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I was born in Boston Massachusetts on January 13, 1970. I lived in Massachusetts for several years. I moved to Nashua, New Hampshire for the 2nd grade. I graduated from Nashua High School.

I graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1992 with a BA Degree in Political Science and a minor in Economics.

I have more than 11 years of part-time customer service experience in retail stores. If consumption decreases, people who work in retail stores are more likely to lose their jobs. If consumption increases, many more people may be employed by retail stores.

I ran for United States Senate in 2002.

The more faith people have in their leaders and the less faith they have in themselves the less Individual Liberty, freedoms, and wealth they are likely to have. People should not trust any person 100 percent. This is especially true when dealing with government leaders. A person should not trust the person's self 100 percent. I do not trust myself or anybody else 100 percent.

I highly recommend people read George Washington's Farewell Address which is one of the most amazing things ever written. He was right about political parties and many other things. http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/milestones/farewell/text.html

I recommend people read

Artful PERSUASION

How to command attention, change minds, and influence people by Harry Mills. The book discusses how elected officials and others manipulate people.

My website is http://www.myspace.com/kennethstremsky. It has my picture. It has book recommendations on selling and other topics. The more you know about selling the less manipulated you may be. I highly recommend people get the free sales newsletter from http://www.gitomer.com.

I discuss dealing with the financial crisis in greater detail on http://www.newgeography.com/users/kenstremsky

Congress for the New Urbanism http://www.cnu.org has a nice website. I agree with them that we need to make our cities more walker friendly. Making cities more walker friendly may reduce our need for foreign oil, help make our air cleaner, and reduce obesity.

401(k) plans

It is not about government revenues.

It is about jobs in the private sector.

It is about helping people save for their retirements.

People should be allowed to remove their contributions from 401(k) plans whenever they want tax free and penalty free.

People should be allowed to remove interest from 401(k) plans whenever they want tax free and penalty free. This may encourage many more people to have 401(k) plans. If a business matches employee contributions to 401(k) plans some, many people may make a lot of money in interest. Many poor people may be better able to become middle class. Many middle class people may have an easier time staying middle class.

People should be allowed to remove capital gains and dividends tax free and penalty free whenever they want.

These changes to 401(k) plans may help people make mortgage payments, reduce their debts, and buy things. These changes may improve consumer confidence. If consumer confidence improves, many businesses may fire fewer workers and many businesses may hire more workers.

SOME QUESTIONS I HOPE PEOPLE WILL THINK ABOUT

How may we encourage savings and investments?

How may we reduce the amount of harm the federal government causes to state governments and local governments?

How may we help state governments and local governments fund their operations?

How may we improve our manufacturing base in our country?

How may we reduce our need for foreign oil?

How may we improve k-12 educations, college educations, and college educations?

I discuss some of these things on http://www.newgeography.com/users/kenstremsky and on http://www.myspace.com/kennethstremsky

We need to be worried about high unemployment. We need to be worried about high inflation. We may have significant deflation before high inflation.

Our national debt was less than 1 trillion dollars on January 20, 1981. Our national debt is now more than 10 trillion dollars. Our country needs to increase many sales taxes and have many sales taxes our country has not had for a while to reduce the national debt. I discuss several sales taxes on http://www.newgeography.com/users/kenstremsky

Businesses need capital to stay in businesses.

Representatives to the United States House of Representatives and United States Senators should NOT receive pensions.

My 3 favorite Presidents of the United States of America are George Washington, Gerald R. Ford, Jr., and Theodore Roosevelt. It is too bad Gerald R. Ford, Jr. did not win in 1976.

I hope people will read George Washington's Farewell Address. He was right about political parties and many other things. It is one of the most amazing things ever written.

I put our Republic above party. I vote for the person who I think will be best for our Republic or for the person who I think will do the least amount of damage to our Republic. I have voted for many Democrats and for many Republicans. I care about the Bill of Rights, Article 1 Section 8, and other parts of the United States Constitution. I have posted a lot of writings on the net over the years. You may find some of them by typing stremsky on a search engine.

