# Is there a hard problem without a simple solution? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 27, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265 "2011-11-27T19:34:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/1 "2011-11-27T19:34:06Z")
I postulate that every problem has a head-slappingly obvious and blindingly simple answer that either hasn’t been thought of or for various reasons just hasn’t been implemented. But are there any real problems of significance that has no real answer? Do we have anything to truly worry about other than our unwillingness to solve problems? Examples: US budget deficitRaise taxes by 10% AND cut spending by 10% Debt crisis in GreeceGreece defaults and banks deal with it the same way they deal with any risky loan that goes south Scarcity of resources such as petroleum, fresh water, arable land, food etc.People are already having fewer children, so just encourage that trend and wait for overpopulation to solve itself PollutionPollute less US soldiers being wounded by IEDs in AfghanistanIEDs are planted at night. Declare a curfew. Have special forces hunt IED bombers at night using night-vision and aerial drones. Repeat until no bombers left. No bombers means no IEDs, therefore no soldiers wounded by such. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/2 "2011-11-27T19:40:48Z")
> [@The\_Controvert](#): > > I postulate that every problem has a head-slappingly obvious and blindingly simple answer that either hasn’t been thought of or for various reasons just hasn’t been implemented. But are there any real problems of significance that has no real answer? Do we have anything to truly worry about other than our unwillingness to solve problems? > > Examples: > > US budget deficitRaise taxes by 10% AND cut spending by 10% > Debt crisis in GreeceGreece defaults and banks deal with it the same way they deal with any risky loan that goes south > Scarcity of resources such as petroleum, fresh water, arable land, food etc.People are already having fewer children, so just encourage that trend and wait for overpopulation to solve itself > PollutionPollute less > US soldiers being wounded by IEDs in AfghanistanIEDs are planted at night. Declare a curfew. Have special forces hunt IED bombers at night using night-vision and aerial drones. Repeat until no bombers left. No bombers means no IEDs, therefore no soldiers wounded by such. Every one of those ideas is more complex than your answers would suggest. You say to _raise taxes and cut spending by ten percent_. Simple. Where? Specifically? Waving your hand and pretending that the world is a simple as you want it to be isn’t a sound way to get the best outcomes. Not to say that our budget problems are insurmountable, but it’s more complex than a one-sentence bumper-sticker. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/3 "2011-11-27T19:53:30Z")
Flat tax. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/4 "2011-11-27T19:54:16Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Flat tax. Which would be a disaster, as has been often discussed. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/5 "2011-11-27T19:58:09Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Flat tax. A flat tax is hardly a simple solution. It’s a _simplistic solution_ that ignores marginal utility and imposes a highly regressive tax on the poor and middle class. It’s really complete nonsense and does nothing but lower taxes on the very richest of us. Which is even more silly, considering that the very richest of us have been the only ones whose incomes have been increasing these last few decades. Or are you saying that _a flat tax_ is a problem without a simple solution? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/6 "2011-11-27T19:58:21Z")
So what’s the simple solution to poverty? ---
**Author:** ![David42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@David42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David42)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/7 "2011-11-27T19:58:46Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > Every one of those ideas is more complex than your answers would suggest. > > You say to _raise taxes and cut spending by ten percent_. Simple. Where? Specifically? > > Waving your hand and pretending that the world is a simple as you want it to be isn’t a sound way to get the best outcomes. > > Not to say that our budget problems are insurmountable, but it’s more complex than a one-sentence bumper-sticker. And if it’s not, I prefer my bumper sticker of “Cut Federal Spending in Half.” or “Bring the Boys Back Home.” ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/8 "2011-11-27T19:59:39Z")
If there were simple and painless solutions we’d implement them. Off the top of my head, if you do raise taxes 10% and cut spending 10% where do you raise taxes and cut spending, and how does that affect GDP growth or quality of life? The solution to pollution is to pollute less, but how do you implement that while still seeing a growth in standard of living? etc. Also, medical problems do not have simple solutions. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/9 "2011-11-27T20:00:28Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > So what’s the simple solution to poverty? I would assume the OP would say: Get a high paying job. Everything in the world is more complex than someone who knows nothing about it thinks it is. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/10 "2011-11-27T20:00:40Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Which would be a disaster, as has been often discussed. Says you, and others with a political agenda, thinking that an even more progressive tax than a flat tax (which is progressive in straight dollars) is the only answer. But let’s leave that discussion for those particular threads. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/11 "2011-11-27T20:00:43Z")
