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[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

> Well, from that tired perspective, there is no actual money in the United 
> States government. Period. Never has been. All government monies come from 
> government levies, primarily taxes. So what's new? Let's move on.

No, let's not.  When the government levies taxes, it is in effect levying a 
portion of the GNP.  It is declaring that a certain percent of the food, 
energy, goods, housing (etc.) are at its disposal to disburse among its 
employees 
and protogees.  When the government issues the (whatever the Food Stamp card 
is 
called) card, it is saying to the holder, "You can go into a grocery store 
and 
lay claim to a portion of the food there."  Likewise government payroll 
checks, likewise SS checks.  

Until we have the collective sense to convert our system to a national value 
added tax, the portion of the goods and services the government lays claim to 
is measured by a percent of the income of individuals and corporate bodies.  
I 
might add here that it is only PROFIT that is taxed.  If fuel prices go up 
dramatically, profits go down dramatically.  It is a function of the fact 
that 
our entire economy and culture is oil based.   

Right now the government can direct that even the sizeable portion of our 
poplulation that is not engaged in producing anything can still command a 
sizeable portion of the goods available because each person who IS producing 
can 
produce a sizeable surplus.  Why?  Because of the availability of cheap 
energy.  
Just as soon as that supply of energy is no longer cheap, the surplus is no 
longer there.  The government is then trying to direct that the recipients of 
its 
largess get the benefits of a surplus that does not exist.

Now, as to the rather pointless observation that "there is no actual money in 
the United States government",  yes, there is.  When we give up a portion of 
what we produce to be placed under the direction of the government to be 
redistributes (such as food in the grocery store), it's real.   When that 
portion 
is no longer forthcoming because if the expensive and/or scarce energy 
involved, the government (and AARP and the like) can rend graments and 
screech all 
they like but they still can't produce more food or more heating oil out of 
thin 
air.  They will be sending you a check that commands ..... nothing.

James