[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by CoachKandSportsguy

Yes, but first,
for social Security, raise FICA taxes by increasing the cap to unlimited, and if not enough, increase the percentage above $500K, to make the program solvent.

For healthcare, needs a non lobbyist review and revamping, not minor bandaids, and incur income limits
sorry @MAT, i don't have sympathy for very successful people paying extra, like a graduated system.
Increase the graduated income tax on the higher earners. . MA has a budget surplus due to taxes on millionaires!

and cry me a river about taxes on very high earners, they don't miss it, and look at the population and makeup of the income sources, and the tax can be higher without impacting them at all. .

govt spending is an easy scapegoat for unhappiness and assumed theft, but the recirculation of dollars back into the economy provides alot of invisible benefits. . .. if its alot about you, then govt spending isn't visible,

OR..... BETTER YET:

Increase FICA and taxes ACROSS THE BOARD EQUALLY. It's time we stopped punishing success and made EVERYONE pay their fair share, even if it's only a few dollars. What is fair about the current system of federal income tax where the top 5% pay 50% of the taxes and 47% pay NOTHING. I'd get rid of all child credits---why should anyone have to pay for another person's children???? Then I'd cut all these ridiculous giveaway programs in half. A few years ago I saw a news program that interviewed 2 college seniors at Stanford. The were asked what they wanted most from the American economy---Good jobs, availability of loans for graduate studies, etc. Their answer-----FREE STUFF!!!!!. Sad, but this is the mentality of many of today's youth. They also didn't know the name of the vice president at the time---acknowledging that they spent more time playing video games than learning. Mom and Dad----happy you're paying $70,000/year tuition for Super Mario Kart????

And now for an even more radical idea---amend the constitution so that only NET taxpayers get to vote----this would eliminate the political strategy of promising freebies.

[bumpa]

Originally Posted by CybrSage

Being specific, what percentage of other people's money do you say it is fair to take from them, but unfair to take from you?

We have a progressive tax system. The rate of progression is flexible and arbitrary, fairness is NOT a factor.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by joshgun

In New York 44% of residents are on Medicaid; in California 38% of residents are on Medicaid. The national average is 20%. A scalpel needs to be used on Medicaid spending not a butcher knife.

Based on those percentages, it would appear that a butcher knife is what is needed. When welfare was started in the 30's, it was a SUBSISTANCE living---a cold water flat and a ticket to the government surplus bread and cheese line. People would take any job just to get off "the dole". It was an embarrassment---and so it should be. Now, we have multi-generational welfare families and EBT cards that look like credit cards because recipients were "embarrassed" to be seen with food stamps at the grocery check-out. Get out the butcher knife and let embarrassment return.

[vonbork]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Would you do this with your personal budget? If you needed to save money would you cut your grocery, water, and electricity spending by the same percentage as you might cut your cruise, airline, hotel, or restaurant spending? Or, would you determine what is essential (food, water, A/C) and what is not-so-essential (cruise, hotel, restaurant) and cut the non-essential items more?

In my experience with the Army when facing a 10% reduction in force (RIF), the trouble is that every department, office, etc. believes that it is essential and operating with the minimal staff and budget and shouldn't be cut, leading to endless discussion over who is the highest priority. Those cut more than 10% then are angry with the decision maker and set out to show why they shouldn't have been cut. Cutting everyone 10% shares the pain.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Ptmcbriz

Raise (instead of cut) billionaires taxes so they pay their fair share. Close those IRS loop holes. We now have enough money to pay everything and pay money down on the debt annually. Simple, clean, and fair.

I think I heard the same thing on MSNBC. BTW, the biggest "loophole" is child care credit for low income families. Actually, that's second---the biggest loophole is the tax rate structure that allows 47% to get away with no income tax.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by CybrSage

Being specific, what percentage of other people's money do you say it is fair to take from them, but unfair to take from you?

Well said! The local Villages equivalent is that the developer was building paradise up until my house was built--after that it was "pure greed"