Politics Schmolitics: Ten New Laws Worth Fighting For (Guest Voice)
Politics Schmolitics: Ten New Laws Worth Fighting For
by Leslie J. Sachs
1) FLAT TAX:
a. 6% for all earning less than $40,000 per year (amazingly over 46% of Americans currently pay no income tax whatsoever).
b. 12% for all earnings thereabove, no exceptions.
c. 24% for those earnings above $100,000.
d. This flat tax to include worker’s compensation and basic no frills medical insurance. Thus one flat tax for all (from one dollar up) for all individuals and all companies. No one is excluded, everyone participates.
e. No separate dividend taxes – individuals and companies merely pay on all earnings and income, irrespective. Charitable donations remain fully deductible; gifts and inheritances are taxed at nominal initial 6% flat tax – no exceptions, no limitations.
f. Without loopholes, without exceptions, government will collect more for a fraction of the cost; a great many people (and companies) will pay less whilst saving substantial accounting costs.
2) PRISONS:
a. Only for violent and repeat offenders.
b. Reduced incarceration saves government $100,000 per criminal per year.
c. Stringent community service for all other offenders.
d. Legalize marijuana and tax its sales maximally.
e. Use these taxes to combat hard drugs and educate for abstinence.
3) TERRORISM:
a. Define terrorism as the targeting of any innocents, always.
b. Declare a real war on all terrorism, everywhere.
c. No more kinetic anti-militant ambivalence.
d. Only start wars we mean to win and finish.
e. Seriously support moderates living in dictatorships, worldwide.
4) SALES TAX:
a. Institute a 9.5% country-wide no exceptions tax including Internet sales.
b. Tax revenues will be substantially boosted.
c. This is the broadest and most egalitarian consumer based tax of all.
5) GAS TAX:
a. Initially add a minimum of $1.00 to every gallon in the USA.
b. Close the gap with Europe which adds a $3.00 tax per gallon.
c. Subsidize thereby the decreasing of pollution, the increasing of alternative energies, and the meaningful reduction of all income taxes.
d. Charge thereby consumers the real cost of pollution and security. Highway gridlock will also reduce whilst car manufacturers will maximize mileage per gallon.
6) NATIONAL DEBT:
a. Do the seemingly impossible and require balancing of the budget.
b. Pay off the national debt using increased income, sales and gas taxes.
c. Achieve fiscal responsibility and freedom from indebtedness.
d. Pass on to our kids a world that’s really worth inheriting.
7) SUBSIDIES:
a. Phase out all subsidies and pork-barrel politicking.
b. Level the international playing field for all Americans businesses
c. Reduce proliferating fees and taxes, throw out unnecessary laws and stifling regulation.
d. Support in every reasonable way new start-ups, new job-makers.
MEDICAL:
a. Government only provides no frills, bare bones insurance.
b. This covers everyone, everywhere, all the time – no exceptions.
c. All other insurance privatized, including any and all bells and whistles.
d. Full rebates freely given for those contracting out.
e. No restrictions across state lines.
9) COMMUNITY SERVICE:
a. Instead of conscription, institute a 9 months no exceptions community service.
b. Our society is egocentric, selfish and demotivated.
c. Ensure our kids round out their education by helping the less fortunate.
d. What can be better than ensuring our kids focus on others?
10) INTERNATIONAL:
a. Finally support our friends, deny comfort to our enemies.
b. No more appeasement, no more buying of dictators.
c. Help the abused, the unequal and the oppressed everywhere.
d. Be intolerant only to intolerance itself.
e. Commit to freedom and free expression for all, always – no exceptions.
So simple, so logical; even a congressman could get on board.
Cross posted from Strength & Tolerance
11 Responses to “Politics Schmolitics: Ten New Laws Worth Fighting For (Guest Voice)”
Not a bad list, but I’d change “insurance” to free or sliding scale clinics. They’re already in place, and would end the disconnect between service and cost that has destroyed our current medical services.
