What if Each US Citizen Received a Million Dollars?

Hi, just thinking out loud here for the most part, and I realize this is not the first time this has been proposed as we all said it about a trickle down affect not working during the time of the bail outs, (collectively we were spot on) we all said that the only thing that would help in all reality would be a trickle up affect.

Well now that there is word of a new wall street based bail out in the works, I am just wondering what it would take to propose this to congress and tptb as well as the effects it would have on the economy and of the people of the US?

Do you suppose it would be a positive sequence of events or something completely the opposite?

When you think about the bigger families on welfare or struggling check to check all of the sudden receiving a million dollars per person, wow, now that would be life changing!

I guess the real problem would be that the snarkie devils behind commerce would raise the price of living so high that you couldnt afford a loaf of bread if and when you ever went broke again which would probably happen quite fast for the majority of people unaccustomed to having large quantities of cash readily available.

It would help bail out the banks, hell they would be so busy handling new accounts they would have to make new regulations and rules for all of the new found monies flowing into their banks.

The realestate markets would be booming like never before as well as the auto industry and construction. Think of all the new family owned businesses opening up, the stock markets would be over whelmed with all the new investments, and technologies and pattens would be busier than any other time in all history because people would be free to market their ideas that for now remain in the shadows and sitting on computers and scratch books.

We could all move into safer and cleaner power and utilities and think of the recycling centers which would have to open to process all the old out dated junk people are forced to continue using because they just cant afford to replace them with energy efficient ones.

On the downside, think about crime, would this make the drug wars even worse or would it actually help turn peoples lives around for the better? Would politicians continue to be bought and sold by big industry or would they begin to treat each individual as a potential supporter?

The possibilities are endless when you think about how this could change the face of history for ever. But would it help build America back to the great melting pot it once was or make it the Orwellian hell it is headed towards now?

How would it change the Military? Religion? Politics? International diplomacy? Starving and brutalized and third world Nations? Animal rights? Our national debts? National sovereignty ? Education?

Looking forward to your thoughts.

No the real problem would be when I or someone else wanted your $1,000,000

Which is what brought us to this point in history, today....

Then a loaf of bread would be $90,000

second line cause I made my point.

I would agree with you, as it is an interesting concept, however, it does not teach people to help themselves and most people would not be wise with the new found wealth, or know what to do with all of the money that they just got from the government and it would either be frightening or there would be people who would not spend it and keep it hidden away. However, back when a lot of the bailouts were just starting, even today, I did have an idea that would for once and all help out the country and people. Instead of giving people money to use, why not take their debt? Consider this, we know of bankruptcy courts and rulings, why not give a one time amnesty from debt to all of the country. It would work like this: The government sets up offices in every country seat in the country and for one week all citizens could go to the county seat, fill out a few forms and their debts would be wiped away from the record. No matter the amount or what it was for, it would be gone, but there would have to be rules set in place to help people from getting back into debt or it would not work. The first thing would be, that this could not be announced over the airwaves, as it would defeat the purpose and to prevent people from taking advantage of this offer. 2) All those who sign up, could not have a credit card or a loan for 7 years. They would have to live within their means. They could not sell their house, or purchase a new house, or even purchase a new vehicle without have the means to pay for it. Work only in cash for a while, thus spurring businesses to bring back programs like lay-a-way. By absorbing the debt and paying it off for the general public, all companies would get their money, including the banks, and those that fail, well it would be due to bad business practices, and the government should let them die off. This would only be for the people on the street and not for main street. It would allow them to catch their breaths and work to save instead of spending every dime to make payments and trying to worry about surviving.

reply to post by freetree64


Well I thought about that angle too, and it would increase the arms sold in this country. Security systems would be another good business to get into if this did happen.

Would it amplify a criminals intent or could it help straighten some of them out?

Let's see.... 300,000,000 (U.S. Population) x $1,000,000 = $300,000,000,000,000 (300 trillion dollars).

Yeah, not gonna happen. Next Question!!!

Well, IMO, the bailout money would have been better spent on bailing out small business than banks and companies. It is blue collar guys that buy domestic, rich people buy german cars, italian tiles, cabinets from england etc etc. It has always been blue collars buying domestic, and people wonder why all the domestic companies are going down the tubes....

...if the dollar was actually worth something, you'd have an interesting proposition there - but - a million of nothing is nothing...

Never gonna happen. Inflation would be through the roof, and with $1 million, you would be even further behind than if you only had $100 in the bank.

Germany post World War II all over again, when you needed a wheel barrow full of money to buy a loaf of bread.

Not a good idea.

I do remember this idea floating around during the big bailouts and have considered it too, however I happen to be one of those who started the last Bush administration with an over head of about 500.00 per month, we owned our home and car and had great credit with the bank and credit cards 3. We lived within our means then and carried those habits through the year as we watched that same over head of 500 become closer to 2,000.

We did move into a larger place in 01 and gained a mortgage and car payment. all was still well because my now ex had a good paying job. It all ended around the second time Bush was elected, prices continued to soar for the same purchases monthly as well utilities going up up up. Taxes you name it. Then my ex got injured on the job and we almost went under.

He started running off for days at a time and became a negative influence to say the least about it, he moved out and left quite the debt.

Long short, I have supported my 3-5 children 3 on a regular basis, my elderly aunt w/ Alzheimer's, 5-6 dogs, 3-5 cats, 15 chickens and was only one time, the month he left, late on a mortgage payment. I have struggled alot, gone without so much and yet survived this whole fiasco by doing all I could with what I have to work with, sub poverty really.

When we wanted to do something special we saved and saved and believe me its really hard to do...

