Ocasio-Cortez: We need to send out checks to everybody, even the rich

[Yavin4]

One of the things we’re saying is tax it back a year from now. So we don’t have to worry about a big bureaucratic means test. Mail them all out to everybody and let’s get them back from the folks who don’t need them next year.

She told CNN “State of the Union” host Jake Tapper on Sunday morning that she hears the common argument: “Why you are going to give a check to Bill Gates?” But she said that determining who deserves what would create unnecessary red tape that can be dealt with once this is over.

She is 100% correct on this. Cannot re-state this enough. Get money into the hands of everyone as soon as possible.


https://www.marketwatch.com/story/ocasio-cortez-we-need-to-send-out-checks-to-everybody-even-the-rich-2020-03-22?mod=home-page

[Skittles]

1. ridiculous

if they can give out tax breaks that only go to the wealthy, they can target cash for the non-wealthy

[nuxvomica]

2. I absolutely agree

Just give everyone the money and worry about who needed it later. Ultimately, it can be resolved with a wealth tax anyway but for now, people who need it to survive shouldn't have to jump through through any bureaucratic hoops.

[Bluethroughu]

3. UBI AND MEDICARE 4 ALL

$12,000 per adult
$6,000 per child

A year forever, medicare 4 all forever.
Done.


We'll get to corporate bailouts later

[still_one]

4. She is right. In addition someone in California is not the same as someone in Iowa as far as cost

of living

[Turin_C3PO]

5. I agree with that.

[demmiblue]

6. K&R

[PETRUS]

7. I agree with that approach.

Not only are extra administrative costs associated with means-testing for this, it's entirely likely we wouldn't get it quite right. Some people would try to cheat the system. Others may have enough volatility in their income, or be facing rapidly changing circumstances, that their record from last year, or recent weeks, might make it look like they don't need assistance when in fact they do. And yes, we can "tax it back" at the end of the year. We should have much steeper tax rates on high incomes (and a wealth tax) anyway.

[Laelth]

8. I agree. A means test is a nightmare. n/t

-Laelth

[localroger]

9. AOC is one of our brightest lights

Meanwhile, I got knuckledraggers representing my sorry ass in Congress.

[pampango]

10. With progressive taxes Gates' would pay $10,000 in taxes for his $1,000 check.

One can dream anyway.