with the best and brightest available. I will not choose those who will just agree with everything I say. The past administration did this and look at all the idiotic decisions they made.

Those selected individuals will then have the power to choose those under them. We will look at current government employees as well as those appointees that have shown competence.

Temporary appointments will also be made in the interim period as people leave on their own or are asked to leave. The use of current appointees and government employees in these and permanent positions will keep most of those desiring continued government employment a job and over time create a leaner government as far as actual workers.

Welcome to a leaner and smarter government.

Now I want to begin an incredible source of revenue: Gambling. Hundreds of billions of dollars move through this industry, much of it illegal. Here is something people do anyways, legal or not, that can bring in plenty of money on an entirely voluntary basis. Nevada has managed to provide services without any income tax for many years.

I will set up a committee to study how the various states and tribes manage this. Then quickly set up federal parameters that trump all existing laws on any level. State and local governments will be free to set up programs. The federal government will set up its own program as well. Local communities will be given plenty of leeway to control what happens in their jurisdictions, including no gambling at all (outside of federal programs that have no actual physical sites in their land).

So there is yet another way I have increased your freedom, taken money away from criminal enterprise and reduced the monumental debt.

This nasty and misleading legislation was pushed through by the Bush administration before the election to get the more senior vote. It was created to get political capital for the upcoming election by playing on the real problem of prescription costs for seniors. The Republicans in Congress, as well as the Democrats, pulled in line to avoid their own being labeled as anti-senior. Of course then they complained after the vote they really were misled per the costs. This only further justifies my dissolution of Congress.

The real act itself requires not only complicated and confusing requirements, but an enrollment fee as well. Then the import of foreign medications is outlawed. Sounds like a handout to Big Pharm to me.

So let us nip this trillion dollar disaster in the bud. The act is here and now repealed. Those having paid in will promptly have their money refunded. This savings is monumental and better insures our future. There are better solutions to prescription drug costs.

This one is simple. In fact, the only tax increase I will make at this time. I now repeal all the Bush tax cuts.

Much of this was a give-a-way to the wealthy or at least more affluent. Now I do not beleive in "soak the rich." But we are in dire times and the revenue lost is huge. To radically increase spending while cutting taxes is grossly irresponsible.

But as I have said before, I will reform our tax code and make it more fair. I do not believe in penalizing success.

And much of these breaks actually were handouts to those who do not even pay taxes. This ends now.

This act will put us much closer to fiscal viability and corrects one huge blunder.

I promised a few ways to raise revenue without raising taxes. This one is a tax of sorts, but entirely voluntary. And it has some real benefits in money otherwise spent and even some quality of life issues, something forgotten in our recent past.

Marijuana and its derivatives are now legal to produce, sell, and use. Period. The sales will be taxed and these revenues used to meet government obligations. This will bring in billions of dollars of revenue. It will be under the same laws as alcohol.

We also can save at least millions by police, federal agents, courts and prisons. This way we can keep the dangerous criminals locked up longer. Common working citizens will no longer be criminals.

If people were to choose a drug to abuse, this is the most benign one out there. Time tested over thousands of years with minimal adverse effects. More than we can say for alcohol or nicotine. The ability to make it into sprays, drinks and food will alleviate the respiratory adverse effects for those that choose these forms. We can expect less violence and accidents as many choose to drink less for this superior high.

Party on.

In the sixties, LBJ and Congress tried to create a Great Society in part by creating the Welfare State. Four decades later, any intelligent person can see this was monumentally stupid. We have created a whole sector of society that lives on the dole generation after generation. They reproduce with full intention of getting a check. Then there are all the other programs like food stamps and subsidized housing. They take a huge toll on our health care system. They crowd our schools with unmotivated and unruly students. Of course the criminal element is a major product of this misguided legislation, increasing crime and our prison population. I realize many people will be unhappy. Those who live off this system. Those whose jobs are based on it. And the ignorant liberals who have no real experience with the underclass. So here it is:

1. Limit of five years per uterus. So no matter how many kids over the years, you only get sixty months of benefits. No exceptions. Those currently over the five years have an extra year starting today to get their act together. Five years gives a woman time to raise a child, get some job skills and figure out how she got pregnant.

2. Mandatory Depo-Provera every three months unless medically documented sterilization. Fail to comply and no check until you do.

3. Mandatory well-child visits and immunizations. Fail to comply and yes, no check until you do.

4. All benefits are now at the same level in all states. The level set is that of the state paying the lowest. This will save a great deal of money and eliminate "shopping" for states with the highest benefits.

So there it is. So much money saved. Less stress on all our public services. A demand for more personal responsibility.

I beleive in capitalism. It is the greatest good for the most as an economic system. It of course must be under the reign of higher values.

Socialism and Communism are proven disasters. They have survived under brutal loss of freedom in China, North Korea, Cuba and Myamar to name a few. The USSR failed. Even the soft socialism is starting to undermine Europe. England pulled away from socialism with Thatcher and reversed several decades of decline. Much of our problems here at home are from socialism as well. But that's for another day.

This act is to create true capitalism. Many corporations have too long put more effort into governmental hand-outs and breaks than into creating better goods and services. Companies must thrive or die based on their ability to compete in the free market. Here are the specifics:

1. Create commissions of current federal employees to look at all federal monies sent to companies. They will judge whether this money is pork or actually serving a useful purpose. Their findings will be reviewed by a supervising board who will determine whether they agree with the findings. Less than useful programs will be cut.

2. Create the same system at the states level.

3. Inform corporations that there will be no bailouts of failed companies. This includes airlines, banks, thrifts and car companies.

These changes will save untold billions. Here is a major key to reduced spending. Companies must participate fully in free enterprise and survive and thrive on their own merits.