From: One Citizen’s Action PAC for the Common Good.
To: Members of Congress
Subject: Debt Ceiling; A Trifling Matter. 10 Steps to Prosperity
Mr. President, as per your request last night for me to call on my Congressman, Frank LoBiondo, I’m sorry, but I don’t think he’ll be taking my phone exhortations any time soon. As per the looming default, this citizen desires to do much more anyway, therefore, I wrote this- a one letter fits all -which we will make available to the 535 men and women of the House and Senate.
To Whom it may concern,
Fools, WE ARE fed up! Stand at attention and shut your yappers! "Now do this, attention, now do this, extend the debt ceiling, extend the debt ceiling, now do this" -A PLAIN SIMPLE, CLEAN BILL, got it?
Next, take these 10 simple steps below, starting with what I lovingly call NSTATS, or a “National Sales Tax, and then some.” Take it or leave it. If you “take it” we’ll buy three years grace with Wall Street, and then things get better fast. Best of all, I’ll take you down the primrose path to smaller government, prosperity, true National Health Insurance- better known as Single Payer -and unbelievably (get this) Comprehensive Immigration Reform as well!
1) PHASE out cash by 2014. The underground economy gradually gets eliminated, growing the revenue enhanced pie.
Create a national debit card to collect one National Sales Tax (NST). While this sounds like an astronomical undertaking, history has proven that great challenges are often, once in a lifetime opportunities, societally, and for businesses; IBM in the 30's, inventing the equipment to facilitate a new government program, Social Security; Ross Perot in early 60's with his Electronic Data Systems Company, which sold billing technology and computerized Medicare; and most recently, the implementation of Easy Pass.
2) Eliminate the old time Income Tax, except for those earning in excess of $250,000. In 2008, those top earners comprised 1 in 50 households and represented 24.1 percent of all income. They paid 43.6 percent of all personal federal income taxes. 50% of us pay no income tax AT ALL . In other words, the government would continue to collect much of its current revenue, and the NST need not be more than 12 or 13%, including the 6-8% (we're paying) in state sales taxes. See #3
3) Eliminate all Corporate Taxes. Eliminate all taxes, including State Income Taxes and State Sales Tax (States get reimbursed. Every penny sent to Washington is recorded by computer). Keep the Fed Excise Tax, keep the NST (National Sales Tax).
If you haven’t realized it yet, this is a government revenue windfall! Therefore, here’s the compromise; those remaining bureaucrats are going to give up a lot for the privilege of- if nothing else -having their pension obligations fully funded now and forever after.
4) Begin eliminating Executive Cabinet Departments and Agencies by the dozens. The 50 States too, they'll eliminate departments as well because Corporations and Small Businesses have just been relieved of Corporate Taxes, FICA taxes…all taxes actually (plus health care costs, see #7) and are now basically on their own. State/Federal Dept. of Labor, Economic Development, Commerce and Industry, etc., are now effectively, obsolete and unnecessary.
5) Special, one month only. For you, my Republican neighbors and friends; Democrats will happily eliminate a few more Departments on top of those already axed because computerized money means privacy issues, and that’s a no-no for conservatives and most Americans. Democrats, who should be willing to give up an arm and a leg for Single Payer, #8, will suck it up and agree to more cuts. Here’s the dilemma, with a gov't debit card, Uncle Sam will know everywhere we've been, and where we spent every cent. It's inevitable anyway, but to get all sides in agreement now, not later, perhaps we’ll kill OSHA and the EPA, but we’ll also increase the Justice Deptartment, just in case anyone or any business gets ideas… if you know what I mean? We’re talking scofflaws.
(Folks, this master plan has to be short by necessity. Utopian visions of the future can’t be fully explained in a thousand word essay)
Continued: Stein’s “No Cash” Pays Dividends; #’s 6-9
6) No cash means criminals are easily traced. Would be terrorists can no longer buy airline tickets using cash. The DOD, FBI, CIA, NSA, even the TSA … yes, it’s time to trim the payroll.
7) “No cash” demands Comprehensive Immigration Reform be a done deal. Illegals will require debit cards just like everyone else. Think of the taxes those illegals will be paying! An NST is very regressive, meaning the poor pay a higher percentage of their income in tax because all their income is spent on goods and services. It is after all, called a “ regressive tax” for a reason. But no longer can we say “illegals” are a burden on the Health Care System for instance, because our newest citizens will be paying in, in a substantial way.
8) Single Payer Health Care. My favorite. Streamlined Washington does Single Payer. So according to my scheme, so far we’ve seen the less fortunate, and the Democratic Party, taking most of the financial hits. We now turn to Republicans and ask why not Single Payer? We eliminated Cabinet Depts and Agencies. Democrats hopefully consented. Now we’ll wipe out an entire industry from the private sector. Health Insurance companies - poof......they're gone.
9) Where did all the lobbyists go? Corporations, having been relieved of both income taxes AND health care costs- and by golly, any need to beg or lobby Congress –fire all the lobbyists.
Business is now in its best competitive position to challenge China and the world, leading to an explosion of new growth here, giving credence to the cliche, "a rising tide lifts all boats". Any argument that a national sales tax is too harsh and regressive on the poor proves false. The poor have great incentive to move into the middle class and beat back poverty. Thousands of non-profits advocating for the poor, and middle class, suddenly have no work to do. Advocacy groups for the rich- who are still paying taxes, but doing better than ever -have hard time making their case, their business suffers as well.
But we quickly tire from all this wishful thinking, so we now move along to number 10 and I’ll be fast on my way.
10) Peevish #10 Washington, depopulated from lost jobs in government, fewer government “think tanks” and a decimated lobbying industry, is nevertheless awash with more money than they ever thought (or admitted) possible. One future headline reflecting new realities reads, “Economic Growth Hits 10% in Third Quarter; Home Prices Rise In Slow Growth D.C., Soar In Detroit And Rest of U.S.”
P.S. That's it, the Holy Grail. 10 steps to solve the conundrum of raising taxes AND creating jobs simultaneously. WE PAY OFF THE NATIONAL DEBT IN 10 YRS. Ten in ten. Class excused. Breathe deeply the country is as good as new.