Let's Sell Alaska

[Thailandnotes]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/busine...y.html?hpid=z4

Russia already has plenty of space and oil. But if it hoisted its own red, white and blue flag over Alaska, Sarah Palin would actually be able to see Russia from her front porch…

Next would be the Chinese, flush with cash and starving for energy resources and open spaces…

It would be much simpler for Beijing to use its $3 trillion in foreign exchange reserves — a large chunk of it invested in U.S. Treasury debt — to vacuum up Alaska’s resources and to resettle some people from China’s overcrowded and heavily polluted cities. As the Arctic ice melts with climate change, Alaska could also serve as a valuable shipping route, saving time, fuel and money for cargo ships traveling from China to Europe.

The transaction could be done by simply canceling the Treasury debt, thus avoiding the financial upheaval that would result if China sold those securities on the open market…

How about an individual buyer? Donald Trump comes to mind. He could advertise on Mount McKinley — or just rebrand it Mount Trump, the highest peak in Trumpistan. He could even issue his own birth certificates to avoid any confusion about the national origin of public officials there.

[aaron]

Re: Let's Sell Alaska

I do not know how such a silly idea could make it into the Washington Post.

How about we just tell foreign debt holders to just take a hike? It would work better.

[touchring]

Re: Let's Sell Alaska

http://www.washingtonpost.com/busine...y.html?hpid=z4

Russia already has plenty of space and oil. But if it hoisted its own red, white and blue flag over Alaska, Sarah Palin would actually be able to see Russia from her front porch…

Next would be the Chinese, flush with cash and starving for energy resources and open spaces…

It would be much simpler for Beijing to use its $3 trillion in foreign exchange reserves — a large chunk of it invested in U.S. Treasury debt — to vacuum up Alaska’s resources and to resettle some people from China’s overcrowded and heavily polluted cities. As the Arctic ice melts with climate change, Alaska could also serve as a valuable shipping route, saving time, fuel and money for cargo ships traveling from China to Europe.

The transaction could be done by simply canceling the Treasury debt, thus avoiding the financial upheaval that would result if China sold those securities on the open market…

How about an individual buyer? Donald Trump comes to mind. He could advertise on Mount McKinley — or just rebrand it Mount Trump, the highest peak in Trumpistan. He could even issue his own birth certificates to avoid any confusion about the national origin of public officials there.

I got an even better idea.

What if the UN works out a deal to buy Syria from Assad? $30 billions, $40 billions? Also, thrown in free US green cards for his clan.

lol

[Milton Kuo]

Re: Let's Sell Alaska

I do not know how such a silly idea could make it into the Washington Post.

How about we just tell foreign debt holders to just take a hike? It would work better.

It wasn't entirely obvious until the fourth page of the article but the author is not serious about selling Alaska. By the end of the article, he points out the obvious: selling Alaska today will not solve the U.S.'s fiscal problems; it will only buy time. If Congress were to entertain the outrageous idea of selling off Alaska, it would only be a matter of time before the U.S. would have to sell another state to avoid another fiscal cliff of sorts.

[shiny!]

Re: Let's Sell Alaska

It wasn't entirely obvious until the fourth page of the article but the author is not serious about selling Alaska. By the end of the article, he points out the obvious: selling Alaska today will not solve the U.S.'s fiscal problems; it will only buy time. If Congress were to entertain the outrageous idea of selling off Alaska, it would only be a matter of time before the U.S. would have to sell another state to avoid another fiscal cliff of sorts.

Could we make it California?

[GRG55]

Re: Let's Sell Alaska

Could we make it California?

I think selling Hawaii to the Canadians might make more sense. Parts of it are already overrun with Canucks and their funny accents. They'll pay a handsome premium price just to get some coveted warm water beaches. They'll dump that hokey Five-O remake and replace it with a wholesome family program featuring those cute red-suited Mounties who never shoot anybody. Everyone gets "free" medical care, and they could also dump a bunch of that oil sands surplus onto those islands and get that ridiculous gasoline price down. One additional major benefit is that it'll cut the USA military budget. You Americans are nuts...Canadians NEVER give the military prime real estate...Pearl Harbour and the Marine Corp Air Station at Kaneohe Bay are begging for some fabulous waterview condos, and Hickam AFB is ripe for redevelopment with a couple of PGA quality golf course & villa developments. Hell they could probably pay for the purchase with the profits from that FIRE economy real estate retro-play. The only thing missing is a decent ice hockey arena...

[lakedaemonian]

Re: Let's Sell Alaska

I think selling Hawaii to the Canadians might make more sense. Parts of it are already overrun with Canucks and their funny accents. They'll pay a handsome premium price just to get some coveted warm water beaches. They'll dump that hokey Five-O remake and replace it with a wholesome family program featuring those cute red-suited Mounties who never shoot anybody. Everyone gets "free" medical care, and they could also dump a bunch of that oil sands surplus onto those islands and get that ridiculous gasoline price down. One additional major benefit is that it'll cut the USA military budget. You Americans are nuts...Canadians NEVER give the military prime real estate...Pearl Harbour and the Marine Corp Air Station at Kaneohe Bay are begging for some fabulous waterview condos, and Hickam AFB is ripe for redevelopment with a couple of PGA quality golf course & villa developments. Hell they could probably pay for the purchase with the profits
from that FIRE economy real estate retro-play. The only thing missing is a decent ice hockey arena...

But wouldn't the risk of military conflict be too great?

Dunkin Donuts battling Timmys. It could get ugly.

Plus I thought Canada had already all but invaded Cuba like the Bay of Pigs, but with tourists and Loonies.

I wonder if that is actually looking like a decent retirement option for Canadians?

Sell up all that overpriced Vansterdam RE and shift to Cuba.

[GRG55]

Re: Let's Sell Alaska

But wouldn't the risk of military conflict be too great?

Dunkin Donuts battling Timmys. It could get ugly.

Plus I thought Canada had already all but invaded Cuba like the Bay of Pigs, but with tourists and Loonies.

I wonder if that is actually looking like a decent retirement option for Canadians?

Sell up all that overpriced Vansterdam RE and shift to Cuba.

Nah. First I don't see a donut war. From what I've seen our Mounties don't seem very particular about which donut shop they park the cruiser at. They all seem to do a pretty good business.

Canadian's have less bargaining leverage negotiating for Cuba. Their government health care is cheaper than ours...a LOT cheaper. They already get cut rate oil from Hugo, so that's out. And somehow sticking a high end housing project in Guantanamo Bay seems like it'll be a much harder sell (with both the current landholder and potential off-plan buyers) than Hawaii.

Besides, how many Canucks have you met that can speak Spanish?

Edit added: But those cigars may make it all worthwhile...

2nd Edit added: Vansterdam? We've taken to calling it Hongcouver...

[thriftyandboringinohio]

Re: Let's Sell Alaska

... From what I've seen our Mounties don't seem very particular about which donut shop they park the cruiser at. They all seem to do a pretty good business...

Which reminds me of the most cheeky bumper sticker I've seen.
I can't imagine it helps during a traffic stop.