Sounds like every middle manager I’ve ever known. Every solution is simple if you don’t get into the details or have to do the work yourself. ---
**Author:** ![David42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@David42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David42)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/12 "2011-11-27T20:02:14Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > So what’s the simple solution to poverty? Let them eat cake? Hmmm, no, that’s not right. Redistribute wealth? That’s not quite right either. Let them starve and they’ll soon die off? I can’t quite buy that one. All these are “simple” if you ignore any objections to them. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/13 "2011-11-27T20:02:25Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > A flat tax is hardly a simple solution. It’s a _simplistic solution_ that ignores marginal utility and imposes a highly regressive tax on the poor and middle class. > > It’s really complete nonsense and does nothing but lower taxes on the very richest of us. Which is even more silly, considering that the very richest of us have been the only ones whose incomes have been increasing these last few decades. > > Or are you saying that _a flat tax_ is a problem without a simple solution? 😃 Anti-flat tax Der Trihs Lobohan …hmmm… ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/14 "2011-11-27T20:04:39Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Says you, and others with a political agenda, thinking that an even more progressive tax than a flat tax (which is progressive in straight dollars) is the only answer. But let’s leave that discussion for those particular threads. Anyone who has even a basic understanding taxation would only prefer a flat tax for ideological political reasons. It does absolutely nothing to make the country better while actively making it worse. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/15 "2011-11-27T20:07:15Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Anti-flat tax > Der Trihs > Lobohan > …hmmm… Everyone except the extreme right is against a flat tax. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/16 "2011-11-27T20:11:59Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Also, medical problems do not have simple solutions. Well, there’s always the _Far Side_ “Horse Hospital” solution! _ **BLAM!** _ ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/17 "2011-11-27T20:18:12Z")
> [@The\_Controvert](#): > > Scarcity of resources such as petroleum, fresh water, arable land, food etc. > > People are already having fewer children, so just encourage that trend and wait for overpopulation to solve itself People age to the point where they are unable to work. Since euthanasia is not acceptable, there needs to be a social safety net. Currently this is paid for by working people. A lower population means fewer workers, so less money to support our seniors. Problem: A lower population means there are fewer workers. Solution: Import workers from other countries. Problem: Immigrants change the culture and consume resources. Solution: Increase the domestic birth rate so that immigrants are not needed. Problem: Scarcity of resources such as petroleum, fresh water, arable land, food etc. because of overpopulation… ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/18 "2011-11-27T20:18:17Z")
I’d like to just throw out an IMO something related to the OP thats somewhat opposite. Few solutions are probably THAT simple. However, workable solutions to many problems do I think exist. Not perfect solutions. Not solutions that make the problem disappear totally. Not solutions that do not involve any pain or compromise or imperfection. IMO many of todays problems are due to people obsessing over finding the perfect magical solution so much that the problem never gets addressed in any meaningful way and just sits there festering. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/19 "2011-11-27T20:21:16Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > IMO many of todays problems are due to people obsessing over finding the perfect magical solution so much that the problem never gets addressed in any meaningful way and just sits there festering. People have forgotten the saying ‘Half a loaf is better than none.’ Accepting half a loaf = ‘slippery slope’. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265/20 "2011-11-27T20:26:22Z")
Pollute less? OMG. Why didn’t we think of this a hundred years ago? Are you willing to walk everywhere you go? And pay more taxes to upgrade your local wasterwater treatment facilities? Or spend $10,000 to upgrade your leaky septic systems? Are you willing to eat only organic vegetables and fruits and stop eating beef and chicken? Pay $200 more a month for alternative energy sources in your home? Get rid of all plastics? Recycle EVERYTHING? Retrofit your plumbing so that you can use gray water? Pay more every time you go shopping because businesses have to pay more to comply with stiff environmental laws? There is no easy solution to pollution, because 1) even people who talk a good game don’t want to do everything that needs to be done, 2) there will always be powerful people who will do whatever the hell they want, damn what the law says, and 3) most people have no idea _why_ pollution is bad. As long as their local swimming hole is purty and they can catch all the stripers they want, they do not care. Even when it comes to public health concerns, people will take a good economy over clean air and water ANY day. Carcinogenic fish? Well, we all have to die ONE day. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-hard-problem-without-a-simple-solution/604265.md?page=2)