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.
8) 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
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.