Netmystique for President!
It is time to announce that I am running for president. I may not seem like presidential material, but when I see the other candidates, I think I could do a much better job than they could. Face it, except for Obama, every last one of them is a lunatic who make George W. Bush look like a liberal extremist.
I'm running on the principle that people are going to hate the president eventually, so why not start out if someone hated? I'm a scientist, an atheist, and a transsexual. It's the Triple Crown of political failures! Add to that being liberal and proud to be one. Can you imagine anyone less electable?
What are my policies? It doesn't matter! The split in this country is so deep that each side would rather watch the country crumble to dust than compromise (though the Republicans are by far the worst of the lot). Still, I suppose I should outline my policies:
ECONOMY
It's a mess. We all know it. When I explain my plan, it should become that we're screwed and the only way out is to take it up the ass.
Corporations and wealthy are flush with more cash than anyone could hope to dream of possessing. Were Supply-Side Economics viable, there would be no shortage of jobs. All that money would be re-invested to generate more wealth. What is happening? The companies and wealthy are sitting on their money waiting for people to have money to spend. There is no demand because most people have no money. It has all be concentrated in the hands of a few.
Thirty years of borrowing through the "good times" (though if you ask, no, they weren't good for me) has raised the debt beyond small measures. The nation is going to have to take hits at both ends. Revenue must go up, benefits must go down.
Revenue
First, the revenue. Income taxes will go up and the caps for social security and medicare taxes will be removed. Corporations, being people, will be taxed at the same rate as people. When corporations are no longer considered people, then a separate tax scale will be imposed (I'm considering just multiplying the dollar amount by 100 for the scale).
Income tax will be scaled. To give an idea of what is to come:
The following changes will be made to the tax code:
Estate taxes will be reinstated with the following changes:
Finally, due to the instability caused by nanosecond trading and short-selling, a fee will be imposed on all market transactions for assets held less than one year. This fee will be a percentage of the price based on the time held. The formula will be: 1 - (fraction of year). Consequently, nanosecond trades will be charged nearly 100% of the cost.
Expenditures
All of my life, I've been told that the longer we put off the economic problems, the worse the solution will be. Now our economy is in a depression. There is no other word for it other than depression. However, because of reckless borrowing by conservatives, the government is in a deep pit. Not only will taxes go up, but benefits must be cut.
The following will be implemented:
Subsidies
There are a huge mountain of these. What one person considers waste, another may consider essential. While many will be phased out, most will remain and some will be shifted.
Banking Reform
Did it strike anyone else as odd that the U.S. reaction to banks to big to fail was for them to absorb other banks? How about all the fees that keep creeping in? With record profits in a down economy, why are they allowed to gouge us for every last penny?
Tort Reform
Two things have caught my attention recently. First, people in class action suits may end up with miniscule reimbursement where law firms are making huge profits from class action law suits. Second, technology companies are amassing tens of thousands of patents that should never have been awarded in the first part to interfere with other companies and defend themselves from patent infringement suits. Often, these suits are brought by companies that are "non-practicing entities." No employees, no office, no purpose other than to sue. This hurts innovation as corporations pay out millions and more to obtain nonsense patents, file lawsuits, and defend against lawsuits.
Here are my plans:
Other Stimulus
The problem, as is clear,is that people do not have the money to spend to drive production. It doesn't matter how much money the corporations have in store, they're not going to spend a dime if there is no demand. In fact, banks are trying whatever trick they can to drain the last few pennies from mainstream America. The only way to break the cycle is to get money in the hands of Americans. The only way to do that is for the government to spend. Yes, it will increase the debt, but there is no other option. Our last hope as a nation is that the government spending will re-start the economy.
What we must do:
Other Spending
The amount we spend on military cannot be maintained. The budget is loaded with pork where several states produce parts for unnecessary equipment. These expenditures will be ended. All wars in which the United States is currently engaged will be brought to a close.
The War on Drugs has been consuming too many resources without effect. Marijuana will be legalized and taxed. Initially, it will be subject to many of the same regulations as tobacco. Effort to prevent illegal drug use will focus primarily on education. To open education to a larger group of people, the law prohibiting student grants, loans, and scholarships to those convicted of drug related offenses will be repealed.
