Hypothetically, if the staff created a forum for people who self-described as "Centrists" and "Moderates" in their political views, would you use it? And do you think it would be a constructive step?
I know there could be enormous debate on the exact meaning of these terms and they will vary from country to country, but RF's policy generally been to allow people who simply self-describe themselves as "conservatives", "liberals". "socialists", "libertarians", etc to use those sub-forums respectively. So, for the sake of argument, assume that anyone who self-describes as centrist or moderate would be able to use such a forum in their own right without having to justify themselves based on how other people define the position.
Any thoughts or suggestions welcome.
I consider myself to be a moderate socialist environmentally friendly person. I suppose I am mostly politically left of Joe Biden, Amy Klobuchar, but mostly to the political right of Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, or Kamala Harris.
I'd like U.S. socialism to implemented by year 2024 as follows:
1. Universal health insurance affordably implemented at tax-payer expense with there being also insured cost sharing of 40 percent co-insurance to the insured for covered Medicare expenses including prescription drug expenses. The government paying 60 percent of all U.S. residents' Medicare approved health care would cost tax-payers approximately 2.2 trillion dollars in the fiscal year 2024. Upgraded coverage insuring 80 percent of the insured's Medicare approved expenses and prescription drug costs could be purchased at cost by the insured at an annual premium price of $2,000.
2. Universal health insurance in the U.S funded as follows: this being funded in large part by over half the revenues collected from personal income taxes (est. $1.05 trillion), in part by a ten percent value-added-tax less less monthly rebates of $180 to each U.S. resident age 18 or over, this would net approximately $550 billion of revenue in the year 2024; Universal health care also being funded in part by an increase in the corporate income tax rate from 21 percent to 28 percent resulting in corporations paying U.S. corporate income taxes of nearly 500 billion dollars in 2024,, and also U. being funded in small part by alcohol, cannabis and tobacco excise taxes generating ca. $80 billion of funding towards U.S. Universal Health insurance in year 2024.
3. Social security spending of $1.2 trillion in 2024 would be funded in large part by the status-quo system of payroll taxes, this would generate $1.1 trillion during 2024. This $100 billion annual shortfall of funding to social security by payroll taxes would be covered by the withdrawal of excess funds in the social security trust fund.
4. U.S. military spending of 950 billion dollars in 2024 could then be funded with nearly half the revenue from the following simplified income tax system, just a few income tax brackets beginning in year 2024, zero percent on the initial $20,000 of personal individual annual income, 18 percent on $20,001 to $60,000 of personal individual annual income, 29,8 percent on individual personal annual earnings in excess of $60,000. Capital gains taxed at same rate as ordinary income. No tax credits, save for a refundable $2,000 child tax credit as well as a $2,000 refundable tax credit for each adult American legal resident. In 2024, this would result in total personal federal income taxes amounting to an estimated two trillion dollars.
5.. The imposition of financial transaction taxes ( remittance taxes and stock/bond trade taxes) generating ca. $200 billion, the implementation of tariffs resulting in ca. $100 billion of revenue in 2024 and federal estate taxes generating an additional ca. $35 billion in revenue would mostly fund spending for the following federal agencies:: ( est. $63 billion ) spending on the Department of Agriculture, ( est. $46 billion) to the State Department, ( est. $42 billion ) towards Housing and Urban Development, ( est. $33 billion ), by the Department of Energy, ( est. $30 billion ) to the Department of Justice, ( est. $26 billion) for N.A.S.A., ( est. 24 billion ) into the Department of Treasury, (est. $23 billion ) towards the Department of Interior, ( est. $14 billion ) by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, ( est. $10 billion ) for the Department of Commerce, ( est. $10 billion ) by the Department of Labor, ( est. $9 billion ) for the Environmental Protection Agency, and ( est. $5 billion ) for the Food and Drug Administration.
6. The implementation of excise taxes on railways, fuel, airports and aviation collectively adding up to $160 billion, would fund the Department of Transportation and Homeland Security.
7. Approved federal spending in 2024 at an estimated $2.2 trillion for universal health care ( U.H.I. ) $1.2 trillion for Social Security, ( no change from status-quo on S.S. retirement benefits ), an estimated 950 billion dollars towards the military and veteran services or veteran benefits, $480 billion on debt interest payments, ( est. $63 billion ) spending on the Department of Agriculture, ( est. $46 billion) to the State Department, ( est. $42 billion ) towards Housing and Urban Development, ( est. $33 billion ), by the Department of Energy, ( est. $30 billion ) to the Department of Justice, ( est. $26 billion) for N.A.S.A., ( est. 24 billion ) into the Department of Treasury, (est. $23 billion ) towards the Department of Interior, ( est. $14 billion ) by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, ( est. $10 billion ) for the Department of Commerce, ( est. $10 billion ) by the Department of Labor, ( est. $9 billion ) for the Environmental Protection Agency, and ( est. $5 billion ) for the Food and Drug Administration. ( est. $50 billion) for the Department of Homeland Security, ( est. $110 billion) for the Department of Transportation; the above proposed federal spending resulting in total federal annual spending to be ca. $5.325 trillion..
8. The above approved fiscal year 2024 federal spending being at $5.325 trillion and $4.725 trillion of tax revenue resulting in a federal deficit of ca. $600 billion for Fiscal Year 2024.
As far as I know, I am the only person on RF who has proposed a specific federal budget plan for year 2024 consisting of $5.325 trillion in federal spending, funded by $4.725 trillion in federal taxes and $600 billion in federal deficit spending.
How would you like U.S. socialism to be implemented by year 2024? Would you consider my aforementioned federalized tax and spending wishes to be moderate, liberal, or conservative?