Why do I write about the issues the way that I do? Iran Contra. Iran Contra reminded me of how during the Roman Empire security guards of emperors sometimes killed emperors and helped pick new ones. When you think of the Roman Empire, you need to think of how the Roman Republic ended, the craziness of the Roman Empire, and what happened after the Roman Empire ended. The best book I have read dealing with Rome is Caesar: A Biography by Christian Meier. You should keep in mind that I came to terms with my mortality when I was 10 years old in 1980 after a friend of mine was murdered by a drunk driver. If you realize you could die on any given day, you have to ask yourself

Do you want to try to make a difference or do you not and are you okay if your efforts are most likely going to be futile?

My favorite poem has been IF by Kipling since I was in college. I live my life according to some parts of the poem.

The federal government might not want to have individuals and businesses pay the social security tax for the next 2 years on wages below $30,000 a year. This may give many people more money to spend and help them reduce their debts. This may help many businesses have more money to spend, reduce their debts, and increase the probability that they will stay in business. Many businesses might fire fewer people. Many small businesses might hire more people. If unemployment significantly increases, many more people will not be paying money into Social Security and Medicare. If unemployment significantly increases, the need for food stamps and Medicaid may significantly increase.

I think it makes sense to have the social security tax placed on all wages a person makes in year. If this is done, businesses should NOT have to match employee contributions above $100,000 a year. The problem with businesses contributing to social security is it may lead to higher unemployment, lower wages, and more inflation.

If the federal government decides that businesses do not have to pay social security taxes any more, many businesses may fire fewer workers, hire more workers, increase pay of many workers, and increase dividends.

I discuss many different ways of funding Social Security and Medicare on different parts of my website http://www.myspace.com/kennethstremsky. I mention a national sales tax, selling federal government owned land, a higher gasoline tax, and other things.

It is NOT about government revenues.

It is about jobs in the private sector. People who are employed in the private sector are able to make mortgage payments, reduce their debts, buy things, and pay taxes to the federal government and state governments.

The highest federal income tax rate on individuals should NOT be greater than 15 percent. Middle class people and wealthy people will be more likely to consume which may help create jobs.

The highest federal corporate tax rate should NOT be greater than 15 percent.

I discuss many federal sales taxes on http://www.newgeography.com/users/kenstremsky. The federal government should have a 5 percent sales tax on bottled water, donuts, pretzels, and chips. The federal government should have a 5 percent luxury tax on many luxury items. The 5 percent luxury tax should not be placed on boats, planes, and cars because this could cause middle class people who make them to lose their jobs.

The federal government could adopt the sales taxes I mention soon or wait 2 years.

The federal government could adopt some sales taxes sooner than other sales taxes.

Former Senator Fritz Hollings on this website on "Industrial Policy" mentions a "10% surcharge on imports." I think this makes a lot of sense. Some of the money could be used to help fund infrastructure, education, Social Security, and Medicare. Some of the money could go to state governments. This may encourage many US businesses and foreign businesses to create jobs in the United States of America. The surcharge could bring in a lot of money for the federal government.

I discuss many ideas to help State legislatures reduce the harm the federal government causes and help them fund themselves after Matthew Leiphon's "STATE BUDGET WOES" at http://www.newgeography.com/content/00497-state-budget-woes#comments

I ran for United States Senate from New Hampshire in 2002 in the Republican primary. I mention the SEC, discuss my dislike for President Bush, and discuss my dislike with parts of the Republican party platform in July 2002 in how to increase membership in the Republican party at http://www.thegreenpapers.com/Vox/?20020721-0

If the Democrats had learned from Bill Clinton, they may have done a lot better in 2004.

I like to watch General Hospital, Dr Who, and other television shows. I like to watch movies and listen to music. Sometimes, I like to watch ducks.

I highly recommend people read the Constitution, John Locke, The Art of War by Sun Tzu, the Federalist Papers, and Machiavelli's Discourses.


Congress needs to significantly increase the power of shareholders of financial companies and significantly increase the power of other shareholders. Shareholders need to be better able to reduce executive pay and eliminate executive bonuses. Shareholders need to be better able to increase their dividends. Shareholders need to be better able to get back executive pay and bonuses already paid out when they were not based on accurate numbers. Shareholders need to be better able to fire executives and boards of directors. If these policies are adopted, Americans and foreigners might be more likely to invest in our country.


