5 Easy Theses is the promising title of a serious book by a man (James M. Stone) who has academic, government, and business credentials. But it was too dense and difficult to read. I gave up after the first thesis and skimmed the rest.

Stone’s idea for the book, though, is good: sensible ways to solve five big problems – the budget deficit (and federal debt), inequality, education, health care, and financial sector reform.

His solution for the budget deficit (the one I read) is to somehow force Congress not to enact projects or programs they can’t fund, to cease unnecessary tax deductions for big businesses (the gas industry, the farming industry, etc.), to get the Social Security Administration to stop expanding its coverage as the average mortality increases, and to repeal all corporate and personal deductions for taxes on debt.