I've thrown some posts up with some half-serious thoughts and suggestions, always with the intent of starting a conversation. Sometimes it works, sometimes not so much.
But I want to present you with some thoughts on a topic that I truly believe in.
Class warfare.
Yes, the Tea Party has declared war on the poor and middle class.
They oppose everything that would assist an economic recovery. They want to augment the policies that created the bubble, popped the bubble, and will prevent future bubbles from happening in the future. They want to double-down on the policies that CREATED the ballooning deficit. They threaten us what amounts to economic terrorism: a default on the debt which they have helped us accrue. And they threaten the existence of every government program which AMERICAN TAXPAYERS FUND THEMSELVES FOR THEIR OWN BENEFIT.
In response, I declare war. But not the violent kind, as they have occasionally advocated. Not secession, as some have suggested. Not even true class warfare----I don't hate the rich. I don't wish them ill. If they're contributing to society, they're alright by me.
I want to declare war on stagnant money.
What's stagnant money? It's money that the rich are holding on to instead of bolstering the economy.
If you started a business, hired some folks, or loaned some money for someone to start a business, you could make a major impact. If you purchased new equipment for your company or expanded your product catalog, you're helping America recover.
You could fuel the economy. And do you know what happens when the economy is booming? YOU MAKE MONEY. A shit-load of it.
No one benefits from a prosperous middle class more than the rich.
That's the irony of the bogeyman of "Socialism", the thing that the Tea Party keeps warning us about. Small doses of Socialism is the cure to the ills of Capitalism.
We want economic expansion, but we want government regulation to prevent artificial expansion---expansion built on bad debt and phoney money.
We want smarter kids who will grow up to be better employees that will make you more money.
We want healthy citizens who will miss fewer days from work.
We want an end to poverty so those citizens become CUSTOMERS who, in turn, make the rich richer.
A rising tide lifts all ships.
The 1970s, 80s, 90s, 2000s, and 2010s---my entire life---has proven to me that the current system just doesn't lift people out of poverty. It just doesn't create happier and healthier and wealthier middle class.
But no one is compelling the rich to get their hands dirty. Yes, Bill Gates gives a ton of money away to charity. Good for him. But more people would be benefited from full employment---14 million jobs.
So....my proposal is two fold:
The government hires the 14 million unemployed for A FULL YEAR and pays them 40,000, that's 560 billion dollar investment. Less than the cost of the ARRA stimulus. Everyone hired is required to put in 40 hours that benefits the government and the country as a whole. The government can offer a whole range of jobs---police, teachers, construction, etc and recognize a lot of different types of service (americorp, habitat for humanity, etc.) as counting towards that.
We extend the Bush tax cuts indefinitely for all taxpayers....on the condition that they're investing a proportional amount into the economy. If you fail to invest that amount back into the economy, you pay it in taxes.
So, if your additional tax burden would be $5,000....you have a choice. Spend it on something stimulative or pay it in taxes.
That's my crazy rant.
Feel free to tear me down.