Are There Any Alternatives and Options to Save the Economy?

There are alternatives and options to save the economy over the 5 to 10 year term:

1. Dramatic increase in energy efficiency on a scale not seen. We could cut energy use by 75% with a range of options (references available). Japan does we do on far less energy.

2. Get people to cut back on consumption which is generally mindless (see www.storyofstuff.com). Save more, live within our means, cut back on credit.

3. Cut back dramatically our military budget - say 75%. We already spend more than the next 20 highest national defence budgets COMBINED. This is not buying us additional security.

4. Reform healthcare to squeeze our more from the system. We spend double what Europe spends as a percent of GDP and get far less coverage due to inefficiency of fragmented private healthcare. Support single payer with strict rationing of care.

5. Reform criminal justice so that we don’t pay for 1 in 100 Americans to live in jail at taxpayer expense. Expand work furlough to get value and work out of prioners. Don’t put drug users in jail.

6. Remove perverted tax incentives for non-economic programs (corn ethanol, farm subsidies, tax breaks for oil exploration, etc.)

7. Tax excessive consumption rather than income. Put a stiff sales tax on luxury goods. Cut taxes on the middle class.

8. Intervene quicked to tamp down on speculative bubbles.