Ron Bryant: What This Country Needs

Once upon a time, the only thing America seemed to need was a good five cent cigar.  Those times have certainly changed.  America now is in need of many things.  First and foremost would be good old fashioned common sense.  While it is next to impossible to run government like a business, it is possible to run it on the use of common sense.  Whose common sense would be used?  Well, that is like asking what is truth.  Since I am writing this article, the common sense used will come from a historian’s perspective.  The following list of sensible suggestions would include the following:

A flat tax of 20% would be a step in the right direction.  The present tax system is far too complicated to be efficient.  The income from a 20% flat tax would be more than adequate to run the government.  The savings realized from reform of present tax code would be astronomical.  In a day when the world is becoming more and more complex, a simple tax code would be refreshing indeed.

What about charitable deductions and the great good they provide at the local, state, and national levels?  These deductions should be encouraged, but a simplified and direct calendar of deductions would be created.  Deductions would be allowed up to 15% of the flat tax rate, but the remaining 5% would be paid as a part of the flat tax.  Every individual and business concern would have to pay the 5% no matter the circumstance.

Another, albeit politically dangerous tax reform would be the taxation of all businesses, properties and investments held by churches, foundations, and any other organizations presently not taxed.  The only exception would be the places of worship and the money from the collection plate.  Now that all the fainted politicians have come to after hearing the church tax proposal, it remains an excellent idea.

Yet another common sense approach to government and its solvency is the end of “Dollar Diplomacy.”  Since the early 20^th century, the United States has tried to buy influence and alliances with American tax money.  The billions of dollars that have flowed to other nations is staggering.  Nations considered unfriendly to U.S. interests have been bribed, but not successfully.  Some of these countries have actually turned against America while being financed by American taxes.

The money saved from reducing, and in some cases completely halting foreign aid could be bused to rebuild American industry and education.  The U.S. should not be expected to keep up the world nor should it.  This measure is not meant to be harmful to anyone.  There comes a time that nations have to stand on their own without being constantly propped up.  America comes first, and that is how it should be.

Immigration reform is not a luxury.  If the U.S. does not halt the present flow of immigrants into this country a national disaster is only a few years away.  America is committing national suicide with its porous borders.  No nation is rich enough or big enough to deal with the flood of immigrants that illegally enters the U.S.  Not only are U.S. laws broken, the American taxpayer has to pay enormous amounts to maintain these non-citizens.  Assimilation of these immigrants is becoming more difficult by the year.  The “melting pot” theory of American immigration is all but broken.

It seems that the United States is lacking unity on a number of levels.  One of the greatest unifiers of this nation is the English language.  While a number of states, including Kentucky has passed legislation making the English language the official language of the commonwealth, the national government must also follow suite.  English is not only the traditional language of America, but it is now the language of international commerce.  English is now the Latin, and the Lingua Franca of the modern world.

Above all else, the public education system of America must be reformed.  No more “teaching to the test.”  The basics of education, reading, writing, and arithmetic, the three “Rs” must remain the foundation of the nation’s educational system.  Civics and history must be taught throughout grade school and high school.  Colleges and universities must require American and European history (both sections pre-Civil War and post Civil War American history as well as ancient and modern European history).  The very foundations of America’s liberties, laws, and government comes from its western European background.

The foregoing list contains but a few suggestions for America’s happiness and prosperity.  But to remain great, a nation must make some very difficult, and at times, very unpopular decisions.  History teaches us that the price of greatness and the price of liberty can be extremely expensive.  No matter, they are worth it.

Ron Bryant is a Kentucky historian.