More Q&A

Larry, a retired Air Force Colonel from Reno, writes:

Q: Charlie –

I’ve reread your unpublished An American Fable Epilogue, and have many questions previously untouched in your Q & A to date. Here’s my top 10.

A: Larry, how observant of you! I’m sure these questions would eventually be asked, but let me answer them now.

1. Why build new Federal prisons in the Aleutian Islands? Won’t these be terribly expensive to maintain, compared to mainland prisons?

A: I see no need for new prison buildings in the Aleutians, and a minimum of administrative cost compared to mainland prisons. These Aleutian Island enclaves were built after the Japs bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and shortly thereafter launched an unsuccessful flotilla against our westernmost outposts from Attu to Dutch Harbor. We built army posts throughout the Aleutians and the Japs never got their launching pads for the mainland invasion of California, after the turnaround Naval Battle of Midway in the Spring of ’42; nor did Stalin’s post-war Commies invade our Alaskan frontier from nearby Siberia, where they outnumbered us 10 to 1. Bottom line, our Marine D.I. commanders will save those souls worth saving, and the rest will get the isolation they deserve for preying upon our children; murdering our citizens; and other obscene crimes, such as drug trafficking to our school kids. As Marlon Brando proclaimed in The Godfather, "This we do not forgive."

2. Where does “tipping” fit into the “10% on everything” unified tax scheme? Won’t waitresses, taxi drivers, and other personal service folks make out like bandits if they cheat, as they do today?

A: Tipping, and other gratuities are left to the conscience of the receiver. My best guess is that no recipient would risk a 2–5 year jail term for a lousy 10% tax and a 10% personal pension contribution to their T-Bond account. But I could be dead wrong.

3. Are T-Bond personal pension accounts additional collateral for bank loans and home mortgages?

A: You’re right, Larry, - personal T-Bond pension accounts are indeed in play for loans and home mortgages, thus keeping interest rates at rock bottom, because they represent hard assets guaranteed by Uncle Sam, but payable only at borrower age 70. So dissatisfied lenders will have to wait; and thinking folks will not risk their golden years treasure chest for a quick buck; we learned our lesson a year ago with the collapse of Wall Street and the real estate market.

4. How does General Colin Powell become U.N. Secretary General, and how does losing candidate John McCain become Secretary of State?

A: My fictional President, conservative Irish Catholic Democrat Matt Ramsey, tells the U.N. that they either accept Colin Powell as their new Secretary General, with specific mandates to save Africa and reorganize myriad boondoggle U.N. agencies, or the U.S.A. is out, and they can move back to Geneva without us. It takes the Security Council just two days to face 21^st Century reality – and they cave, as when Ronnie called the Russkies, and won the 50-year Cold War.

President Ramsey’s decision to put hero John McCain in charge of Foreign Affairs was based upon the demonstrated bravery and patriotism of this Navy pilot warrior, who would now become our chief diplomatic warrior. Combat leaders like Matt Ramsey (Middle-East Green Beret), and John McCain (6-year Vietnam P.O.W.) prove to be an unbeatable combination in my 21^st Century scenario, and the great strategic mind of Colin Powell saves Africa from the abyss, with the help of several hundred thousand American and European Peace Corps volunteers, who earn the25 grand minimum wage, and a free pass to our National Universities. Interim armed ex-colonial administration by England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Portugal and Italy pay for their own troops and administrators - their fair share for 21st Century global peace.

Colin devises a new map of a half-dozen economically viable Middle-African nations; the Dutch East Indies; and the Far Pacific; each of which is a melting pot of various tribes and cultures – like America – complete with our Constitution, dollar, and tax system. Trouble makers are vacationed to offshore islands in the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean; as are Middle East trouble makers to offshore islands in the Persian Gulf, all under command of our Marine D.I.’s (drill instructors), who fulfill their mission to save every soul worth saving, and bury the rest. Tough job, but these Marine D.I.'s are the very best patriots our country is capable of producing - a two-century dedication that has no equal in American military history -battle-proved veterans who never fear the devil himself - 'nuff said.

5. How can towns, counties and states cover free medical services? We’ve been told that these future costs are astronomical – in the trillions. And, if so much goes to medical care, what’s left for instrastructure; schools; and takeover of Federal lands and other property?

A: The projected cost of future medical care is indeed an unsupportable multi-trillion dollar number. President Obama is right on this score, but socialized medicine is not the answer – free choice by patients is the answer. Under my plan, insurance companies, ambulance chasers, and HMOs are screwed, and the army of new house-calling G.P.’s graduating from National University internship, or leaving HMO’s, is blessed. “Malpractice” claims are handled by municipal medical courts, saving practitioners 100-200 grand of yearly insurance premiums. Another source of medical savings is home medical care by Don the Doctor, who shows up with a fully-equipped mini-van, and his nurse in tow, to nip family maladies in the bud. This is a quantum leap in preventive medical care, especially with oldsters like me, who are happy to hand over a 10-20 buck tax bite on a 100-200 buck house call. Don the Doctor is happy, because he’s making 200-500 grand, making his wife happy. Our town is happy because bogus claims are knocked out in municipal medical court. And, if my family doesn’t like Don, we can always switch to Tom, Dick or Harry – the “Doc” pool is full of specialists and G.P.’s, all anxious to get away from HMO bureaucratic bullshit and malpractice insurance premiums, and at last practice their Hypocratic Oath. These fresh ideas do not pretend to be the final answer – simply new thinking to build upon.

6. You state that National Lottery net proceeds should be $1 billion a day ($365 Billion/year) to pay down Federal debt. How does this work?

