Trader Posted August 21, 2010 #1 Posted August 21, 2010 Dear Mr. Harper ( or Mr. Obama) , Please find below my suggestion for fixing our economy. Instead of giving billions of dollars to banks and car companies, that will squander the money on lavish parties and unearned bonuses, use the following plan: There are about 20 million people over 50 in the work force. Pay them $1 million apiece severance for early retirement with the following stipulations: 1) They MUST retire. Twenty million job openings - Unemployment fixed. 2) They MUST buy a new Canadian CAR. Twenty million cars ordered - Auto Industry fixed. 3) They MUST either buy a house or pay off their mortgage - Housing Crisis fixed. 4) They MUST send their kids to school / college /university - Crime Rate fixed. 5) Buy $50 of alcohol / tobacco / petrol a week - There's your money back in duty / tax etc. It can't get any easier than that! Yours truly, Ordinary Joe Citizen P.S. If more money is needed, have all members of parliament pay back their falsely claimed expenses and second home allowances.
Dave77459 Posted August 21, 2010 #4 Posted August 21, 2010 That's 20,000,000,000,000 dollars.... What, you don't think investing 20 trillion dollars into the economy would fix it? Dave
flb_78 Posted August 21, 2010 #5 Posted August 21, 2010 What, you don't think investing 20 trillion dollars into the economy would fix it? Dave Do I answer this as an educated citizen or a member of Congress?
Zane Posted November 7, 2010 #7 Posted November 7, 2010 Dear Mr. Harper ( or Mr. Obama) , Please find below my suggestion for fixing our economy. Instead of giving billions of dollars to banks and car companies, that will squander the money on lavish parties and unearned bonuses, use the following plan: There are about 20 million people over 50 in the work force. Pay them $1 million apiece severance for early retirement with the following stipulations: 2) They MUST buy a new Canadian CAR. Twenty million cars ordered - Auto Industry fixed. Hey, what's a Canadian car? Is that what they're called after the drive over the Ambassador Bridge? Now that's funny, I don't care!
Yammer Dan Posted November 7, 2010 #8 Posted November 7, 2010 Hey, what's a Canadian car? Is that what they're called after the drive over the Ambassador Bridge? Now that's funny, I don't care! One with good heater and no AC......
friesman Posted November 7, 2010 #9 Posted November 7, 2010 (edited) Hey, what's a Canadian car? Is that what they're called after the drive over the Ambassador Bridge? Now that's funny, I don't care! Heres a chart of Canadian built cars,,,this may surprise you guys south of the 49th.... It surprised me, i had no idea we built this many models up here. I knew about the chrysler mini vans and the Camaro and CHallenger, but that was about it. Brian What vehicles are built in Canada? Passenger Cars ChryslerBrampton, OntarioChrysler 300 Series Dodge Charger Dodge ChallengerFordSt Thomas, OntarioFord Crown Victoria Lincoln Town Car Mercury Grand MarquisGeneral MotorsOshawa Plant 1Chevrolet Impala, CamaroOshawa Plant 2Buick Allure/LaCrosseHondaAlliston, Ontario Plant 1Acura CSX Honda Civic Sedan/CoupeAlliston, Ontario Plant 2Honda Civic SedanToyotaCambridge, OntarioToyota Corolla, MatrixLight Trucks CAMI (GM/Suzuki)Ingersoll, OntarioChevrolet Equinox Pontiac Torrent Suzuki XL7ChryslerWindsor, OntarioChrysler Town and Country Dodge Caravan Volkswagen RoutanFordOakville, OntarioFord Edge Lincoln MKX Ford FlexGeneral MotorsOshawaChevrolet Silverado GMC SierraHondaAlliston, Ontario Plant 2Acura MDX Honda RidgelineToyotaCambridge, OntarioLexus RX 350Woodstock, Ontario (under construction)Toyota RAV4 Edited November 7, 2010 by friesman
midnightventure Posted November 7, 2010 #10 Posted November 7, 2010 My Trans Am was made in Canada. I always try to buy American and the Trans Am doesn't bother me because we have so much in common with Canadians. I am 55 and if somebody handed me a million dollars I still wouldn't feel like I could retire. If I live to 80 or more and the rates of return available now I couldn't live the way I want to when I retire. I am healthy and take care of myself so I am not one of those people that assume I am going to die by 70.
RandyR Posted November 7, 2010 #11 Posted November 7, 2010 My Mercury (RIP) Marquis was made in Canada
1 Canuck Posted November 7, 2010 #12 Posted November 7, 2010 Hey, what's a Canadian car? Is that what they're called after the drive over the Ambassador Bridge? Now that's funny, I don't care! One that is built with several parts supplied from China and India
Trader Posted November 7, 2010 Author #13 Posted November 7, 2010 It's amazing how many products are 90% imported parts and only ASSEMBLED locally. I don't know what the actual pecentage may be...but I know "made in USA" or "Made in Canada" is a joke anymore....especially in the auto industry!
Dragonslayer Posted November 7, 2010 #14 Posted November 7, 2010 Dear Mr. Harper ( or Mr. Obama) , Please find below my suggestion for fixing our economy. Instead of giving billions of dollars to banks and car companies, that will squander the money on lavish parties and unearned bonuses, use the following plan: There are about 20 million people over 50 in the work force. Pay them $1 million apiece severance for early retirement with the following stipulations: 1) They MUST retire. Twenty million job openings - Unemployment fixed. 2) They MUST buy a new Canadian CAR. Twenty million cars ordered - Auto Industry fixed. 3) They MUST either buy a house or pay off their mortgage - Housing Crisis fixed. 4) They MUST send their kids to school / college /university - Crime Rate fixed. 5) Buy $50 of alcohol / tobacco / petrol a week - There's your money back in duty / tax etc. It can't get any easier than that! Yours truly, Ordinary Joe Citizen P.S. If more money is needed, have all members of parliament pay back their falsely claimed expenses and second home allowances.In a perfect world that might work.
