The tiring argument between the ideological forces continues. One side says no more taxes, cut taxes, reduce spending the latter of course never happens. The other side says taxes should be the solution to pay toward services for the have-nots and of course those folks never met a tax they didn't like even if the money is wasted so that is not a solution either.
The truth is if government made capital expenditures (to support existing revenue producing assets plus build more to increase asset and revenue base) complimented with a revised tax system (a flat tax of some sort) the argument would end and the money would be there for education and health care to name a couple of priorities.
Our focus should be to revise the tax code. At the same time locate and invest in revenue enhancing assets specifically our infrastructure. Bridges, highways, trains, buses to move goods services and our population safely. This is not a jobs thing more of a cost savings thing however jobs would be created. This is a solution to reduce costs for public and private sectors and if costs are reduced more revenue is created. Our country will become a little "greener" too.
A simple example is picturing a school bus, transit bus, UPS truck, and individuals driving to an important destination in a traffic jam. Miles per gallon is zero. Add the cost to each and multiply. You get the picture.
The cost of education includes school buses and the staff on those buses. How much in resources would we save and what could that do for the classroom? Transit is constantly up against budget issues and improved infrastructure would reduce cost, improve time, and increase ridership because it becomes a timely resource for working families. If it takes three hours because you sit in traffic or have to transfer three times nobody will ride.
UPS or other businesses trying to ship by train, plane or truck need easy and timely access to and from wherever. Ask Boeing. Trains would reduce pressure on airports further reducing expense. We need an increase in limited ingress and egress roadways plus we need to re-focus on trains and their potential.
The train, trolley or light rail is very popular and many environmentalists love it and they should it has great potential if planned and executed properly. When politicians allocate money making political points
instead of making revenue the taxpayer ends up spending fifty million for a trolley named SLUT (South Lake Union Trolley). That same taxpayer could have spent one million to have two buses do the same thing on the same route. The remaining forty nine million would have built our community a bridge. Two birds one stone but I digress.
Everyone is enamored with alternative fuels or resources. So am I but that technology is down the road and government should be investing in those technologies plus executing a plan that will lead us toward future revenue by selling that technology to the world like we have in the past. Instead, our government purchased another "SLUT" - the ethanol program that wastes money and continues to do so even though everyone agrees it is a failed technology.
Regardless of the energy source there will always be congestion so my point is infrastructure is the most important component and solution to any problem we choose to tackle including health care. Infrastructure impacts every aspect of our life.
Without money we can't fix it. We can't tax, we can't cut but we can budget and spend on revenue generating assets. Tax is regressive, spending too much is regressive but managing your assets and spending to create more revenue is progressive.
What I hear and see in my State of Washington and in Washington DC is nonsense and for those choosing to carry the water for their party (Dem or Repub.) regurgitating the party line talking points you are not part of the solution just more noise.
You never hear a cost neutral program, pay as you go program or revenue enhancement program. Revenue enhancement should not mean tax however it is used when cowardly dishonest politicians do not want to use the "T" word.
Harvard, Yale, Brown, Columbia, George Washington all these and many more are represented in Washington DC yet we cannot get it right. It makes me wonder if all those students paid too much for their education. Perhaps we need to elect folks that got their start in a garage. Bill Gates comes to mind.
Tax reform and investment in infrastructure. No more SLUTS.
I wish us all well.
nobody knows.
