> The Idea
Instead of relying on our government to solve the economic problems that it has created (especially the national debt), we need to take things into our hands. If can show that we can solve the debt, we can reverse the power that the federal government has. And even perhaps the state governments. Local governments, even. The idea is for We the People to take more power than we currently seem to have by taking control over the governments' wallet. Right now, taxes are still in effect. Taxes are constitutional, but unnecessary. If we pay for things voluntarily, we can take control over what programs Congress attempts to create. If We the People object to any given program, and our President does nothing about it, We the People can simply refuse to pay for it. No money for them means that whatever bill Congress passed to create any given problem would be rendered inert.
But in order to make this happen, we need to show them what We are made of. We can show the Government that taxes are no longer necessary.
Let's do it:
> U.S. Population:
313,914,040 as of July 2012
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (so says Google on March 16th, 2013, 7:06am PST)
> U.S. Unemployment Rate:
7.7% Seasonally Adjusted - Feb 2013
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (so says Google on March 16th, 7:06am PST)
> U.S. Employment Rate -- As Inferred:
100 - 7.7 = 92.3
Thus employment rate is 92.3%
> U.S. Population Employed -- As Inferred:
313,914,040 × 92.3% = 289,742,658.92 people (rounded down to 289,742,658 for later calculations; rounding up accounts for 1 extra person that doesn't exist -- whether or not the data is accurate)
> Current U.S. National Debt (as of 03/14/2013):
$16,708,225,460,175.14
Source: TreasuryDirect.gov (www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/BPDLogin?application=np)
> Assuming every employed individual pays the following with the below frequency:
$10/year [1] * 289,742,658 = $2,897,426,580.00/year
$10/month [12] * 289,742,658 = $34,769,118,960.00/year
$10/two weeks [26] * 289,742,658 = $75,333,091,080.00/year
$10/week [52] * 289,742,658 = $150,666,182,160.00/year
$100/year [1] * 289,742,658 = $28,974,265,800.00/year
$100/month [12] * 289,742,658 = $347,691,189,600.00/year
$100/two weeks [26] * 289,742,658 = $753,330,910,800.00/year
$100/week [52] * 289,742,658 = $1,506,661,821,600.00/year
$200/week [52] * 289,742,658 = $3,013,323,643,200.00/year
Looks like we're already pushing the boundries for some people, but I can hope that those employed with a lower hourly wage can figure out a way to be able to set aside $200 per week (I mean, damn, ~$3 trillion per year?).
> Time to Pay Off Debt (as calculated, rounded up for the benefit of the doubt. Sorted by least amount of time to most):
$16,708,225,460,175.14 / $3,013,323,643,200.00 = ~6 years
$16,708,225,460,175.14 / $1,506,661,821,600.00 = ~12 years
$16,708,225,460,175.14 / $753,330,910,800.00.00 = ~23 years
$16,708,225,460,175.14 / $347,691,189,600.00 = ~49 years
$16,708,225,460,175.14 / $150,666,182,160.00 = ~111 years
$16,708,225,460,175.14 / $75,333,091,080.00 = ~222 years
$16,708,225,460,175.14 / $34,769,118,960.00 = ~481 years
$16,708,225,460,175.14 / $28,974,265,800.00 = ~577 years
$16,708,225,460,175.14 / $2,897,426,580.00 = ~5767 years
> Conclusion
This does not account for everything. Those with higher incomes would be encouraged to pay as much as they feel is necessary. Those with minimum wage jobs would be encouraged to set aside at least $10 per month, if not $100. One's spending habits, when left unchecked, could influence the amount they are willing and able to pay without interfering with their life too much. Then there are those who simply don't care and have no interest taking things into their hands.
But it could prove an important point if the People could solve the Government's financial problems. Best case scenario, taxes are abolished in favor of individual contributions to their local government, which may contribute some of their revenue to their state, which may contribute some of their revenue to the federal government.
Best case scenario, the People willingly pay only for what they want from their government -- be it at the local, state, or federal levels. Things might be easier when and if the nation debt is taken care of.
This document does not account for the circulation of money as payments are made. But circulation through spending is expected. That said, I'm sure there are plenty of things that I've failed to account for when writing this document.