Too much money is spent keeping people incarcerated. Minimum sentencing guidelines will be eliminated. Alternative sentencing will be strongly encouraged.
Metrics
Nothing bothers me more than people taking a measure for one thing and applying it to another. If this isn't understood yet, read my entries on comparing current unemployment rates to the Great Depression. Here are the changes I wish to implement:
Future Planning
The problem is, the way out of a recession is to grow the economy. Why is that a problem? Capitalism in general assumed infinite growth is possible. However, this is a finite world. There is only so much wealth to go around. In other words, our model of economics cannot function in the long term. To make matters worse, other systems don't seem to work any better in the modern world.
What is necessary are new ideas. I will establish multiple research groups/think tanks to consider and develop new economic models. We need new way. No lies, it's going to suck. Our standard of living will have to go down. What we expect to own will have to be reduced. Anyone who tells you that our way of life is sustainable is telling you what you want to hear. Nice as it would be to invent ourselves out of this mess, we cannot rely on it.
ENVIRONMENT
The environment is of great importance. Climate change is taking place and the longer we delay, the worse things will be. As stated before, we will have to lower our standard of living.
More accurately, what we think of as our standard of living will need to change.
Every American should have access to potable water, effective sanitation, and clean air. We should live in homes free of toxins and pollutants. Green space should be within walking distance and reliable public transportation as ubiquitous as possible. This will place us far ahead of the rest of the world. On the other hand, we cannot continue to have 50% of our electricity obtained from coal. Oil consumption is far out of proportion with the rest of the world. There isn't time to develop new sources of electricity, so we must conserve.
Most important, we need a binding and enforceable global treaty to reduce greenhouse emissions and other pollutants as well as preserved natural resources and encourage sustainable agriculture.
The following should be implemented:
GOVERNMENT
The government isn't perfect, but it's what we have. Here are some policy changes I would like to implement:
EDUCATION
Education is critically important to our nations future. As unpopular as it is, I want to have a more nationalized system:
HEALTH CARE
People seem to hate the idea of government in health care. Okay, try this:
Do I sound like the kind of president you would hate? If that is the case, I'm the president for you! Finally: Vote for me president in 2012!
I'm running on the principle that people are going to hate the president eventually, so why not start out if someone hated? I'm a scientist, an atheist, and a transsexual. It's the Triple Crown of political failures! Add to that being liberal and proud to be one. Can you imagine anyone less electable?
What are my policies? It doesn't matter! The split in this country is so deep that each side would rather watch the country crumble to dust than compromise (though the Republicans are by far the worst of the lot). Still, I suppose I should outline my policies:
ECONOMY
It's a mess. We all know it. When I explain my plan, it should become that we're screwed and the only way out is to take it up the ass.
Corporations and wealthy are flush with more cash than anyone could hope to dream of possessing. Were Supply-Side Economics viable, there would be no shortage of jobs. All that money would be re-invested to generate more wealth. What is happening? The companies and wealthy are sitting on their money waiting for people to have money to spend. There is no demand because most people have no money. It has all be concentrated in the hands of a few.
Thirty years of borrowing through the "good times" (though if you ask, no, they weren't good for me) has raised the debt beyond small measures. The nation is going to have to take hits at both ends. Revenue must go up, benefits must go down.
Revenue
First, the revenue. Income taxes will go up and the caps for social security and medicare taxes will be removed. Corporations, being people, will be taxed at the same rate as people. When corporations are no longer considered people, then a separate tax scale will be imposed (I'm considering just multiplying the dollar amount by 100 for the scale).
Income tax will be scaled. To give an idea of what is to come:
- $1b or more taxed at 99%
- $100 million taxed at 95%
- $10 million taxed at 90%
- $1 million taxed at 50%
- $100,000 taxed at 25%
- $50,000 taxed at 5%
- No income tax below $50,000
The following changes will be made to the tax code:
- Dividends and other capital gains are included as income and taxed accordingly.
- Deductions for dependents will be $10,000 for one, an additional $5,000 for two, $1,000 for three, no further deductions beyond three.
- Corporations will be taxed on the profit reported to shareholders. No deductions.
- If the total of income and employer benefits exceeds $1 million, 100% of benefits will be considered income.