RULES OF ECONOMICS SHOULD BE

1st rule of economics should be expect people to often be stupid

2nd rule of economics should be expect businesses to often be extremely stupid. Some regulation is necessary because businesses often do NOT care about safe food, safe toys, safe clothing, safe automobiles, clean air, clean water, safe working conditions, and reasonable wages. Businesses often just care about short term profits even if what they are doing ends up slitting their own throats, putting them out of business, and possibly their executives in jail

third rule of economics should be when people are in debt and their taxes are reduced expect them to reduce some of their debt

fourth rule of economics should be expect many elected officials to be bought and paid for by financial companies, health insurance companies, prescription drug companies, and/or many other companies. Many elected officials want campaign contributions and/or well paying jobs after leaving office.



Congress should have learned from the savings and loans crisis that regulation is necessary. Congress should have required down payments on homes and fixed rate mortgages. The sooner Congress requires down payments on homes and fixed rate mortgages the better. Allowing mortgage backed securities to be sold based on no money down mortgages was nuts.


Econ 101 - If governments decrease taxes on individuals and businesses, demand for products and services are likely to increase and innovation may increase. Many people may spend more money when their taxes are reduced. Many people may save more money when their taxes are reduced. Many people may reduce their debts when their taxes are reduced. When income taxes and capital gains taxes are increased on the wealthy, they are likely to buy more tax free bonds instead of investing in small companies and other companies. When luxury taxes are increased on the wealthy, they may buy fewer luxury items which harms the people who make luxury items. Governments need taxes to spend money. Governments need to spend money.


The federal government and State Legislatures may want to loan money to many manufacturing companies that make products in our country. Some of the companies could be foreign owned. Some of the companies could be small companies. Companies that make products in our country may cause less air pollution, water pollution, and land pollution on our planet than companies that make products in China. Improving our manufacturing base may increase economic growth and make it easier for us to pay off our national debt over time. Manufacturing is important to our living standards, economic growth, and national security. I want us to use more of the products we use in our country. I also want our country to buy products from other countries so that people who live in other countries will buy products from us. I want Congress to negotiate better trade agreements that are win for us and our trading partners. If products do not have to travel as far, less oil, electricity, and other things may be used. Hopefully, many countries will get better at transporting things with less pollution caused to water, air, and land.

The lower federal taxes are on individuals and businesses the higher state government taxes may be on individuals and businesses. Sometimes, I think state governments spend money better and provide services better than the federal government.

Businesses need capital to stay in business. This is especially true for small businesses.

If the federal government is serious about growing the economy, creating jobs, and reducing the need for food stamps and Medicaid, it should stop taxing interest from savings accounts, dividends, capital gains, and estates. Individuals and businesses will have much more incentive to invest in poor parts of our country. Individuals and businesses will have more money to spend. Businesses will have an easier time obtaining loans and investments for hiring workers, research and development, and plant and equipment. Middle class people, union members, and government employees who have mutual funds would benefit from capital gains and dividends not being taxed. Dividends may be far more important to the middle class in the future than capital gains. If the economy grows a lot, state governments may obtain more revenues from sales taxes and income taxes. Savings and investments may make whatever the federal government decides to do more useful.

I would like state governments to stop taxing interest from savings accounts, dividends, capital gains, and estates. It makes more sense for the federal government and state governments to tax different types of consumption.

If the highest federal corporate tax rate is NOT greater than 15 percent, many more jobs may created in our country, the wages of many people may increase, and dividends may increase. Many people might obtain more capital gains from their investments. Pension funds may do a lot better. There may be less need for food stamps and Medicaid. More manufacturing and innovation may take place in our country.

The Amendments I mention on http://www.myspace.com/kennethstremsky would increase the power of State Legislatures and reduce the amount of harm the federal government causes to the budgets of state governments. Once a state's population hits a certain size I believe it needs an income tax, a sales tax, and user fees. The land size of a state is a factor in this. I discuss my views dealing with New Hampshire and taxation on my website.


Union members should buy the majority of stock in many small companies and startups so that they are able to make the decisions and benefit from capital gains and dividends. Union members need to be more active shareholders in large companies and help pick boards of directors.

