4 ms·
Ron Paul said this in 1984. Imagine an alternate reality where the USA elected Dr. Ron Paul president in 1984, passed a constitutional amendment requiring a ba
by RecycledEle 3y ago
Ron Paul said this in 1984.
Imagine an alternate reality where the USA elected Dr. Ron Paul president in 1984, passed a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget in 1985, paid off its debt by 1992, and never allowed the federal government nor any state to runa deficit again because any cash flow shortfall automatically triggered an increase in all tax rates by double the percentage of the shortfall. So if the government of the State of California spent 10% more than they took in in 2023, they would see all tax rates automatically increase by 20% in 2024, which would provide pressure on their state government to stop spending.
- pylua 3y agoI didn’t know this is how it would work. I had hoped they would just confiscate the elected officials personal property or throw them all in jail. Those sorts of variance in taxes would not be good for anyone.
- RecycledEle 3y ago> Those sorts of variance in taxes would not be good for anyone. The sharp and unexpected tax increases would be good for future generations. Most voting populations* would only need one of them to help them learn to vote* for financially responsible politicians. Such sharp and unrepealable (at least for that year) tax increases would be like punishing a disobedient child. Society would learn to vote* for more fiscally conservative leaders. * This assumes we have any role in electing anyone. Given the reality of rigged elections, it is obvious when the powers that be refuse to allow balanced budget amendments. Such an amendment would trigger a desire to throw the bums out, which would be frustrated by rigged elections, which would lead to unacceptable things like people arresting their leaders. I can see why no balanced budget amendment can ever pass.