I won't be able to log on for the rest of today, so here's a brief recap of the candidate's policies on tax and college.
College:
Kerry - New initiatives and tax credits to help the poorest afford college and to raise graduation rates from colleges across the board. Fully fund Federal mandates for colleges. Institute AP coursework in all public High Schools. Reverse anti-Title IX decisions concerning women's sports.
Nader and Bush - None. Maintain anti-Title IX decisions concerning women's sports and the defunding of Federal Mandates for Colleges.
Taxes:
Kerry- Tax the wealthy more. Enforce corporate tax code more carefully, with better cooperation between IRS and SEC. Maintain income tax cuts for those earning less than 200K. Reinstate Clinton tax code for those above it. Reinstate estate and stock market taxes. Punish corporations that go offshore by reducing their american corporate rights and refusing to give them federal contracts (that would include Halliburton in some cases). Give health care credit to allow small businesses and laid off workers to afford insurance. Give college credit to enable earned income for the poorest families to send kids to college.
Nader - Tax the middle and top more. Reduce taxes on food, clothing, furniture and books. Raise taxes on purchase and ownership of all other property, with premium increases on luxury goods. Tax property value and land, with credits for land that is donated to common use. Raise taxes on gambling, drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Raise taxes on estates, stock market dividends, capital gains, ownership, and trades. Raise taxes on tangible and intangible assets other than food, clothing, furniture and books. Adjust income and payroll tax in as yet unspecified way, but no credits proposed. No enforcement changes proposed.
Bush - Stealth tax the bottom more. Make everything permanent and keep giving more credits to businesses for equipment. Plunge federal revenue and force states to raise taxes. Jeopardize Social Security, and then privatize it.