Savings and investments help create jobs and increase economic growth over time. Are the results immediate? No


The federal government and state governments should increase the gasoline tax. I hope the federal government will spend a lot more money on buses with cities, buses between cities, and passenger rail. If people have an easier time getting to jobs and from jobs, fewer people may need food stamps and Medicaid. If fewer families need to have 2nd cars and 3rd cars, they may have more money for things not dealing with transportation. We may use less foreign oil and the air may be cleaner. I use Manchester Transit Authority buses which could use more federal funding. Manchester Transit Authority buses have plenty of advertising space inside of them. I hope many businesses will advertise inside of the buses. An ad inside of a bus might be seen for a longer period of time than an ad in a magazine.

Congress may want to pass a 2 percent national sales tax that is placed on most items other than food, shelter, health care, and education. If the national sales tax is adopted, the federal income tax on individuals and businesses would need to decrease. Some of the money taken in from the national sales tax could go to Social Security and Medicare.

The federal government should sell a lot of the land it owns to raise capital, reduce the national debt, help fund Social Security and Medicare, help fund buses within cities, help fund buses between cities, help fund passenger rail, help fund energy development, help fund energy transmission, and do other things. If you type federal government owned land on a search engine, you might be surprised at how much land the federal government owns. Some of the money the federal government obtains from the sale of the lands should go to state governments. I would expect individuals and businesses from the United States of America and other countries to buy some of the lands. Local governments may be able to obtain property taxes and other taxes from some of these properties.



The less underground an economy the more money that governments may obtain from income taxes and sales taxes.

http://www.stratfor.com and http://www.economicroadmap.com has discussed problems caused by violent Mexican drug gangs

The United States of America, Mexico, and other countries should legalize, regulate, and tax the sale of marijuana, heroin, and cocaine for people who are at least 18 years old. If the United States of America and Mexico legalize, regulate, and tax the sale of marijuana, heroin, and cocaine for people who are at least 18 years old, they are likely to spend less money fighting violent Mexican drug gangs. If Mexico is able to spend less money fighting violent drug gangs, it may be able to spend more money on its economy. If Mexico is able to spend more money on its economy, its economy may grow a lot. If Mexico's economy grows a lot, fewer illegal immigrants may come to the United States of America, many illegal immigrants may leave the United States of America, and many more Mexicans may buy products and services from the United States of America. Many poor people may have an easier time obtaining jobs if they do not have to compete against so many illegal immigrants. Most non violent drug offenders should be released from prisons. If state governments are able to spend less money dealing with violent crime, dealing with illegal immigrants who are a major expense for state governments, and dealing with non violent drug offenders, they may be able spend more money providing services to their citizens and reduce sales taxes. Would you rather our country spend money on jailing non violent drug offenders or would you rather our country spend money on k-12 education and other things?

Governments tax the drugs to deal with some of the harm caused by existing addicts and harm caused by new addicts to themselves and others. Drugs that are regulated are likely to be safer than drugs that are not regulated. When people buy marijuana, heroin, and cocaine now they can not be sure how strong it is strength wise and what else is in it. Can a person die from the first time use of heroin or cocaine? Yes

What do you think we should have learned from prohibition of alcohol?

Will criminals always look for ways to make money illegally? Yes Will there always be violent gangs? Probably Will legalizing drugs reduce the amount of money they make from drugs? Probably

The point is to reduce the amount of harm caused by illegal drugs to others. Does it bother you when a child dies because of a fight over drug territory? Does it bother you when a police officer dies because of drugs? If Mexico's government collapses, how many more illegal immigrants do you think we are going to get and how much harm do you think our country will experience if Mexico's government collapses.




The United States of America and many other countries should legalize prostitution for people who are at least 18 years old to reduce sex slavery and rapes.



On the Union Leader website http://www.unionleader.com on the article "Kamen response to crisis: A little lunacy" dated January 4, 2009 Lyn of Manchester, NH writes

"How about unleashing human potential by allowing me to write off the entire portion of my daycare costs as opposed to the fraction allowable under current U.S. tax law. Maybe that would allow us to pay our daycare providers a little better who could in turn pay their employers better."

I think it makes sense for the federal government and state governments to allow people to write off the entire costs of their daycare costs from their taxes. If the federal government and state governments reduce taxes on daycare providers, they may pay their employees more and possibly reduce their prices. Students who are better prepared for k-12 schools may do better in k-12 schools, make more money working as adults, and pay more in taxes over time. If we significantly improve daycare, we may be able to spend significantly less on prisons.