CaptainJoe Posted November 7, 2010 #15 Posted November 7, 2010 How bout a 4 day work week for everyone! Exception: free labor provided by criminals on the 5th and 6th days of the week until their incarceration costs are entirely paid off.
ediddy Posted November 7, 2010 #16 Posted November 7, 2010 Hey midnightventure, There are no autos made in america. As someone said, they are assembled in the USA. A few years ago I read an article in Time magazine that listed the percentage of parts of american vehicles that were made in another country. The auto with the highest percentage of foreign parts was the Ford F150 with 65% of its parts made overseas. I see good ole boys driving their trucks with their harley davidson decal on the back window criticizing people for buying honda and toyotos. Also, you have a yamaha. I don't know of any yamaha's made in the usa.
rickardracing Posted November 7, 2010 #17 Posted November 7, 2010 My Trans Am was made in Canada. I always try to buy American and the Trans Am doesn't bother me because we have so much in common with Canadians. I am 55 and if somebody handed me a million dollars I still wouldn't feel like I could retire. If I live to 80 or more and the rates of return available now I couldn't live the way I want to when I retire. I am healthy and take care of myself so I am not one of those people that assume I am going to die by 70. Your 55 and you could nott live on one million dollars for the rest of your life?!?! Seriously? That's sad. I am 46, hand me a mill and I will show you how to do it.
a1bummer Posted November 7, 2010 #18 Posted November 7, 2010 Your 55 and you could nott live on one million dollars for the rest of your life?!?! Seriously? That's sad. I am 46, hand me a mill and I will show you how to do it. Lets see now, my bank gives me 5% monthly interest. $1,000,000 would yield 50,000 a month. That would add up to 600,000 a year. I could easily live on that. But then if you think about it, there would be 20,000,000 millionaires added to our economy. I'm guessing that would cause inflation to rise even faster than it already is. In which case, for those of us who are lower and/or middle class citizens, it would be even harder for us to afford the basic necessities that we're already struggling to get now. My medications already take up almost half my income. Sorry to rain on your parade. Bill
Trader Posted November 7, 2010 Author #19 Posted November 7, 2010 Lets see now, my bank gives me 5% monthly interest. $1,000,000 would yield 50,000 a month. That would add up to 600,000 a year. I could easily live on that. Sorry to rain on your parade. Bill Say what???!!!!! I want to invest all my money in whatever bank you get that from.... 60% ROI in a bank account...not bad! I'd like to see any bank even give you 5% per YEAR these days! Most seem to be 1.5-3% per year. 5% per year would still give you $60,000 while maintaining the original million....but the idea was to SPEND it and fix the economy.
Yammer Dan Posted November 7, 2010 #20 Posted November 7, 2010 Bury it in the Back Yard makes almost as much money as the Banks now.
Freebird Posted November 7, 2010 #21 Posted November 7, 2010 (edited) Yep....good luck trying to get that 5% a year right now. Depending on what your income level is now, you would have to be very careful to live on the interest from a million dollars at this time. I'm thinking that if you lived only on the interest, you would be just slightly above the poverty level. Edited November 7, 2010 by Freebird
Jerry W Posted November 7, 2010 #22 Posted November 7, 2010 Yep....good luck trying to get that 5% a year right now. Depending on what your income level is now, you would have to be very careful to live on the interest from a million dollars at this time. I'm thinking that if you lived only on the interest, you would be just slightly above the poverty level. Depending on what your DEBT level right now is a better gauge of what it is going to take to live on. The nation has generally gotten into the mode of living on borrowed money rather than living on what they make. Get debt free and living on a million would be a walk in the park.
hig4s Posted November 7, 2010 #23 Posted November 7, 2010 Your 55 and you could nott live on one million dollars for the rest of your life?!?! Seriously? That's sad. I am 46, hand me a mill and I will show you how to do it. If you live to be the average 76, That is only $41k a year (only $33k if you don't invest it, but could be less than that if you invest it poorly) and a lot of that will be needed to continue your health insurance once you don't have any from work. That and to pay the co pay on doctors visits, and the 10% insurance still doesn't pay on any procedure up to the max $1000 a year most insurance companies finally will pitch in to 100%, and the co-pay on prescriptions alone will come to over $300,000. So that makes it more like $22k to $30K per year to live on the rest of your life.. And with average inflation those last few years, that $22k will be worth about what $7k is now, so you will hit poverty level about mid 60s, and be well below poverty level your last few years.
friesman Posted November 7, 2010 #24 Posted November 7, 2010 You all are being way too negative:smile5:.....this money was meant to be spent to get the economy going.....I would pick up a new RSV,prolly a new arctic cat mud runner quad, a new venture snowmobile, and pay off my debt, and some of my familes. Who cares if a million is enough to retire on, I would go crazy sitting around woth no work anyway, so I would keep working and enjoy life more earlier in life. Enjoy!!! Brian
Jerry W Posted November 7, 2010 #25 Posted November 7, 2010 Lots of hypothetical theories being tossed out. Any fact based comments from folks who are actually retired and are living on a fixed income?
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now