- While current interest payments for mortgages and student loans will remain tax deductible, the interest will not be tax deductible on any future mortgages or student loans.
- Social security income will not be taxable.
- Religions are no longer automatically considered non-profit organizations. Religious organizations must apply for non-profit status as all other organizations.
- Religions providing funds to support any side of an electoral matter will automatically lose non-profit status, be retroactively taxed, and cannot re-apply for 10 years.
- Just as citizens are taxed on income they earn outside of the United States, so shall corporations.
- As marriage is considered a religious institution, people will not be able to file jointly as this favors some religions over others.
Estate taxes will be reinstated with the following changes:
- Only estates exceeding $1 million will be taxable.
- Due to hospitals being left with the bills of uninsured, the government will seize assets equivalent to twice the value of unpaid medical bills, half to reimburse providers for unpaid bills and the remainder to support Medicare.
- As marriage is considered a religious institution, recognizing a spouse's right to the estate is favoring some religions over others. Therefore, spouse's are considered non-relatives with regards to inheritance.
Finally, due to the instability caused by nanosecond trading and short-selling, a fee will be imposed on all market transactions for assets held less than one year. This fee will be a percentage of the price based on the time held. The formula will be: 1 - (fraction of year). Consequently, nanosecond trades will be charged nearly 100% of the cost.
Expenditures
All of my life, I've been told that the longer we put off the economic problems, the worse the solution will be. Now our economy is in a depression. There is no other word for it other than depression. However, because of reckless borrowing by conservatives, the government is in a deep pit. Not only will taxes go up, but benefits must be cut.
The following will be implemented:
- Retirement age and eligibility for Social Security and Medicare will be raised to age 68.
- Persons 68 and older will only receive Social Security to bring income up to the national median income.
- Subsidies to corporations reporting profits to shareholders will be phased out over three years.
Subsidies
There are a huge mountain of these. What one person considers waste, another may consider essential. While many will be phased out, most will remain and some will be shifted.
- All subsidies for airlines will be gradually transferred to Amtrak, development of a nation wide rail system, and encouraging competition for providing rail service.
- Agricultural subsidies will be shifted to farms growing a variety of produce primarily for local human consumption. Over ten years, the subsidies will depend more on practices of crop rotation, soil conservation, and reduced use of fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides.
- All subsidies for coal, oil, and natural gas will be diverted to competitive grants for alternative fuel research, alternative fuel infrastructure, and seed money for alternative energy companies.
- Subsidies for mineral exploration and the timber industry will be shifted to subsidies for recycling.
- Subsidies indented to "preserve a way of life" will be phased out. This is the school of hard knocks. There are very few people who can honestly claim a traditional way of life. As a nation of immigrants, we need to accept that how things were once done may no longer be feasible.
Banking Reform
Did it strike anyone else as odd that the U.S. reaction to banks to big to fail was for them to absorb other banks? How about all the fees that keep creeping in? With record profits in a down economy, why are they allowed to gouge us for every last penny?
- All banks that were considered too big to fail must divided into smaller banks.
- Banks will be evaluated annually regarding whether they are too big to fail. Those that are, will be broken into smaller banks.
- Banks may not charge more than the prime rate plus 10% APR on credit cards.
- In order for banks to change transaction fees on ATM and debit cards, they must present a business case demonstrating that such transactions are more expensive than processing paper checks and paying bank tellers.
- When processing daily transactions, banks must process the smallest transactions first.
- Overdraft fees may not exceed the amount of the transaction.
- Banks must provide a minimum of 1% APR on savings accounts.
Tort Reform
Two things have caught my attention recently. First, people in class action suits may end up with miniscule reimbursement where law firms are making huge profits from class action law suits. Second, technology companies are amassing tens of thousands of patents that should never have been awarded in the first part to interfere with other companies and defend themselves from patent infringement suits. Often, these suits are brought by companies that are "non-practicing entities." No employees, no office, no purpose other than to sue. This hurts innovation as corporations pay out millions and more to obtain nonsense patents, file lawsuits, and defend against lawsuits.
Here are my plans:
- Civil lawsuits will be based on a "loser pays" system. The loser will be responsible for paying all court and legal fees separate from the amount of the settlement.
- Non-practicing entities may not bring patent infringement lawsuits.
