An idea for reducing the national debt and restoring the economy.

[Deep13]

I realize like most wishful thinking that my idea is just a fantasy and will never happen. Still, I'm going to say it just because I can.

Allow all Bush tax cuts to expire.

Raise taxes on those who have done well during the past decade. Tax assests where they actually are and not where they're registered. (So incorporating in the Caymen Islands only lets a company dodge taxes if the company assets are physically located there.)

Raise taxes on probate and non-probate estates. That includes trust accounts.

The wars: we lost. Time to admit it and end them.

Extend unemployment benefits.

Massive government spending on public works, public education.

End the so-called war on drugs. Focus on education and treatment for nonviolent offenders.

Reduce prison sentences for nonviolent offenders by 30%.

End the system of legal bribery called "campaign finance" with mandatory public funding.

End the Senate fillibuster and other procedural roadblocks.

Raise the minumum wage.

Make all illegal aliens who have been here for ten years and with no violent criminal record permanent residents. Enforce their employment rights.

ENDA.

Make health coverage independent from employment.

End so-called "right to work" laws.

[yellerpup]

1. I like all these suggestions.

They would work. :kick: & Rec.

[Stringertom]

2. Debt reduction

Here's how to fund debt-heavy but necessary unemployment
benefit extensions: send a notice/petition to your congressman
& senators and their staffs to work for the minimum wage
with no benefits until UE rate drops to pre-BushDepression
rate (let's say 7%). Have exec branch go along with that plan,
maybe even the Nine Old Phonies in the Long Black Robes. After
all, if you define employment as the state of being paid for
honest labor, none of the above are truly employed. They're 
more like mercenaries for hire to protect the plutocracy.

[MikeFoxtroters]

3. The first in the list

will kill any growth and make the rest of the changes pointless because it will lead to even more hardship for everyone, especially those who are struggling paycheck to paycheck as it is right now. More foreclosures, reduced consumer demand and spending, layoffs, everything. Jacking up taxes even if offset by a massive increase in public spending on social programs will hurt a lot and because of the things mentioned above, will after the first year bring in less and less revenue.

The worst thing in the world to do during a recession is to raise taxes as significantly as letting these expire will. It's like giving everyone the double bird and then poking them in the eyes just because you like watching them suffer.

[Deep13]

5. Raising taxes was in large part responsible for the Clinton-era boom...

...which was followed by the slow, grinding depression of the 2000's. If the nation's financial house is not in order, a strong economy just isn't possible. Are you aware that oil is now traded in Euros instead of dollars? How about a Canadian dollar that is worth as much as an American dollar? When the dollar fell, everyone in this country got a pay cut. Frankly, the Bush tax cuts for middle and lower income people were insignificant anyway.

[csziggy]

8. If those tax reductions were going to add jobs, why did they not do so in the last eight years?

The Bush tax cuts were passed in what - 2002? During the Bush administration, there was the lowest rate of job growth of any presidential administration in the last sixty years.

So why did those tax cuts not increase employment? Why did the Bush administration close with the biggest economic mess since the Great Depression?

Tax cuts to the wealthiest people do NOT contribute to job growth. Tax cuts to the middle class and poor people do. Why are the Republicans only fighting for extra tax cuts to the wealthiest and voting against tax cuts to everyone?

[pansypoo53219]

4. sorry, these suggestions are RATIONAL AND FAIR.

you lose.

[Deep13]

6. I know.

:-(

[NickB79]

7. While we're wishing for things, I'd like a flying unicorn

That eats garbage and craps gold bricks.

I have about as much chance of getting that as this nation does of getting what you proposed with Republicans controlling any sector of the government.

[Deep13]

9. Yeah, I acknowledged as much.

If it's going to crap gold bricks, I just assume not have it flying around.