Oh the deficits, deficits, deficits – how can we exist or even prosper with so much deficit!!!!

Well, for one thing, this is not an issue of deficit spending – a necessary adjunct to economic recovery. You see, if companies are not hiring or spending, the government has to bridge the gap by doing the hiring and the spending to get us to the other side.

As well, if you are a successful business individual, as I am, perhaps you too understand the concept of ‘buy low, sell high’. As a businessman, I spend and buy when no one else is and I sell when everyone is buying. It’s a simple formula and the basis for success in all instances. So why not the government?

The US Treasury reported its biggest profit ever in 2009, slightly over $92 billion. Why? Because of the investment in America, in deprecated assets that can turn around with the overall economy and sold for big profit – like GM, Mortgage-backed securities, etc.

If we are to do anything to support this economy, we spend now. We spend on fast-rail and creating green jobs – we begin the process of inventing the next, great industrial revolution on the planet, with the US leading the way. Spending now should mean building for the future, not living with and paying for the past.

But ultimately, we can do little to address and affect deficits until we dig out the roots of the problem: the budget. The current US budget is what is broken and actually requires little to fix, in theory that is. In practice is far different.

1. Defense Spending
The bulk of our money goes to defense and TONS of it is waste – maintanence for fleets of aging hardware designed to fight Russia on the slopes of Eastern Europe. We have so much old crap that we likely waste $100 billion a year on keeping it maintained.

2. Tax Cuts
The Bush tax cuts of the early 2000’s drained the US Treasury and set us on the current course to financial ruin. Repeal them.

3. War
One of the very first rules of waging war in “The Art of War” is to ‘avoid prolonged conflict because of the drain on financial and human resources.’ At this point we have spent almost ten years n Afghanistan and eight in Iraq. We just can’t afford these wars. Wars which, because of their length, can never be considered victories. Too costly overall to justify over the long term. I think Obama knows that staying indefinitely is the path to bankruptcy.

You should note HARD that these are also the first wars in US history that were not paid for with a tax increase or spending cut.

4. Gas Tax
Put a $.50 per gallon tax on all purchases and the deficit shrinks while pulling us deeper towards a sustainable green economy. Truth is, gas is too cheap so to force the change, you raise the prices – and yet, even a modest $.50 increase would keep prices below the $4 mark seen two years ago.

5. Decriminalization/Legalization of Marijuana
The estimated savings and revenue increases would reach nearly $150 billion in the US alone. Think of all the resources that could be put to better usage – officers, courts, jail cells.

Grass is already the nation’s biggest cash crop – yes, twice as much as corn. Why not benefit from what is already there and impossible to shake. Can we finally admit to ourselves that prescription drugs already do far more harm (see any commercial)?

If you look at the dates surrounding the repeal of Prohibition, you may note that it came at a time when we needed revenue – and badly. We were also overwhlemed by the criminal elements bred by the ban – Capone and co. So it woul seem to suit our particular moment and situation and particularly given our acceptance of alcohol – despite it being the single most destructive force on our mean streets.

You see, as much as you want to pile on the idea of deficits, it is really more of a rational and reasonable approach to the budget itself that will yield results and perhaps pull us from the clamor of history at our heels.