The latest clamor over the evils of public debt have me puzzled. According to certain members of GOP, Inc., public debt is the grandest scam ever perpetuated on the American people. According to recent polls, over 60% of the people agree with that and note that getting rid of the debt is absolutely necessary, even in these times of economic stress.
To help me understand all the noise, I have set up a simple model for myself. First, a couple of figures:
1. 2010 USA Gross National Product (GDP) was approximately $13.2 Trillion Dollars.
2. 2010 National Debt Limit is approximately $14.4 Trillion Dollars
3. The Ratio of 2010 Debt/2010 GDP is, therefore, 1.09 to 1.
The question is, is this ratio dangerous? Well, here is my simple model, based upon the GOP, Inc. statement that “I have to pay all my bills. The Federal government should have to do the same.”
Let’s create a hypothetical simple nation, named “You.” The nation of "You" has a population of four, one producer, one supporter, and two welfare cases, ranging in age from 6 to 9. "You" doesn’t do manufacturing or agriculture or mining. It is a nation that provides services to other nations in the form of labor. The GDP of "You" is, for purposes of discussion, $60,000. From that amount the nation conducts its business, buying groceries, insurance, communications, fuel, etc. It also pays the welfare recipients $3.00 and $5.00 per week for miscellaneous chores.
Now what about debt? If the GOP, Inc. people are correct, "You" shouldn’t have any since “the bills are paid each month and year.” But is that really true? Experience shows that it is not. Consider the following debts of "You":
1. Borrowed from foreigners (banks) to pay other foreigners (Sellers) for land and building purchases = $180,000 (approx)
2. Borrowed from foreigners (banks) to pay other foreigners (Car financing firms) for transportation equipment = $40,000 (approx)
3. Borrowed from foreigners (banks) to pay other foreigners (appliance stores) for Infrastructure needs = $10,000 (approx)
4. Borrowed from foreigners (banks) to pay other foreigners (contractors) for construction labor (to put a add-on into the main government and legislation building) = $40,000 (approx)
5. So total debt to foreigners is $270,000, giving "You" a debt to income ratio of 4.5 to 1
This is the same as if our federal government had a debt of $59.4 Trillion Dollars!
There are those who will say that the Federal Government is a different situation because it doesn’t make or sell anything, but they would be incorrect. The Federal government buys security, control, assistance, transportation infrastructure, scientific services, and all sorts of other things, like medical care for retired people (ALL retired people, not just the poor), and the security needed to help with the vicissitudes of old age by assisting in the social security of elder citizens.
Does the national debt need to be taken in hand? Undoubtedly. But the problem is nowhere near as disastrous as GOP, Inc. would have us believe. Doing this rationally and effectively if one party to the conversation insists that it can only be done by punishing the poor and middle classes while enhancing the wealth of the richest one percent of the population is a recipe for disaster and, in the end, an invitation to social revolution. Doing it together cooperatively might even work and make us a better nation. Well, one can hope, can't one?
Monday, April 11, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
More on Gardening
Today was a bit cool, but I decided to get out and work on my compost bins. Here's the story behind them.
About 12 years ago I bought a dump-truck load of what was called "top soil." When the guy left it in my back yard he said, "Better use it as soon as possible." Well, one thing led to another, my health had some ups and downs, and the soil sat in place for about four years. When I went out to take some to use in my Rose Garden, I found it to be a hard as a rock - some topsoil! More time went on and I would, every so often, take a pick ax to the pile and chop up a few wheel barrow loads. Each time I would add peat moss, organic matter, and, when I had it, planting soil. Then I would place the load where I wanted it. In a few months, the little hill would get hard and difficult to handle.
Well, now it is spring and I'm determined to get this mess straightened out. I divided the bin into two piles, separating them by a wire fence. In one I added all of the peat moss I had, about two bales. The other awaits my attention. Over the last week, I've turned the better bin twice and, lo and behold, it is beginning to take shape. It is fairly easy to handle and lacks the compactness of the clay I had been having, so I feel that I'm on the right track.
