How would you fix the economy and budget issues?

I was asked in another thread about "what would I do about taxes?" in another thread so I wanted to pose what would you do to fix the economy. How would you create jobs in America? What would you do with taxes on businesses (both small and corporate)? How would you fix out budget to where we had a surplus in our budget?

(a nice picture graph and detail of the budget)
WallStats - Death and Taxes & Taxes (http://www.wallstats.com/deathandtaxes/)

Raise taxes on the rich and on businesses and give everyone else a fiscal stimulus so they can turn the economy around and buy stuff from profit seeking corporations. Extended un-employment benefits beyond 99 weeks . Provide healthcare to all and lower costs. Extend Medicare and ss benefits. Enforce Cap and Trade on all businesses. Lower eligibility requirements so that more people can receive refundable tax credits (ie earned income credit, making work pay credit, home buyer credit, American opportunity credit) and other social aid. Do something about this “monetary policy” I keep hearing about.

It's funny how everyone seems to blame Bush or blame Obama, but when posed the question, it's not so easy. I don't pretend to know. I know that we are going to have to let this real estate problem play out over time. I know that we are going to have to solve or at least improve our reliance on foreign oil. I know that we are going to have to lower our high unemployment rate.

So, I really didn't give an answer.

- If not completely privatize social security, at least authorize the fund to broaden its investments to include a portion of equities and corporate bonds.

- Increase the retirement age significantly, to 72 - 75 or so. Apply this to both social security and Medicare.

- Instead of funding unemployment for up to 99 weeks, give people the option of either staying on unemployment either for 6 months and end it, or 1 year with subsidies for retraining or education (but you have to make the grade or you're out). So you either head back to school and sharpen up, or you sink/swim after 6 months.

- Scale back on air defense spending. Our strategic advantage via air superiority can still be maintained even if we go a little less star wars.

- Institute laws aimed at restricting the growth in cost of higher education. There's no reason colleges need to build giant mock stock trading floors in these state of the art business schools and then turn around and charge $48,000 a year. In the end, kids these days are having to pay for unnecessary bells and whistles. Make college education more affordable by restricting their ability to spend and build.

Here you go, piece of cake.

http://www.thewarpath.net/debating-with-the-enemy/39836-heres-your-chance-to-fix-budget.html#post758491

increase the retirement age? your joking, right?

Here you go, piece of cake.

http://www.thewarpath.net/debating-with-the-enemy/39836-heres-your-chance-to-fix-budget.html#post758491


How about the economy? Jobs? Inflation? Taxes?


I'll comment on what I would do tomorrow when I have more time. I'll comment on the other suggestions about the budget too.

How about the economy? Jobs? Inflation? Taxes?


I'll comment on what I would do tomorrow when I have more time. I'll comment on the other suggestions about the budget too.You get the defecit and National Debt under control and you immediately will increase consumer confidence and increase $$$ flowing in the economy....which creates jobs.

As to taxes, I support the FairTax system. Under FairTax their are no corporate taxes, so overseas corps will look to locate in the U.S. Also, U.S. corps can make decisions based on what's best for business, not what tax ramifications a decision would have. This will also prevent some job losses overseas.

End most drilling restrictions that have been put in place under the Obama Admin. This will also give the economy another boost in 9-18 months and help consumer and corporate confidence in the short term (it wouldn't hurt Obama's re-election chances either as lower gas prices and a recovering economy would help him in 2012).

increase the retirement age? your joking, right?

Why would I be?

When Medicare and Social Security were put into place, the retirement age was set at 65, but people only lived to their early 70s on average.

Now that most are living into their late 70s (and many into their 80s), we're asking the system to support people for many more years than it was originally designed to.

increase the retirement age? your joking, right?If the system is going to stay solvent, it's either that or massive tax increase on everyone.