The Free Land Act of 2011

You want constructive criticism here I take it. here it is; 3 acres is not enough to cause one to be self sufficient. Lets start with the basic bare minimums. A family of 4 requires at the very least 3 acres of garden plot to sustain them for 1 year, in regions in which yo have multiple growing seasons, that can be reduced a little.
Alright you now have your 3 acres, how are you going to cut the timber for your house, where are you going to come up with the money to buy the basic tools necessary, ax, adze, hammer, and saws, we are not even talking power tools here, oh and if everyone is now a micro farmer, who is making the steel parts for those tools?

Lets talk about animals, how do you plan on feeding them, especially in the colder regions with snowfall, 3 acres per head is necessary to sustain a cow for a year, in regions with snowfall and harsh winters, hay and feed is necessary, 3 acres will not be enough to grow sufficient crops for animal use only.

Next, how do you plan on breaking the ground for your garden, there are of course 3 ways here, you can use horse/cattle drawn equipment, or you can replace the animal with yourself, have you ever been hitched to and pulled a plow?, then of course there is power equipment, who's processing the crude into fuel, or building the self sufficient solar powered/electric tractors, everyone is a micro farmer in your proposal.

No 3 acres is not enough to promote self reliance, there are many other factors to consider such as salt; salt is not available naturally in some regions, it must be mined and processed and shipped, Sugar, the same as aforementioned; metal working , someone has to do it. Also bear in mind there are some people if given everythng necessary still cannot get even a flower to grow, much less a crop.

Now if you were to take your proposal and apply it to a community of people in which everyone is used to their abilities, several are good at promoting good animal stock, and all those are grouped together so that combined they have the acreage necessary, while others are committed to grow crops just for feeding animals, and others are committed to crops for human consumption while others are grouped in close quarters with only enough land for a house in order to work, create, and maintain tools, equipment, shipping and receiving of outside material and supplies........................ oh wait, that the society we have now, only difference is we currently have greedy people that talk and take to govern us, oh yeah I forgot that you still need someone in the aforementioned community that is capable of overseeing placement, planting, pasturing, as well as procurring customers for shipped products, and suppliers for necessary material and supplies.......I repeat we have that society now.

Now I propose if we could find a way to eliminate the need for currency as a means to survive, and procure what is necessary to survive, as well as the moral aptitude to care for and protect our children, elderly and physically handicapped, then we would have the society that many dream of. Until that time comes, we are stuck with repeating history time and time again; maybe one day we will evolve enough, but not likely in our lifetimes.

reply to post by smithjustinb


Funny that I should have come across this thread today. I was just thinking along the same line this afternoon. I was remembering how small farming communities used to operate within a closed barter system. Everything that was needed was produced within the community or traded with other nearby towns to procure some product that was not readily available within the first towns system. The value of the barter would remain more or less constant. Well, until you factor in greed and me, me, me, me and I want, I want, I want, then it all goes to hell.

Human nature is the only reason that true Socialism will never work on a large scale. (Because that is what the system is for all intents and purposes) Perhaps if we started with better quality of human beings.

reply to post by smithjustinb

The following is an aletrnative to the proposed Free Land Act of 2011:

Dear Congressperson:

The time has come for thinking out of the box; for thinking critically about drafting a resolution for and taking action on a pressing matter that if precautions are not initiated soon will adversely affect the wellbeing of every man, woman and child in America. The Social Security system, Medicare, Medicaid and many state social services programs are at dire risk of imploding. There are neither the finances nor resources to maintain such overtaxed and overburdened programs.

To relieve the pressure, prevent the collapse of a once vibrant and beneficial system of assistance to those in need, and to encourage support for those who have also worked hard to support others, the time has come to initiate the followin:

PLAN I: PATRIOTIC RETIREMENT(ECONOMIC FREEDOM AND STABILITY ACT): THE INVEST IN AMERICA, SOLUTION.

Call it what you will, but the simplicity of the following program is exactly what America needs to take the pressure off burdening supports, and encourage re-investment in the American way of life.


ECONOMIC FREEDOM AND STABILITY ACT: THE INVEST IN AMERICA, SOLUTION.

OR

INVEST IN AMERICA – I (Invest) AM (America), THE SOLUTION


Please find below a simplistic compilation of suggestions for fixing America’s economy. Instead of giving any bail-outs of billions of dollars to companies that will squander the money on lavish parties and unearned bonuses, use the following plan:

There are about 40 million people over 50 in the work force. We suggest that the United States Government offer them $1 million each as severance for early retirement with the following stipulations:


1) They MUST retire from their current employment and not hire on as an employee anywhere in America again. Forty million job openings will occur – National unemployment statistics will decrease as younger potential employees and college graduates are then hired. Unemployment fixed. (New retirees CAN start a business if they hire new employees too)

2) They MUST buy a new AMERICAN Made Automobile. With forty million new cars ordered the auto industry will once again become stable and solvent with jobs and needed resources enjoying economic growth- Auto Industry fixed.

