POTUS Obama has said that he is open to other options to avoid the fiscal cliff. Personally, I don't believe that going off the cliff is going to be as bad as main stream media makes it sound. Also, I have my doubts that Obama really is open to other plans. But if he is, here is a better fiscal plan with something for everyone. If there is a smart Dem politician perhaps they should listen up.
1)Extend Bush tax cuts for everyone for one last year. I don't like it, but it hasn't tanked the economy yet, so one more year shouldn't make a difference.
2)In exchange for extending those tax cuts, POTUS Obama gets total control over the debt limit during that time. No more haggling over paying the bills. Business will like that.
3)Take Boehner up on his offer to close loop holes and combine that with Obama's proposed tax cuts
4)POTUS Obama orders the FDA to remove marijuana from the controlled substance list
5)He submits a plan to tax and regulate marijuana such as I proposed here.
Now someone asked me the other day why now? Because 2 states have legalized it and over 20 states have decriminalized it. Because it is supported by both red state voters and blue state voters. Because it is going to happen anyways due to interstate commerce issue. BECAUSE WE NEED THE MONEY NOW!
Don't politicians realize that there are approximately one hundred million people in this country who would gladly pay more taxes? POTUS Obama says his plan would raise 1.2 Trillion dollars over 10 years. This plan would 1.2 TRILLION in possibly as little as one year. And there is absolutely no political fallout from doing this. Now I understand that there will be those that argue the numbers. I base this on marijuana industry numbers versus government numbers (which I don't trust for good reason). But even if it raises 1/10th of that in a year, it is still equal to the amount of $$ POTUS Plan is said to raise.
However, there will be political fallout for not doing it. The rhetoric will be..."Congressman XYZ let your taxes go up, while drug dealers pay NO TAXES!"...or "Senator ABC is cutting your entitlements (insert your favorite) while violent drug lords pay no taxes and still get benefits." And it is true.....say something enough times does change people's thinking.
Look this is going to happen. It can happen legislatively or judicially. But it is going to happen because the interstate commerce issue is going to force it. Now POTUS Obama could be seen as a visionary leader who isn't afraid to make history making decisions. Or he can be a wuss and leave it to the courts. But if he leaves it to the courts, all that means is we go several years leaving the potential of a TRILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY on the table. We can no longer afford to support the failed policies of a paranoid president from the 60's. It no longer makes financial sense.
Why??? Because 2 states have legalized it and over 20 states have decriminalized it. Because it is supported by both red state voters and blue state voters. Because it is going to happen anyways due to interstate commerce issue. BECAUSE WE NEED THE MONEY NOW!
Look, everyone knows that pot is not a dangerous drug and surely should not be in the same category as cocaine or heroin. For the POTUS to continue to publicly support this sham, he loses credibility.
So Sieze the day! This plan works for everyone. And then in a year from now, we can revisit the tax cuts issue. At that time we will have a better picture of the economic recovery and it will be the perfect time to make the GOP own it's policies. If a year from now, we are not much better (which I highly doubt), then they are going to have to revisit raising taxes on the rich or pay the political price in 2014 elections.