BRAC and Per Capita Income
by Jack Spencer
Backgrounder #1867
July 8, 2005
http://www.heritage.org/Research/NationalSecurity/bg1867.cfm

Good research, but One wonders how much significance to place on the information. It only shows that an active Economy will absorb unexploited resources. Please understand this Author is quite in favor of the BRAC mission. He would actually be more extensive in his own recommendations for Base closings. It is simply previous Base closings have been the easiest, with some Business interest in utilization of the Base facilities. Future Base closings will find less Business interest, less accessible and utilizable resources, with the Bases in less-developed economic locales. The focus in these circumstances cannot be enticing basic Retail or Information-provision industry, but must resort to involvement of Manufacturing and Distribution industries (likely foreign to the initial area) to the proposed closed Bases.
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Here's a Social Security Plan That's Really Two Plans
By DANIEL ALTMAN
Published: July 17, 2005
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/17/business/yourmoney/17view.html

Altman makes a good Case for grouping Social Security beneficiaries by Birth year. He makes another Case for the conflict between Rich and Poor Retirees. He follows with a good argument for a Unit Benefit (one-size fits all). Where he fails is in stipulation of a Make up the Difference Unit Benefit, where the beneficiaries' actual Income is deducted from the paid Benefits (non-paid Benefits in the following payment year). Altman hazards with a statement that only a probable 20% of Retirees would need such Benefits upon retirement, as consistent information suggests the number of Retirees using the Benefits would be over 40%. Such a reality means the appliable Tax rate could not be reduced as much as he indicates. A Make up the Difference Unit Benefit could allow for a cut in Tax rate appliable, and mollify the resistance of the Poor, who would be assured of a constant Income. lgl