Homosexuals should be allowed to marry in civil ceremonies. Homosexuals should be allowed to serve in the military. Not allowing homosexuals to serve in the military harms our national security. Is your hatred of homosexuals more important than our national security? I am a heterosexual who has homosexual friends and I do not like it when they are discriminated against.

Amendment Fourteen of the United States Constitution

Section 1

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive to any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

Homosexuals have the same "privileges", "immunities", and "equal protection of the laws" that heterosexuals have. If State governments allow heterosexuals to marry in civil ceremonies, State governments have to allow homosexuals to marry in civil ceremonies. The federal government and state governments may not treat heterosexuals better than homosexuals. The federal government and state governments may not treat homosexuals better than heterosexuals.



Women should be allowed to have abortions. Women should NOT be treated as slaves for reproductive purposes. If you want to reduce abortions, support adoptions including adoptions by homosexuals as well as orphanages.

Women should be allowed to serve in combat.



Before Amendment Seventeen was passed, United States Senators were chosen by State Legislatures. This was a very important check on the power of the federal government. Senators are involved with decisions dealing with War, trade agreements, Treaities, Supreme Court Justices, Ambassadors, taxes, spending, regulations, and other things.

I would like an Amendment to the United States Constitution adopted that allows each State to have at least 3 United States Senators and allows each State Legislature to choose at least 1 United States Senator. United States Senators chosen by State Legislatures may care more about the national debt, unfunded federal government mandates, trade agreements that are beneficial to States, and Treaties.

The people need to have Amendments similar to the following Amendments.

I would like an Amendment to the United States Constitution adopted that allows State Legislatures to repeal federal laws, federal regulations, trade agreements, and Treaties.

I would like an Amendment to the United States Constitution adopted that allows State Legislatures to recall (fire) their Representatives to the United States House of Representatives, their United States Senators, the President of the United States of America, and the Vice President of the United States of America.



Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution says Congress has the power

"To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures"

Congress should consider backing our currency with gold, silver, and other commodities.

Congress should eliminate the Federal Reserve or veto many of its decisions. If the Federal Reserve continues to exist, 2 members of the United States House of Representatives and 2 United States Senators should sit on the board of the Federal Reserve. If 3 of these members of Congress want a Federal Reserve decision to be vetoed, it should be vetoed. If the majority of the United States House of Representatives wants a Federal Reserve decision to be vetoed, it should be vetoed. If a majority of the United States Senate wants a Federal Reserve decision to be vetoed, it should be vetoed.



CARTER AND REAGAN

Paul Volcker became Fed Chairman under Carter. Carter started deregulation.

Our national debt was less than 1 trillion dollars when Reagan took office on January 20, 1981. It took our country more than 180 years to accumulate it. When Reagan left office, it was more than 2 trillion dollars. The tax cuts were a good thing. Reagan and Congress should have controlled spending. The President and Congress have various ways of controlling spending.

Please remember the following when you think of Reagan. When you think of Reagan, remember his pathetic response after our Marines were murdered in Lebanon which was a much bigger deal than the Iranian hostage crisis because people actually were murdered. I think Reagan's pathetic response to the murder of our Marines contributed to the terrorist attacks against our country afterwards. Remember Iran-Contra. Remember that Carter realized that energy security was an important component of national security. Remember that Reagan did NOT care about energy security. Think of all the money we have waisted on foreign oil and military spending that was not necessary because Reagan did not care about energy security.

Did Carter have his faults? Yes

Who caused our country more long term harm? Reagan

I think our country would be better off today if former
Senator Howard H. Baker, Jr. or former President Bush had taken office as President of the United States of America on January 20, 1981.

SOME WAYS REAGAN HARMED OUR COUNTRY

Iran Contra

War on Drugs

handling of the murders of our Marines in Lebanon

not caring about energy security

My website is http://www.myspace.com/kennethstremsky

My picture is on my website.

I recommend people check out

http://www.joelkotkin.com which discusses manufacturing, geography, and other topics.

http://www.newgeography.com which discusses geography and other topics. I posted comments after several columns.

http://www.stratfor.com which discusses many topics

Sincerely,

Ken Stremsky