- Patent applications will be judged much more strictly, i.e., growing government to improve the Patent Office. There were over 3,000 people who submitted patents for being able to click on a button on-line. There is a patent for the "thermal restoration of bread," i.e., toast. Neither of these should have been awarded patents.
- Each patent involved in the patent infringement lawsuit will be reviewed to determine if (1) similar patents were filed (e.g., clicking on a button in a web browser) or (2) it is for something that has been in common use and some smart-ass thought it would be fun to submit a nonsense patent.
Other Stimulus
The problem, as is clear,is that people do not have the money to spend to drive production. It doesn't matter how much money the corporations have in store, they're not going to spend a dime if there is no demand. In fact, banks are trying whatever trick they can to drain the last few pennies from mainstream America. The only way to break the cycle is to get money in the hands of Americans. The only way to do that is for the government to spend. Yes, it will increase the debt, but there is no other option. Our last hope as a nation is that the government spending will re-start the economy.
What we must do:
- End all tax credits for off-shoring jobs.
- Break NAFTA and other free trade agreements.
- Start a government system of rebuilding the national infrastructure: water treatment and other sanitation, roads, rail roads, bridges, electric grids, communications, etc.
- Provide start-up grants for small businesses.
- Provide more grants for attending college and scholarships for medical informatics.
- Increase the allowance for food stamps when purchasing unprocessed food.
- Establish seed money for starting local banks and credit unions.
- Extend unemployment benefits indefinitely.
- Spend to nationalize health care, including setting up the infrastructure and training employees.
- Reimburse training of new employees retained for one year.
- Change road signs to contain distances and speeds in kilometers as well as miles.
- Make government grants available to communities for development.
Other Spending
The amount we spend on military cannot be maintained. The budget is loaded with pork where several states produce parts for unnecessary equipment. These expenditures will be ended. All wars in which the United States is currently engaged will be brought to a close.
The War on Drugs has been consuming too many resources without effect. Marijuana will be legalized and taxed. Initially, it will be subject to many of the same regulations as tobacco. Effort to prevent illegal drug use will focus primarily on education. To open education to a larger group of people, the law prohibiting student grants, loans, and scholarships to those convicted of drug related offenses will be repealed.
Too much money is spent keeping people incarcerated. Minimum sentencing guidelines will be eliminated. Alternative sentencing will be strongly encouraged.
Metrics
Nothing bothers me more than people taking a measure for one thing and applying it to another. If this isn't understood yet, read my entries on comparing current unemployment rates to the Great Depression. Here are the changes I wish to implement:
- Unemployment will use the U6 rate rather than the U3. This means counting those who work part time, but want full time work, temporary workers who want full time work, and discourages workers as unemployed.
- GDP will treat environmental cleanup costs, reparation payments, and treating preventable illnesses as net losses.
- If no suitable metrics exist, a committee will be formed to develop a metric to replace market performance to gauge the health of the economy.
Future Planning
The problem is, the way out of a recession is to grow the economy. Why is that a problem? Capitalism in general assumed infinite growth is possible. However, this is a finite world. There is only so much wealth to go around. In other words, our model of economics cannot function in the long term. To make matters worse, other systems don't seem to work any better in the modern world.
What is necessary are new ideas. I will establish multiple research groups/think tanks to consider and develop new economic models. We need new way. No lies, it's going to suck. Our standard of living will have to go down. What we expect to own will have to be reduced. Anyone who tells you that our way of life is sustainable is telling you what you want to hear. Nice as it would be to invent ourselves out of this mess, we cannot rely on it.
ENVIRONMENT
The environment is of great importance. Climate change is taking place and the longer we delay, the worse things will be. As stated before, we will have to lower our standard of living.
More accurately, what we think of as our standard of living will need to change.
Every American should have access to potable water, effective sanitation, and clean air. We should live in homes free of toxins and pollutants. Green space should be within walking distance and reliable public transportation as ubiquitous as possible. This will place us far ahead of the rest of the world. On the other hand, we cannot continue to have 50% of our electricity obtained from coal. Oil consumption is far out of proportion with the rest of the world. There isn't time to develop new sources of electricity, so we must conserve.
