I’ve received this by email five or six times in the last 24 hours.

UPDATE: I posted this without really reading it as a way to preempt more forwarding of the sheer number of times it showed up in my inbox. A reader pointed out that the original author needed to check his math. To wit, $85 billion divided among 200 million people is $425 per person. A slightly different cost benefit analysis.

Hi Y’all,

I’m against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG. I’m also against the $700,000,000,000 bailout being proposed in Congress right now!

Instead, I’m in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a We Deserve It Dividend.

To make the math simple, let’s assume there are 200,000,000 bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+.

Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up.

So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billon — that equals $425,000.00.

My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a We Deserve It Dividend.

Of course, it would NOT be tax free. So let’s assume a tax rate of 30%. Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes. That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam.

But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket. A husband and wife has $595,000.00.

What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?

Pay off your mortgage ? housing crisis solved.
Pay off credit card debt.
Repay college loans ? what a great boost to new grads.
Put away money for college ? It’ll be there for Junior.
Save in a bank ? create money to loan to entrepreneurs.
Buy a new car ? create jobs.
Invest in the market ? capital drives growth.
Pay for your parent’s medical in surance ? health care improves.
Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean ? or else

Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.

If we’re going to re-distribute wealth let’s really do it…instead of trickling out a puny $1000.00 ( ‘vote buy’ ) economic incentive that is being proposed by one of our candidates for President.

If we’re going to do an $85 billion bailou t, let’s bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!

As for AIG ? liquidate it.

Sell off its parts.

Let American General go back to being American General.

Sell off the real estate.

Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.

Here’s my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn’t.

Sure it’s a crazy idea that can ‘never work.’

But can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party!

How do you spell Economic Boom?

I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion We Deserve It Dividend more than I do the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC .

And remember, The Birk plan only really costs $59.5 Billion because $25.5 Billion is returned
instantly in ta xes to Uncle Sam.

Ahhh…I feel so much better getting that off my chest.

Kindest personal regards,
Birk

T. J. Birkenmeier, A Creative Guy & Citizen of the Republic

PS: Feel free to pass this along to your pals as it’s either good for a laugh or a tear or a very sobering thought on how to best use $85 Billion!!