The Money Shuffle—Seven Essential Reforms

The budget proposal recently unveiled by Congressman Paul Ryan is a decent first step. But the proposal does not even begin to address the dysfunction in Washington D.C. Mr. Ryan’s budget continues the federal government healthcare funding shell-game: take money from taxpayers, allocate it to the states, let the states decide how to give it back to the taxpayers. This money shuffle should be scrapped. Let the states raise revenues for their own healthcare programs. Nowhere in the U.S. Constitution is the word healthcare written. Mr. Ryan’s budget does not address this fundamental abuse of the constitution.

As President George Washington said in his farewell address, “The basis of our political systems is the right of the people to make and to alter their constitutions of government. But the Constitution which at any time exists, till changed by an explicit and authentic act of the whole people, is sacredly obligatory upon all.” The sacred obligation Washington alluded to has been mutilated time and again by every branch of government, starting early on with the Supreme Court of Chief Justice John Marshall.

As Washington said of American involvement in foreign wars, “Why quit our own to stand upon foreign ground? Why, by interweaving our destiny with that of any part of Europe, entangle our peace and prosperity in the toils of European ambition, rivalship, interest, humor or caprice?”

Seven ways to fix the United States:
1) Withdraw from NAFTA and other so-called free trade agreements (FTAs). Free trade agreements are mostly filled with giveaways to political special interest groups. As Washington said, “The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible.” Free trade is a good principle, but the FTAs are far from free

2) A withdrawal from NATO and the United Nations. As I wrote above, Washington and the Founders were against “interweaving” America’s interests with those of other nations.

3) In light of President Obama’s recent foray into Libya, I propose that members Congress reiterate their sole ownership of the authority to declare war. A constitutional amendment increasing the vote threshold to put American troops on foreign soil to two-thirds of both houses would be better yet.

4) Scrap the U.S. corporate tax and taxation of interest, dividends and estates. With a drastically smaller federal government, these growth-killing appropriations will be obsolete.

5) Eliminate the progressive income tax. It is a cornerstone of Marxism and has no place in American government. A modest single rate system will do.

6) End America’s addiction to foreign oil. Look for more on this in the upcoming issue of my premium monthly newsletter, Intelligence Report.

7) Shutter unconstitutional departments of government. The Department of Education is a good place to start. Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid should be offloaded to the states.