Surplus What?

["John Gelles" <jjgelles@xxxxxxxx>]

        o  We, the American nation, expect to "have" a surplus
            over the next decade. A surplus of money to spend,
            pay down debt, or refund to taxpayers.

        o  This we are told by the President and people who
            study the matter. Admittedly, some really expect the
            surplus; others are not at all sure it will happen.

        o  But no one expects to have a surplus of things to
            buy with the money -- things we desperately need
            as a nation. Things like homes for the homeless,
            protection of the environment, doctors and nurses,
            police, classrooms for learning, etc.

        o  Since Americans don't believe it's money 'til they
            spend it,  is it not the duty of every official and
            teacher to explain the difference between a surplus
            of money and a surplus of things it can buy.

        o  Can we protect medicare without doctors and
            nurses?  Money may be needed to train them,
            but, once trained, if we assume they all work
            at their profession (and that there are enough
            of them), then what we may need is enough
            of the things doctors and nurses buy -- likes
            cars and houses.

        o  That may be what we need -- and we may
            may not have them in the quantities necessary
            for all the doctors and nurses (and pill makers)
            required to attend to babyboomer health in
            coming years. We may not have them, if all we
            have money -- and all they want is things.

        o  Surplus what?  Do we expect a surplus of the
            real things people need? Of do we expect a budget
            surplus unaccompanied by what we really need?

        o  If these real aspects of the budget issue are not
            discussed in the coming election, we may expect
            a continued deficit in real output compared to need.

        o  And the surplus of revenues over expenditures will
            likely also turn into a budget deficit for lack of any
            understanding here (or elswhere) of the tax and
            production system reforms that can help us meet
            national and individual needs.

              John Gelles   jjgelles@xxxxxxxx
                                  http://www.1944.org
                                  http://www.rain.org/~jjgelles/