This diary will be brief. I would love to communicate this message to the 112th Congress. The facts back me up on this.
Economic panacea below the fold.
Jobs are being insourced and outsourced like its going out of style. We're still pouring billions down the sink in Afghanistan and elsewhere on a bloated military budget that isn't keeping us safer or making the world freer. The richest 1% own 24% of the nation's wealth. States all over are looking to cut things like public education, medicaid, financial aid for college students, and enacting other draconian policies.
But I've got a way to save the economy in three easy steps. Ready?
- End the wars.
- Tax the rich.
- Legalize it.
Endless war comes with a hefty price tag that we all have to help pay off. Citizens in my city of Jackson, Mississippi alone have paid $277 million to keep this costly boondoggle alive. That's $277 million that the city of Jackson could have used to renovate and revitalize troubled parts of town like West Jackson, or to hire more teachers in the JPS system, or a number of other more productive, positive things.
As the article above mentioned, taxing the rich at Eisenhower levels means less bubble creation and more sensible, sustainable financial investments from the wealthiest. In turn, the heftier taxes translate to higher revenue, which translates to more jobs, a stronger social safety net, and a more prosperous nation as a whole.
I highly recommend the Time magazine piece about the budding Mary Jane business in Colorado. California, famous for its world-famous wine, makes $2 billion per year in the wine trade. If California decided to legalize, tax and regulate ganja sales and agriculture, that would translate to $14 billion in revenue each year. That measure alone would flip California's budget crisis into a surplus in a matter of a few fiscal years. Mind you, this is $14 billion that's already being made by Californians illegally, money that the state of California could be gaining and using for the good of all. It makes too much sense not to try, doesn't it?
I'm a fan of Occam's Razor. The simplest solution is usually the best solution. Can the 112th Congress try sensibility and do what needs to be done? I'm not hopeful, but I'm optimistic that as the economy worsens, these painfully obvious solutions will gain some traction.