Set aside the (quite proper) arguments that the Federal Government should not lay claim to the land of the States for a moment.
I was unexpectedly on the highway Friday. Rather than a day on Capitol Hill as scheduled, I ended up in Delaware. I am always freshly reminded during road trips of the vast open spaces that remain in our great nation.
Consider if the Federal Government were to sell off tracts of land. What if they were to liquidate and permit families to have acres in return for the money owed for Entitlement programs. Move some people off the Entitlement roles as a means of reducing Entitlement spending with the goal of ending Entitlements completely, in return give these folks land. How many families would jump at a chance for modern Homesteading?
Would you take five acres of remote land and make a go of it? Green energy, composting toilets, satellite communications, all make living off the grid far more comfortable and realistic than in our frontier days. Think of the boon to the economy, as well diggers and builders and all of the related industries are contracted to help new landowners make their little pieces of America habitable.
Think of the pressure that would be reduced on metropolitan governments as the populations reduce with a proportional decrease in services required. Think of the cash infusion (or savings, depending upon the structure of the deal) for the Federal Government.
Think of the empowerment of those families who will now have a stake in the republic as they had not before. Think of the value to the people who will learn once again the importance and self respect afforded by self-sufficiency.
There are so many ways to unleash the power of the American people, if only we change our politics.
...by any means necessary.
Sam
III