Like the income tax idea and to be honest surprisingly close to some Repubs. The added “insurance” is interesting but I’m not sold on it. Feel that MJ should be a states right issue but am OK with it being legal at a fed level. Prison is the same. Feds can decide fed crimes but can’t make decisions about state crimes.
Speaking of which Enron and Madoff would be non violent but you really think no jail time?
The terrorism bit is virtual meaningless. I’m against a nation wide sales tax. Against an artificial gas tax. The people who get hurt the worst are those with the lowest incomes. I agree that we should balance the budget and try and pay off our debt tho disagree with some of the ways to do so. Agree about subsidies. Tend to disagree with the med but to be honest it’s not explained well enough to come down to hard. Too many different possibilities. The min insurance is this supposed to be private or govt coverage? If it’s medi-whatever is it really even insurance?
Disagree with forced community service. Would end up a disaster with the rich or connected having their kids be interns somewhere and poor kids clean trash or worse. Also would cost govt way to much money feeding and being responsible for these kids unless they were used to make money then it’s like slave labor but prob still cost a mint.
The international bit is so vague as to be meaningless and just isn’t compatible with real diplomacy. We couldn’t deal with 3/4 of the world if we truly stuck by it.
Nothing about the environment, which is a glaring omission. This, however was in the national debt section…
d. Pass on to our kids a world that’s really worth inheriting.
…and should apply across the board.
TaXES DECENT, BUT i’D MAKE IT NO TAXES ON INCOMES UNDER $20,000.
a. Define terrorism as the targeting of any innocents, always.
This is such a broad definition as to be worthless.
Sales Tax:
Does it also include services such as lawyer fees, financial advice fees, plastic surgery, etc.?
Are the sale of Financial Assets & Real Estate included in the items to be taxed?
If the answer to either question is NO, this sales tax is nothing more than the Wealthy screwing everyone else.
Flat Tax:
Has two rates, not a real flat tax.
The Terrorism & International sections are meaningless gibberish, The US has no Friends, nor Enemies, it has interests. One man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist. (For example we support a group called MEK)
In the same light as other parts of this post, I’d add:
10) Environment
1. Tax substances proven to be toxic, poisonous, or hazardous to people and the environment based on scientific evidence of toxicity and damage done.
2. Revenues from which to go to the EPA, etc., for enforcement & clean-up & preservation of public lands, etc.
3. Retain endangered species acts, etc., but take CO2/global warming out of EPA and put it into energy isolutions mentioned earlier (namely the carbon taxes mentioned). Return EPA to historical core function of keeping water drinkable, air breathable, and land arable. Controlling energy is NOT a good fit for the EPA.
4. Alter regulations to simplify & cheapen re-use of existing buildings & “brown fields”
Wow, that would be great, except how most of it would be awful.
“amazingly over 46% of Americans currently pay no income tax whatsoever”
Also amazingly, this half-truth continues to get repeated over and over as if it means what those who repeat it want you to believe. It doesn’t.
“This is the broadest and most egalitarian consumer based tax of all”
This is exactly opposite of the truth. There’s a reason that sales taxes are called “regressive”. Because they are regressive.
“So simple, so logical; even a congressman could get on board.”
Except those who disagree with your logic, and those who realize that actual implementation of most of these policy suggestions, even if desirable, would be anything but “simple”.
Tax- Everybody and every business pays 90%. No exceptions
Prisons- All criminals shot. No trials. No exceptions.
Terrorism- Whenever an incident occurs anywhere in the world, nuke Mexico. No exceptions.
Gas Tax- 90% except for government vehicles and veterans. No exceptions.
National Debt- Bill China. No exceptions.
Medical- If anybody gets sick shoot them, or send them to Mexico.
International- Demand tribute. Nuke those whom refuse.
Clothing- Everybody wears a plain brown uniform with polished black boots. No variations. No exceptions. No flip-flops.
What? Why is everybody looking at me like that….?
“TaXES DECENT, BUT i’D MAKE IT NO TAXES ON INCOMES UNDER $20,000″
I agree with Rudi on this. That first 20K ALL goes to necessities for basic survival, neccesities that are already being taxed in any case (see roro’s comment). There has to be some degree of progressivity.