- Wage disparity, Minimum wage, Corporate welfare, etc.
- Welfare reform
- UBI: Universal Basic Income
- Increase overall workforce productivity by eliminating busywork and pseudo-welfare for smart people. by freeing up welfare workers, tax employees, including attorneys and programmers.
- Keep the split tax system, keeping Sales and property taxes in check
- Constrain permits and taxes designed for big businesses so as to encourage community, small businesses, and 3rd places
Wage disparity. Trickle-down economics does not work, and we know it. Not only do we know it, but we’ve known it. Addressing this can address our poverty issues. Yes, there was plenty of poverty and poor working conditions 100 years ago; we worked to improve that from the 1930’s to 1980. In some ways, regulation has harmed and hampered, but in many ways, it has protected people.
Yes, there was some inflation that needed correcting in the 70’s but in reverse, we have the same issues with inflation in reverse. Then, remove regulations and roadblocks to rein it in, and now add it back to control it from a reverse pendulum swing.
I wanted to make sure it was on paper or officially out there, but I have a platform, and here are some items from it. First, wage disparity exists between upper management and CEOs and lower-level employees. I’m not so sure the minimum wage should be based on an hourly wage, but rather on an annual income percentage based on the top 10% of the company.
One big issue we see today is subsidizing companies by giving underpaid employees welfare benefits. Food stamps, housing assistance, etc. If these people were paid a living wage, our taxes need not go to that. Plus, by being on a level playing field as small business owners who have to pay themselves a living wage, the self-employed, and small businesses are better able to compete. We are not subsidizing small business owners. Sure, we allow companies with fewer than x number of employees to get around some regulations. But, that need not be necessary if they were not strangled by competing with subsidized large corporations that are already benefiting from economics of scale.
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That brings me to another issue where we have pseudo public assistance programs, where people are paid for doing busy work.If we had a simpler system, the unemployment levels would be higher unless people became productive in other industries. For instance, how many people does it take to run the IRS? How many people does it take to run H&R Block? How many people does it take to run our welfare programs? If you eliminated those programs, you would eliminate millions of jobs. Bye-bye.
If we had a simpler system, the unemployment levels would be higher unless people became productive in other industries. For instance, how many people does it take to run the IRS? How many people does it take to run H&R Block? How many people does it take to run our welfare programs? If you eliminated those programs, you would eliminate millions of jobs.
Many of these busywork positions are smart roles held by people with degrees. Some highly skilled, highly educated individuals with degrees, such as MBA’s, attorneys, etc. If these smarts were put to productive use, imagine the productivity of America.
Now, in addition to the wage issue, instead of setting the minimum wage to be based on the company’s highest-paid employees, another option may be to tax the upper class.
Up until trickle down in the 80’s the “Marginal” tax rate was 79%+. Marginal sounds weird since today we think of lower-class marginalized people. Removing that helped encourage wage disparity. It encouraged larger pay standards for the upper management.
Plus, stock packages. Maybe all employees should get the same or similar percentage of stocks as the CEO’s and upper management. Employee-owned?
Finally, I’m a fan of UBI. Universal Basic Income.
Yes, there is a fear that because of free money, the cost of groceries, rental properties, and whatnot would increase, but that has not been the case in countries that have implemented it. versus the only way to get this income is by working less or working under the table. Now they have an incentive to work more because they’ve already got their basic needs met and they want more.
I believe that this may be even more necessary with an AI-based economy. Give people the freedom to move on from the buggy whip to new jobs, and they will create them. Plus, with so many roles being taken over by AI, some of that income should benefit society, rather than put people out on the streets. Wasn’t technology supposed to make life better, not worse? Tax the computer as you would a person. A triad of sources vs one that finds a single loophole. Cubic feet of space, power usage, etc. Adjusted over time. Yes, even if they have an on-site nuclear generator and are entirely off-grid. Sure, maybe at a lower rate. But then the rate would already be lower, as it’s harder to monitor. Either way, they are not taxing a system causing people’s utilities to skyrocket.
In the end, you are not only freeing up the poor to find new jobs and careers, but also allowing the smart minds doing the busy work of running the hamster wheel that is managing and maintaining the welfare system to do more productive work.
I’m also a fan of Maternity leave. . . Or paternity leave. For a country that touts family values, we are horrible at showing it. Most countries provide care for parents following childbirth. I believe both parents should be given paid leave for the first month. Then the stay-at-home parent should be given most, if not all, of their pay for several months. maybe 80% for 3 or 4 months, then 40-60 percent for another 3 or 4 months. I’m a fan of 32 weeks. That’s 8 months. Granted with a cap. Similar to unemployment. Someone making $180k need not make / should not be getting $15,000 a month. They are making enough to afford leave.
I believe this program should be paid for through a program similar to or a part of the unemployment program. Maybe a/the General tax assessment/fund? Most definitely not the employer. All employees should qualify. Even those in a small business. A business that should not be harmed just because they are small and has opted to hire a potential parent. No business should be encouraged not to hire a potential parent.
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All of this also brings me to the triad of taxes.
I know a lot of people say we’re taxed to death a sales, property, and income tax. However, I think the triad helps ensure a little comes from everywhere.
A sales tax tends to hurt the poor. A large percentage of their “Small” income goes to this tax. A well-off person isn’t buying as much, might claim it’s for resale, a business expense, etc. If nothing else, the wealthy individual has the income, so it doesn’t hurt as much, and can be lowered by traveling to a different tax market.
Property tax. Yes, you bought it, so you should own it and not pay more. However, will you be paying for city/county services? roads (Not all! A gas tax, especially in the age of electric vehicles, doesn’t cut it, and pedestrians still use infrastructure. How about police, Fire, and EMS? Should we have a subscription service for this? Those who don’t pay can’t get help? Not only NO, but you also lose out on the economies of scale, the benefit of the greater good, and community responsibility. A fire department paid for by 40% of the population is less able to serve those 40%. Plus, the cost to that 40% is higher than if they just shared the expenses across the board for even more services as we do now.
Now, I do think these costs… er taxes need to be better controlled. Your taxes should not double just because someone down the street built something fancy. Your income didn’t double. Tie it to inflation/cost of living. Maybe a 5-year average. That will spread out and delay the pain. After all, your food expenses may jump this year, but your income might not until next year. Let the higher cost of property be calculated when the property is sold, and the higher taxes be paid by the new owners who can afford the higher value. It does not affect the schools and expenses. The value is easily predicted/projected as the cost of living is known. Plus, employees’ wages would generally go up within the same roles at the same rate as the cost of living… the same rate the assessments raise by. Higher property values does not suddenly make services cost more.
The 3rd of that triad, Income taxes. Yes, the wealthy have structures to hide and postpone paying taxes, but eventually they will. Ok, maybe not on things they deduct. Some of the deduction options could be good, but remember the complex structure that requires busywork; irs, tax preparers, attorneys, etc. Simplify the system. The income tax system also offsets the pain on the poor, but allows them to skip taxes on the first $xx.xx in income.
Speaking of taxes. While permits are great, we need to address the permits, taxes, and land use designed for big business. A neighborhood business does not need parking for 30-100 cars. A neighborhood does not need an occupancy license of 100+, lower taxes on community events, and businesses serving 30-75 people or even 5-20 people. Permits, sales taxes, and licenses should all be easily available to, and priced within the reach of, small community businesses, especially those that serve the local community by the local community.
Thats good for now