A: Americans, like most folks worldwide, love to gamble, especially when the odds are favorable for a tax-free million buck payoff, which is based upon officially published total daily tax receipts from the “10% on everything” unified tax – an 11-digit number of about $10 Billion, the last 6 digits of which (in exact sequence) is a winner. Speaking of gambling, Vegas, Reno and the Mafia are screwed with the 10% tax on gross bettings, and the constant threat of an Aleutian Island “vacation” for convicted skimmers and other bad guys. The daily National Lottery is the hottest game in town, with several dozen winning new millionaires, and gross betting (less 10% tax) mandated to Federal debt paydown and nothing else. We daily players get a shot at “instant millionaire”; and losers patriotically pay down our enormous national debt. We also begin to learn about daily GDP – just multiply by 10 and you’ve got it today – not months later.

7. You seem to infer “British” heritage for our country, rather than mixed German, Irish, Italian, and other European countries who have sent even greater masses of immigrants past our Statue of Liberty. Are your Q&A answers biased by your “Fairfax” middle name?

A: The simple answer is that a thousand years ago, my British Saxon Baron ancestors successfully demanded from the invading French Normans an historic compromise, since named the Magna Carta – the first second millennium step to human dignity – which is what our U.S.A. is all about. From Virginia Colony’s Captain Smith to Dutch explorer Hendrik Hudson’s takeover of Manhattan, with hundreds of English 20-year religious exiles (the refugee “Speer” part of my name) in tow; to other English religious refugees landing at Plymouth Rock.

Almost all of our Founding Fathers came out of English or Dutch harbors to the New World – that’s us – from day one, excluding Spanish Florida, French Louisiana, and Spanish Mexico. (Less Texas, California, Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico.) Our Colonial constitutions’ declarations by Massachusetts and Virginia, and later, after an 8-year Colonial War, confirmed by our one and only Constitutional Congress of 1787, represent our historical quest for human dignity and is basically English-thinking. We did not deny their Magna Carta and Parliamentary system of government – we improved upon it, as we have always been prone to do with meritorious foreign ideas and inventions, from the British steam engine, to Marconi’s Italian “wireless.” Are we less today than our Founding Fathers? I think not. British common law commands our country in matters of modern American societal law, which now embodies every culture on Earth in a giant melting pot of humanity. This is the legal strength behind our enormous middle class, which has 90% of buying power, and 80% of assets, including T-Bond pension accounts. No American citizen is “left behind,” and Lord help any foreign power not bowing to the Eagle emblem on our passports when we travel abroad. Should we run into trouble, Uncle Sam will first save our butt, and then deal harshly with those who dare to challenge our American citizenship, as in the glory days of Rome 2 millennia ago. "I'm an American!" is equivalent today to "I'm a Roman Citizen!" back then; "I demand justice from my fellow citizens, and no one else!"

8. How can we come up with a “Star Wars” satellite Pax Americana shield for our entire planet? We’ve been trying unsuccessfully for a generation!

A: The “Star Wars” global satellite shield is neither easy to complete after 30 years of hiccup testing, nor to back up with a 2 million man striking force and half a million American and European Peace Corps volunteer “boots on the ground.” But it’s the next logical step for our protection, and that of our friends. It will cost us another trillion dollars to complete, but freedom has never been cheaply won, and we have all the advanced technology required to do the job sooner rather than later. Keep in mind that Federal power is limited to National Security, and uniform justice in matters of commerce, citizenship, and constitutional law. No other powers are ceded by the Sovereign States.

9. How can we enforce global “free trade,” including China, who might for domestic reasons, enforce existing WTO trade exclusions?

A: American free trade rules are simple and unforgiving – the U.S.A. will trade with no country taxing or prohibiting our exports of goods and services, including capital investments. Take it or leave it. China, India, and “third world” countries with protectionist policies are screwed – to our advantage for the stuff we have to sell – petroleum; liquid natural gas; farmer produce; advanced technology; big American cars and appliances; big tractors and earthmovers; investment capital; and management know-how. No important country on the globe can afford to be excluded from our one-third share of global trade – so they uniformly cave. They will either conform, or sink into 21^st Century oblivion; and frankly, we don't give a damn which way they choose.

10. 30-buck per barrel crude oil, 50-cent per liter (2 buck/gal) pump price gas, including National “No-Fault?” Surely you’re jesting, as you must be with your legalized gambling and prostitution.

A: Larry, I don’t jest about anything in my writings. We have more oil, coal, natural gas, and other exploitable energy resources than a dog has fleas, and global warming is a gigantic diversionary hoax. Take over climate control from Mother Nature? Somebody's crazy, but it's not me! It’s just a question of national will, as we last demonstrated in WWII; then the 50-year Cold War; and we won them both. Are we less today than our sacrificing forebears? I think not! Same thing with legalized gambling and prostitution, our planet’s oldest “professions”, currently dominated by the Mafia and street corner pimps, both of which are screwed, and will end up in the Aleutians, alongside child molesters/pornographers; schoolyard drug pushers; and murderers – all under the command of Marine D.I.’s in “boot camps” tougher than Parris Island or Camp Pendleton. Very few will survive USMC discipline, but those younger men who do, will be given a second chance to redeem their lives by volunteering for an 8-year “early parole” stint in the Marines; Special Forces; Green Berets; Seals; Air Cavalry; CIA Terrorist “Black Ops”; Drug Cartel Undercover Agents; and other very, very, risky propositions. This rigorous regime will convert tens of thousands of “bad guys” into patriotic citizens – if they manage to live through it.