As noted previously, I bought 120 pounds of good topsoil in 40 pound bags. I put that into a trash can parked at one end of the compost bins (there will be a set of three when I'm done.). Yesterday I bought some limber to use for the front of the bins. Then today, I finished setting posts for the front of bin #1 and bin #2. Bin #1 holds the "good compost," while bin #2 has the old stuff. I also put my new 1" X 6" X 4' boards in the front of Bin #1 and Bin #2, to assist in taking out composted material and adding new material to be composted.
The next stage is to complete bin #3, then turn half of bin #2 into #3, removing the worst clay to the final bin. I was able to start working the soil in bin #2 today and it is loosening up already. I added about 12 pounds of kitchen slops to bin #2 and covered it with good topsoil. Now maybe it can actually begin to compost properly, generating heat as it decays.
Tomorrow or Thursday I'll buy more peat moss (probably only two bales) to split between Bin #2 and Bin #3. Then I can start the process of working the three bins to get good nutritious compost for the gardens.
I'm something of a "satisficer" - I don't aim for perfection in these things. The side and read walls of the bins are wire fencing wrapped around metal posts driven into the ground. That means the walls are not straight, but bow before the weight of the soil. I'll work on that over time, as well as covers for each of the bins to keep nutrients from leaching away in the rains - although some water is needed for the composting process. It is all a work in progress and if anyone actually reads this, have pity on me, a poor sinner who doesn't know any better!
About 12 years ago I bought a dump-truck load of what was called "top soil." When the guy left it in my back yard he said, "Better use it as soon as possible." Well, one thing led to another, my health had some ups and downs, and the soil sat in place for about four years. When I went out to take some to use in my Rose Garden, I found it to be a hard as a rock - some topsoil! More time went on and I would, every so often, take a pick ax to the pile and chop up a few wheel barrow loads. Each time I would add peat moss, organic matter, and, when I had it, planting soil. Then I would place the load where I wanted it. In a few months, the little hill would get hard and difficult to handle.
Thinking about it, I thought, "Well, maybe if I put it into a compost heap with loads of other stuff it would actually soften up." So last year I built a new set of two compost bins - not very fancy and, to be honest, of rather poor construction. I am a simple man. Then I began to add organic matter and grass clippings, layering that with the "topsoil" from my old pile. In a couple of weeks it got as hard as concrete and when I tried to turn it, I was able only to turn part of it. By fall I said, "The heck with it," and let it sit over winter. to the left is a picture, after I tried to turn it all over. You can see the big clumps of clay. Welcome to Marion County, Illinois.
As noted previously, I bought 120 pounds of good topsoil in 40 pound bags. I put that into a trash can parked at one end of the compost bins (there will be a set of three when I'm done.). Yesterday I bought some limber to use for the front of the bins. Then today, I finished setting posts for the front of bin #1 and bin #2. Bin #1 holds the "good compost," while bin #2 has the old stuff. I also put my new 1" X 6" X 4' boards in the front of Bin #1 and Bin #2, to assist in taking out composted material and adding new material to be composted.
The next stage is to complete bin #3, then turn half of bin #2 into #3, removing the worst clay to the final bin. I was able to start working the soil in bin #2 today and it is loosening up already. I added about 12 pounds of kitchen slops to bin #2 and covered it with good topsoil. Now maybe it can actually begin to compost properly, generating heat as it decays.
Tomorrow or Thursday I'll buy more peat moss (probably only two bales) to split between Bin #2 and Bin #3. Then I can start the process of working the three bins to get good nutritious compost for the gardens.
I'm something of a "satisficer" - I don't aim for perfection in these things. The side and read walls of the bins are wire fencing wrapped around metal posts driven into the ground. That means the walls are not straight, but bow before the weight of the soil. I'll work on that over time, as well as covers for each of the bins to keep nutrients from leaching away in the rains - although some water is needed for the composting process. It is all a work in progress and if anyone actually reads this, have pity on me, a poor sinner who doesn't know any better!
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