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Where Every Issue is a Green Issue| Providing Wisdom in Building a Sustainable Future | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Sustainable Economics — What's Your Share? Your Cost of Unfunded Promises By Jon Dougal What if one day you woke up and realized you were bankrupt? You sat up and thought there is something wrong, but you couldn't put your finger on it. Sustainable economics is one of the underpinnings of the LEED protocol, and of all sustainable societies. Remember the 500 mile limit to purchase local materials? A sustainable economy is one that uses local human potential, materials and agriculture to use local resources including human capital. Well you're bankrupt and don't know it, even if you pay off your credit cards every month as most people don't do. And you think you want to buy a new car? Here's the numbers, sleep well tonight: Total U.S. Population ……………………………………………………...…310,000,000 Total U.S. National Dept …………………………………………………..…$59.1trln Percent increase from 2006……………………………………………….…….2.3% Amount owed by every household in the U.S.A.………………………....$516,348.00 Average Amount owed by U.S. households for mortgages, car loans, credit cards, and all other debt combined………………………………….$112,043.00 Percentage of Total Household taxpayer liability for unfunded, but promised social programs like Medicare, Social Security, federal retirement programs………………………………………………….……..85% Amount owed per household to cancel debt in 75 years………………..$31,000/year BALANCE DUE The cost per U.S. household of unfunded promises made by federal, state and local government: Medicare………………………………….…….$255,280 bln Social Security……………………………...…$144,251 bln Federal debt………………………………….…$43,380 bln Military benefits…………………………..……$25,863 bln State and Local debt…………………….……$17,537 bln Federal civil servant benefits………………..$14,374 bln State and Local retirement benefits………...$13,114 bln Other federal obligations………………………..$2,548 bln Total…………………………………………….$516,348 bln Source: USA Today research |
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