So not to be rude or non compassionate for those who have lost their homes, but if 'I' could do it, they could have maybe done it too. I realize there are those who had huge mortgages and just had to cut their losses, but there are so many that were frivolous in hopes help would come and bail them out, as it was rumored and still possible as people are still in their homes after not paying for many years now, and I hope they win if thats what will make it better, but for me, I will always hold my head high and know that I did all I could to survive without any bailouts or expectations from outside my own diligence and thrifty lifestyle.

Dont get me wrong I have style and taste far beyond how I live and what I wear or drive, but just the same I never wanted to have the banks call my loan and that was a very real possibility as well. In my community no Sheriff would stand up and refuse to serve me if I were at fault to a bank, no not here.

So back to the topic at hand, if I were to receive 5 million dollars through a bailout which I believe could work, it would free me to live the real American Dream and you bet it would be invested wisely and used to its fullest potential.

reply to post by harrytuttle


How much was spent to send all of our corporate business abroad? How many trillions have we become in debt in the past 10 years? How much have we spent on wars?

What money has been transacted honestly was by us, not the big companies, banks and wall street, they sold us up the creek without a paddle.

It's our Money and we want it Now!!!

I am sick to death of paying my taxes and its alot, to grease the palms of foreign entities who want me dead!

Show ME the money baby!

reply to post by harrytuttle


Is that math right? And how many trillions have we spent on the bogus bailouts? Give it to us and let us pay off the debt based on our profits. I believe in the people and think they could actually do it. Now I know there would be the unfortunate ones as well, but they are unfortunate anyway.

Think about it, it is really not very much money to the individual... And many if not most would automatically pump it into the economy in a huge way.

I mean really 200 mil a day for a vacation that WE are paying for? Noone asked us now did they?

All these responses look the absolute same to me.
Everyone wants money, or thinks that money will be the answer to life's problems.

Money is not the answer.

Things that are produced for necessity not profit, are what we need.
If there was no drive to get as much money as possible out of every drop of water, we wouldn't have this notion.
Why would anyone need $1,000,000?

My answer, I wouldn't want it.
It would only cause short-term excitement and long-term debt. (which we already have)
You know what would be better than giving everyone that much money?
Breaking down the corruption that leads men to take from those that don't have as much as them.

We have absolutely no need for currency, or money without greed.
It is created out of thin air to create a false sense of power which man has an insatiable appetite.
Things are valuable because we say they are.
Money is important to those who think material things are relevant.

What is relevant is your life and how you affect others.
Greed is killing the human soul.

harryturtle if the population of America is just over 300 million people the bill would be just over 300 million dollars, this is chump change to our government.

They would have to decide whether or not to give this money to all citizens or just adults. If givin to all then the kids money would be invested in safe interest drawing accounts then the kid would get the money once reaching 18 or 21.

The only way this would work, we would have to get ride of the personal property tax. If not then many of the homes or real estate and cars would just go back to the government within a matter of a few short years. Lets face it many people do not use there money wisely and if stuck with these heavy tax burdens they would run into trouble quickly if they could not make enough money once this million is gone.

The government would have to freeze all prices to prevent inflation for at least a year.

The stock market would boom like never before, the anticipation of this much money and profit coming there way in retail, automotive, real estate and travel would like nothing seen before. It would also be a boom worldwide as orders for durable goods and manufactured goods would skyrocket and India, China, Philippines and Mexico and any other country in the manufacturing sector would reap record profits.

Still the government would have to declare some sort of defacto martial law to enforce the price freeze.

I would try to set up a Technologically advanced self sustaining eco village...or just buy a small farm.

BTW the last military budget was $700 Billion, just to keep things in perspective. Oh and republicans would Never go for this.

Originally posted by LDragonFire
harryturtle if the population of America is just over 300 million people the bill would be just over 300 million dollars, this is chump change to our government.

Check your math again, you're only giving the people 1 dollar each.
300,000,000 people times 1,000,000 dollars.

reply to post by snowspirit

Ok I stand corrected in a huge way, that is alot of zero's.

Looking back from today. One could have avoided reality investments that you used your money in. Made sure that the home you lived in was off the grid. Invested in silver and gold knowing that currency and even reality under the right conditions could tank and someday likely would. Still most people could not see the 401k losses and the unemployment conditions of today. Other than it could happen from a study of the Great Depression. Looking forward from today. It is clear a crash is coming at least two of them. What you don't know is that it is not from the latest loan scandal but from what happened in the S & L scandal of 1987-92. It takes 20 to 30 years for massive court cases to come to trial. Most of you will likely start buying extra food when the prices start to rocket anyway. The banks are in such bad state from the latest mess you can expect that they will be closed for about 6 months at worse or less. During this time it would be hard to sell silver or gold. You could keep small change for use in vending machines and at some non corporate stores that remain open for a short while. Also keep your car full of gas then. It will likely come about 2012 as they stated on T.V. years ago. What I am saying is it is going to be screwed up having a make believe one million each or not.

Under normal conditions money is best invested that hires the public. The earnings placed in tax free foundations that give about 5% or so a year. It will be to far gone for that soon. The world is on a clock that will fail. When the first court case hits I am sure many of you will agree that U.S. will be ground Zero for the next one about 7-8 years later. If you have read this here.

So far I think an underground base in some other country is a better idea. I have seen interesting plans on the Sci Fi channel site. If my money was unlimited at that location I would also built a home, a large library you can understand why, a place for 20 or so different work shops to make any thing from scratch. A Science center to monitor and watch every thing. to make videos and etc. A music area for creation of music and entertainment. However it all comes down to the wise use of what one has.