3) They MUST either buy a house/condo or pay off their mortgage on real estate in America thereby increasing jobs, and stabilizing the housing and mortgage issues - Housing Crisis fixed.

4) They MUST purchase a life insurance policy to insure that those who depend on them for support will be taken care of in the event of untimely death or medical setbacks. –Dependents and Caregiver Coverage Fixed.

5) They MUST purchase and carry yearly medical, dental and vision coverage for themselves and their dependents, decreasing healthcare costs and burdens for for the nation and insure continued wellbeing and quality of life. Healthcare coverage fixed.

6) They MUST forfeit all future Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits decreasing trillions of dollars of social welfare costs; eliminating the financial burdens on the coming generations, and encouraging self-determination. Budget Deficit fixed.

It can't get any easier than that!!


Mr. President, while you're at it, let's require Congress to covert to Social Security and Medicare. I'll bet both programs would be fixed pronto!

With the implementation of this retirement plan, America’s military personnel can be brought home to plentiful jobs without fear of increasing the unemployment ranks.

PLAN II.

THE AMERICAN VETERAN “ACKNOWLDEGEMANT OF SACRIFICE” ACT – VETERANS’ AOS ACT:

Give every honorably discharged American Veteran:

§ 20-40 ACRES AND A TRUCK (NEW OR USED)

§ MUST GROW SOMETHING ON THIS LAND FOR THE COMMUNITY (FOOD, LIVESTOCK, WILD GAME, PRODUCTS, ETC)

§ CANNOT SELL, CONVEY, USE AS COLLATERAL OR TRANSFER OWNERSHIP OF THE LAND OR TRUCK FOR 20 YEARS.

§ LAND CAN BE INHERITED BY DEPENDENTS BUT CANNOT BE SOLD, CONVEYED, USED COLLATERAL OR TRANSFERRED OUT OF THE FAMILY FOR 20 YEARS.

§ LAND OWNERS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL WASTE PRODUCTS CREATED ON THE LAND.

§ THE LAND CANNOT BE A BLIGHT ON THE COMMUNITY.


PLAN III:


STUDENTS TO PROFESSIONALS ACT – STP ACT

PROGRAM TO CONNECT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO EMPLOYERS WHO WILL ACT AS BENEFACTORS, MENTORS AND INVESTORS IN A STUDENTS’ FUTURE PROFESSIONAL AMBITIONS BY FUNDING A STUDENTS EDUCATION OR SKILL TRAINING AS A 1:1 RATIO; ONE YEAR OF EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTED WITH THE BENEFACTOR FOR ONE YEAR OF COLLEGE OR SKILL TRAINING.

STUDENTS WILL WORK EACH SUMMER STARTING THEIR SOPHMORE YEAR IN HIGHSCHOOL AS AN INTERN WITH THE EMPLOYER WHO HAD CONTRACTED TO INVEST IN THE SELECTED STUDENT.

CONTRACTS, NEGOTIATIONS AND EEOC/LABOR PROTECTIONS WILL BE DEFINED BY ARBITRATION AND DEPT OF LABOR LAWS.

LET'S ACT SOON ON THESE THREE PLANS. CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN TODAY.

reply to post by CRDDD


The possibilities are endless, your view has been narrowed down by what you can't imagine. It's only natural to think that no one can live off of 1/4 block of land and not have enough room to farm and grow livestock. But think of what you can have with just a densely populated area and only people farmed, you could have a bar' B' Que each day with people that are in your block, get to know people better, have a good time.

If you want to be negative about it, fine be that way, let you shadow take over you, be afraid of the future, what I presented was one of many ways to stop this whole idea of "We need the Government to do this, this, and this."

In a community that anyone can live in, the only person that they depend on is themselves and their family, not some stranger that says "I can protect you, I can provide for you, I can give you all this free money..." All I hear in that are "Lies, Lies, Lies, Lies". If a person depends on themselves for survival, they will have to work.

Back 200 years ago, it wasn't like that. No one got their pension cuts, their social security check, or their welfare pay. If you want to live, you have to work, you have to grow food. So if you say "No one can live off of a 1/4 acre of land and not have enough room." I would say "Look at Great Britain, they are living off of less than that."

If you want to whine, be my guest, whine how your view is being ruined, whine on how our national parks are being destroyed. The question is what are you going to do about it? Are you going to stand on the side lines and watch as they ruin your view? Or are you going to take a stand on what needs to be done and face your shadow?