Most important, we need a binding and enforceable global treaty to reduce greenhouse emissions and other pollutants as well as preserved natural resources and encourage sustainable agriculture.
The following should be implemented:
- A carbon cap on every person and business. This is not "Cap and Trade," it's just a cap. With every purchase, there will be a carbon cost deducted from the annual allowance. At first, exceeding this will incur a fine. Later, no transaction will be permitted. Resources to help people plan and stick to a budget will be established.
- With exception of life-saving and medical needs, plastics will only be available for durable goods. No plastic will be permitted for disposable items.
- Packaging and containers will be required to be made easily recyclable.
- A wider ranger of products will be required to be recycled. If a material is not recyclable or durable for its intended purpose, it must gain approval to be used.
- Transport taxes will be levied to encourage local production.
- Subsidies for mountain top removal coal mining will cease immediately. No further permits will be granted.
- Permits for mineral exploration will only be granted if it can be demonstrated that the current permits are in use and there is need.
GOVERNMENT
The government isn't perfect, but it's what we have. Here are some policy changes I would like to implement:
- Representatives will serve a four year term, senators an eight year term, the president a six year term. This is intended to cut back on the amount of time wasted with election cycles.
- The law mandating annual pay raises will be repealed.
- Representatives will earn the national median income, senators twice the median income, the president, three times the median income. If there is income in addition to this income, the income shall be reduced until it meets the proscribed level.
- The free health care will no longer be provided. Elected officials are now responsible for 20% of the premiums.
- The law mandating high cost of living increases for pensions and free health care for life will be repealed.
- Elected officials may invest in a 401k plan with matching funds up to $20,000.
- Health insurance after leaving office may be maintained under COBRA.
- Elected officials will only be permitted 10 holidays, rather than the current 67.
- Elected officials will be limited to 10 days of vacation and five sick days per year. For each year of service after five years, one additional vacation day and half a sick day will be earned up to a maximum of 20 vacation days and 10 sick days.
- If in any year an elected official is not present for a minimum of 80% of the votes, that elected official is removed from office an is ineligible to run.
- House and Senate committees will consist of no more than 50% of the majority party, the remaining 50% consisting members of other parties.
- House and Senate committees will have a vice chair not of the majority party. The vice chair may bring issues to the floor and stand in for the chair when the chair is not available.
- The Patriot Act will be repealed in its entirety. As the Patriot Act endangers the safety of America, elected officials opposing it will be detained and treated as proscribed by said Patriot Act. (Also a useful tool for pushing through my other reforms.)
EDUCATION
Education is critically important to our nations future. As unpopular as it is, I want to have a more nationalized system:
- Have national standards to advance. This is to insure that students are literate, have basic math skills, and must be able to pass the Citizenship Exam to earn a high school diploma.
- Teachers and teacher unions will not be used ask punching bags by my campaign or administration.
- Tenure will be eliminated. K-12 teacher salary will start at $50,000 and progress through $100,000. This amount will be adjusted by cost of living.
- Merit-based systems of promotion will be established. These systems should not be based exclusively on student performance. It will focus on effectiveness of the teacher. Possible an examination of the educators themselves.
- Continuing education for K-12 educators will be subsidized through government grants.
- The metric system will be taught and used.
- Science curriculum will be determined by scientist, not elected officials.
- History curriculum will be determined by historians, not elected officials.
- Following the pattern of the previous two points: elected officials will be entirely separated from curriculum development.
HEALTH CARE
People seem to hate the idea of government in health care. Okay, try this:
- One year of no government expenditure on health care.
- Once people realize what the government does, implement national health care.
- Federal grants will be made available for medical degrees up to and including general practitioner.
- Interest on student loans for medical specialists will be tax deductible.
- The government will negotiate all health care costs.
- Private insurance companies will manage health plans.
- People may select their health insurance and health care providers.
- Government will subsidies premiums up to 100% based on ability to pay.
- Government will have a competing plan for those that cannot find an insurance provider.
- Insurance companies will have an additional tax on profits equal to the percent of the population that cannot find a private insurance provider.
- People may opt out entirely with the understanding that health care providers are under no obligation to provide treatment, even life-saving treatment, without advance payment.
Do I sound like the kind of president you would hate? If that is the case, I'm the president for you! Finally: Vote for me president in 2012!