This was posted on Naked Capitalism.  I view the poster, Jack Hepler as a guy like me looking at the situation like Darwin trying, struggling with determination to make sense out of what he sees.  See his post and all the various comments it elicited for some interesting reading displaying a variety of viewpoints and ideas.
I posted this comment:
Public debt can’t be wiped out by making more (debt) money. Public 
Debt and private savings are in equal balance.  Minus amount equal to 
plus amount.  There is another way to balance: Plus equals Plus.  A 
single $16 trillion platinum coin on the government public side = the 
sum of all the individual single dollars on the private savings side. It
 is a balance just like $16 debt eqauls $16 asset.  $16 coin = $16 
single dollars.  The whole = the sum of its parts.  Let it be and it is.
But wait, the $16 trillion coin also equals all the dollars due to 
the holders of the National Debt.  But the holders of the ND are due 
that money over time, plus the interest I guess.  In any event over 
time.  Meanwhile the $16 trillion coin equals the present private asset 
savings upon implementation establishment. Even if done today there 
would be no change impact on the private asset revolving fund savings 
side?
The National Debt is a revolving debt fund.  We must pay it off as 
due over time.   If no new debt must be issued because todays private 
savings (also a revolving fund) has been balanced by the $16 trillion 
coin then we do not have to sell more debt to replace old debt as it is 
retired over time.  It becomes a self liquidating revolving fund. 
Where does the money come from to retire the existing National Debt revolving debt fund over time if not from selling more debt?
(insert answer here)
The paid off ND investors can put their money anywhere they want.  
Sounds like a boost to free private enterprise investment to me. Would 
it drive scams or better, safer investments?  China (as well as everyone
 else holding the ND) has to do something with its $1 trillion but only 
as that trillion is paid off over how many years?  They will find 
another (safe?) place paying something in return?  The market maybe?  
The common public good in some way if it benefits them? 
Any validity to these ideas about the coin?
The coin: Something about E pluribus unum appeals to me.  It sound 
American.  Like many from one or one from many. Quibble about semantics 
but the idea is the same.  The many combine to one.  One serves the 
many.  Did we invent that idea or just apply it?  
$16 trillion digital dollars private savings from (but equal to) one 
$16 trillion public coin.  E pluribus unum used to be the defacto motto 
of the USA until the official one “In God We Trust” was established by 
law in 1956.  The coin has two sides, one for each motto or choice of 
core value statement by either political party.  Or two advertising 
spaces to the highest bidder.  
If people must cling to the idea that debt must be a part of money 
then put the word “Debt” on one side of the coin and “Asset” on the 
other.  One day when the National Debt is gone through retirement 
without replacement then a change can be made on the “Debt” side of the 
coin.  
Like: “Paid in Full” or:  “Its All Our Money Now”  Funny thing: It is
 all ours now.  That is why we can make the $16 trillion coin. It is our
 soveriegn right.  Maybe all we need is the will of the people, or some 
kind of government to express that will.
We could have a “National Debt Countdown Clock” and in some future 
year celebrate two “New Years”. Two new beginnings with a clean slate 
and hope for a better future in the same year.
There could be a futures market in when that day and time would be.
 
No comments:
Post a Comment