The choice is yours, CRDDD, the choice is right in front of you, and don't say that I'm an idiot that doesn't know what I'm talking about, that is what those in power want, the shadow of one man to grow bigger. The choice is to stand in the side lines and watch, or take courage and face your shadow and stand on your own two feet and say, "This is my space, your not invited, please leave." There might be other choices I might be unaware of, but ultimately the choice is yours and yours alone for your own life.

This goes the same for others reading this, the choice is yours, Face your shadow or Run away from it.

Originally posted by MrRage
reply to post by IntegratedInstigator

 

If you would have figured his math then you would see that he took the farmland/population, not the land in a whole/population. His ideology is brilliant. Maybe the Native Americans had it right to begin with.

I may have missed that one point, but that doesnt change the fact that spreading out todays population would be HUGELY detrimental to many things: the workforce, the economy, the environment... His 'ideology' is far from brilliant.

The native americans may have had it right, in their time, but their population wasnt half the population of the US today. In addition they lived... simply, for lack of a better term. Our current standard of living would never allow for an even distribution of the population. One could argue that our current standard of living needs to be severely cut back, and I would agree; But at the same time, I wouldnt want to be thrust back into 'the stone age'.

With all the bull# going on in the world today, its hard to think we are doing anything right, but could you imagine a world without antibiotics, or electricity to name a few? I realize this is a touchy subject, and we could definately do away with such things as nuclear power, many synthetic chemicals, oil, playstation 3, or the latest iPhone... But thats not to say I would be willing to give up many of the advances we have acknowledged in many fields.

If my sentiment isn't welcomed in this thread, Ill be happy to leave quietly. I just dont see how this idea, or any variation thereof, would contribute positively to our current situation. I dont claim to have the right answer, but I feel fairly confident that this is not a viable option.

Originally posted by EarthCitizen23

Originally posted by civilchallenger
reply to post by smithjustinb

 

Here is an offer, and here is my challenge. I could find you 3 full acres of land to work next spring. I could also find you a plot of land for either free or really cheap (~$10,000) where you can build a small house and not pay property taxes. You're definitely single since you have all day to farm land and build houses, so you can build a very small house and you'd be fine. Are you ready to start next spring?

After getting all that stuff for free, you can help the next person build their house and purchase their plot of land. If you think you're idea is so great then pack up your bags and move immediately. I'll even give you 40 hours of free labor to get started with. I'm completely clueless about farming and construction but that doesn't seem to matter to you since you think everyone can grow their own food and build their own house, with enough time left over for a part-time job for stuff like flat-screen TVs and such.

If you think you're idea is really that great, you'll take me up on my offer. I expect an answer of "hell no!" because I don't think you've got one of those ideas that you think are the best in the world on the internet but when it gets down to real life you actually already know its a pie in the sky nonsense.

Where is this land?
I will take you up on this.... Give me that land,,, and if you want you don't even have to wait til next spring. I will go right now. I think I could do well as long as there are No Restrictions on it.

Sorry for the delay as I'm doing stuff the OP may never do... actually put effort into enacting a grand plan but without (laughably) waiting for the government to do it for me. LOL... a government plan that gets us free land. Haha, good one. Yeah we can do that but waiting for the government is just stupid in addition to the morality of it being highly questionable. Don't waste your time waiting for the government. Just start living the life you want. That's what I'm doing. I've started to create the life I want and it seems to be working. It is a tough life but I'm the happiest I've ever been by quite a longshot and all my basic needs have always been met.

Any way... I can't give you any land for free. What I can do is get three acres of farmland available for you to use for free. There are lots of low-cost land options in my area. As far as a place to live... you could either rent for next to nothing using a mobile home, or buy for about $10,000 for a plot of land to build a house. I'd recommend you start of with something temporary for $50 a month for the land. Yes, there is electric and water available. There is also septic with some extra work.

I wouldn't really do this for you unless we agreed on the basic principle that people should be allowed to do anything they wish so long as they are not harming another person. Live and let live. The other principle is that I treat others as I would like to have them treat me (or even treat them better than I'd have them treat me). PM me and I'll make it happen for you. I would do this as an experiment to see how it works out. Communists seem sure it would be a great idea. I'm not as sure as they are. I think it may or may not work out.

People are complete fools to wait around for the government to solve their problems for them. Humankind has waited an eternity for that already but for some reason idealists are entirely sure it can done with the right people in charge given just a decade or two of real reform. First of all its laughable there will ever be real reform in government and second of all its laughable it would turn out well. Like everything else, the government would screw it up badly. Create the change you want and start doing that now. Don't wait for someone else to do this for you.

So if a single person on this thread really likes the OP idea, here is what they can do. PM me. I'll get them three acres of farmland and a temporary home for cheap. Then they can find a full time job and save up the money they need to actually get something permanent built for quite a low price. I'll get people in the community together who like this idea and they will help you out in building a home. It could be an "Amish" home construction project if that makes any sense since that is the way I can see something like that working.