You have been put in charge of the US budget/economy

[HighwayHeel]

What changes would you institute that would make which would serve all better

Flat tax. 15% sales tax for all! yes even the poor??but define poor! people that make less than $30,000. They get refund end of year

Up SS payments for people that have worked entire life. Make sure they have enough money to help with kids..we get this money by restricting the entire budget

No foreign aid until all US citizen related issues taken care of...

 

[gunslingerdick]

Taxes are now "a la carte". Meaning, you and your accountant will go over a list of areas where your personal taxes can be designated. Some areas get an automatic designation - such as infrastructure and defense. No one would ever elect to designate their taxes there but that's something we cannot do without and something that serves 100% of the population. But outside of the few automatic designations, you would then choose where you wanted your taxes to go. So if you want to support education, then you can designate your taxes there. If you want to support energy research, then you can designate your money there. And so on and so on. This way we'd see what the people actually want to support. And we'd also see the end of wasteful programs that the people would not want to support.

Yes, I'm being serious.

 

[Louigi]

Simple:

1) Abolish the 16th and 17th amendment. No sales tax could be implemented until the elimination of income tax.
2)Scrap SS by fazing out younger workers (it is happening anyway) and force retirement savings into their own account that they control with age and withdrawal restrictions. Force a purchase of individual long term disability policy.

 

[WhatTheHeel?]

While not a fan of increased taxes in any situation, I would actually be in favor of a small temporary increase in the gas tax while overall prices are low to help get our roads and bridges in good shape.

Another change would be lowering the estate tax rates (the money's been taxed many times before) and raising the exemption level or at least find a way to structure the exemption where family businesses don't have to be dismantled to cover paying the tax when the owner dies.

I am also support the work of NASA and feel that it needs more funding, though I imagine down the road it should increasingly work together with other nations.

Politically, I am registered independent and lean either way by the issue. I lean liberally on environmental issues and conservatively on fiscal issues. I feel that I am generous with my time and money to local organizations and that non-profit groups (at least in my area) do a better job of addressing community needs than the government does.

I kind of like the idea of selecting your allocations, but I'm not sure that would ever happen for the same reason satellite/cable companies say that pick-your-own-stations doesn't work. Nobody (well, not enough people) would elect to pay for shopping channels, etc... and in terms of our nation, this would be akin to abandoning some minority segment of the population. I don't necessarily mean racial minority, but some small sub-group--like maybe farmers.

 

[NCAAUCoach]

1) Zero based budget for all programs funded by the GOVT
2) Remove income tax
3) create consumption tax, with "necessities" tax free for all. Companies can pay or submit applications to have products added to necessities list. (This way all basics are taken care of and choices above that are taxed).
4) legalize marijuana
5) reduce foreign aid funding
6) open boarders to all companies for trade (let fair market decide)
7) eliminate Obama care
8) make drug testing mandatory for those on govt assistance
9) reduce govt assistance benefits (time and money)
10) eliminate pensions for govt employees who serve less than 20 years


Just a few that come to mind.

This post was edited on 1/20 11:55 AM by NCAAUCoach