by AgentR11 » Wed 25 May 2011, 14:11:12
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cid_Yama', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('AgentR11', 'I')ts simply not realistic to anticipate success on that matter.
Nonsense. You just refuse to put the things that will fix it on the table.
End all subsidies to oil, coal, ethanol, and big ag. End all subsidies to multinationals. You want assistance you operate solely in the US.
No more letting corporations have free access to oil in the gulf and natural resources on public lands. Those are our resources and the country gets it's cut.
Bring the troops home. Cut the defense budget in half.
Raise taxes on those making more than 500,000 a year to 50%.
Look at that, problem solved.
Disagree. I don't think the above is enough.
That said,
I don't think the government should be providing any subsidies, to anyone, period. No exceptions.
I'd be perfectly happy if the leases and public lands production went to highest bidder (with stated minimums or right to reject), as long as the bids are expressed as a percent of value of product shipped. (ie, Gov't prevents production, gov't gets no money.)
Troops home? Not really realistic. Kinda a Tiger by the tail thing going there.
Defense budget cuts? Were you not around in 2009?? If Obama + lefty congress + no new threat couldn't cut that thing; I have no idea how that could happen. If left wing extremists don't want to cut the DoD, who else would. Ike warned us. We didn't listen. Just another nail in the coffin.
I've discussed this "tax only the very wealthy" thing before... There aren't enough of them, and most of them are in absolute control of the number that they write on their income tax forms. They put big numbers there now, because its the most efficient way to gain command of those funds; raise the rate, and those numbers go elsewhere, seeking other, more efficient ways to turn revenue into personally controlled assets. My sense is, if you want to hose the rich, boost the income tax rates on everyone slightly, terminate all tax exempt status for all organizations, and impose a 5% property fee on any person or organization with assets in excess of $250k, including foreign owned OR CONTROLLED assets, failure to report is felony with jail and fine equal to the value of all unreported assets. If you just go after income, they'll laugh at you for your naivete.
I kinda think that would be counterproductive and hurt the economy, but thats a different story. Democrats have declared ownership of Medicare/Medicaid; its the Democrats responsibility to sign their names to the tax bills required to pay for them.