At last, the long awaited platform (sans foreign policy, on which we have yet to reach a full agreement):
Economic Policy:Poverty line: Based on local cost of living, updated every 4 years with no direct inflation indexing.
Minimum Wage – Equivalent to 50% of the poverty line for a single person for full-time work. Under our current poverty line this would equate to $2.50/hour.
Welfare – No social assistance will be given to those who do not work or study, unless a disability prevents them from working.
Those unable to find employment will be entitled to request work in government work programs, which will mostly consist of nationalized light industries. Workers in government work programs will be provided with room and board, and their families will be provided with welfare assistance equal to 75% of the local poverty line.
Anyone who works a minimum of 38 hours a week but makes less than 200% of the poverty line (which is to be calculated on basis of local cost of living) will be entitled to receive government benefits. Part-time workers will be allowed benefits provided that they complete 45 hours on government work programs.
People making the minimum wage will be entitled to receive benefits up to 125% of the poverty line. From there, benefits would scale linearly down ({Y=(-.5)X+M} Y is the received benefits as percent of the poverty line, X is the earned wages as percent of the poverty line and M is the maximum benefit) until employment wages hit 200% of the poverty line. Therefore, the benefits table would look something like this (assuming the poverty line is $10,000):
Post-secondary students will be entitled to enough government assistance to need only to rely on part-time work to sustain them. This would however be limited to people pursuing a math or science university degree, or an associate’s or other minor degree.
Social security - A minimum income will be provided to retirees equal to 50% of the local poverty line will be provided, funded out of general revenues. Over and above that, all individuals will be required to contribute 35% of their income (of which employers will be required to cover 7%) to a mandatory savings account, out of which 9% is to be used for medical expenses up to a $50,000 cap, 16% will go to a short-term savings fund for unemployment and other emergencies up to 2 years of current income, and the rest will go towards a retirement fund. The mandatory savings contribution will be fully subsidized for people receiving the maximum benefit, with contribution credits scaling linearly down at the same rate as the benefits schedule.
No capital gains, interest or dividend taxes will be levied on returns from said accounts. Distributions from the retirement savings account will be tax at regular income tax rates. Early withdrawals will be subject to a 10% penalty, but no limit.
Healthcare - In addition to a 9% mandatory health savings account, people will be free to purchase any health insurance they require. Additionally, all preventative healthcare will be provided free of charge (by public and subsidized private practices alike) and whenever health savings accounts aren’t enough to cover emergency procedures the government will pay the difference out of general revenues.
Taxes –
Income tax (single):
10% on income between $0 and $8,350
15% on the income between $8,350 and $33,950
25% on the income between $33,950 and $82,250
28% on the income between $82,250 and $171,550
33% on the income between $171,550 and $372,950
35% on the income between $372,950 and $1,000,000
60% on the income over $1,000,000
Income tax (married filing jointly):
10% on the income between $0 and $16,700
15% on the income between $16,700 and $67,900
25% on the income between $67,900 and $137,050
28% on the income between $137,050 and $208,850
33% on the income between $208,850 and $372,950
35% on the income between $372,950 and $1,000,000
60% on the income over $1,000,000
Income tax (self-employed):
0% on the income between $0 and $33,950
15% on the income between $33,950 and $137,050
28% on the income between $137,050 and $372,950
33% on the income between $372,950 and $1,000,000
50% on the income over $1,000,000
With full deductions on all savings and investment, in addition to any other deductions, adjustments and credits. Additionally in an effort to increase the rate of savings and citizen awareness of income taxes the practice withholding will be ended. At the end of the year all citizens will be required to pay their income tax bill in a lump sum.
Consumption tax: 12% hybrid goods and services tax, of which 5% is value-added and 7% is levied on retail sales. Food, medical expenses and legal fees are all tax-free and business expenses are tax-refundable.
Short-term capital gains tax (less than 12 months): 50% of the regular income tax rate.
Medium-term capital gains tax (12-24 months): 25%
Long-term capital gains (more than 24 months) are not subject to taxation.
Dividends and Interest taxes:
0% on the income between $0 and $372,950
25% on the income between $372,950 and $1,000,000
50% on the income above $1,000,000
As with earned income taxes, all interest, dividends or capital gains which are saved or re-invested will not be subject to taxation.
Corporate tax: 20% flat rate, with large credits based on value added to the domestic economy (measured by total value added outside the economy).
Other taxes:
99% Land Value Tax at the federal level
Pigovian taxes
User fees on infrastructure, with higher rates on consumers to subsidize lower rates on business.
Nationalization – Support nationalization of “sin†industries, as well as various light industries such as textiles that would otherwise get outsourced to poor countries to use as avenues for government make-work programs.
Banking and finance - Nationalized central bank. All banking debt is to be monetized and full-reserve banking phased in. Consumer debt is to be restricted to short-term paycheck advances and mortgages. All mortgages require a minimum 20% down payment and amortization is limited to 15 years.
Monetary Policy –
Inflation target of -0.5%. Any monetary expansion must be done without credit being involved, by having the Treasury spend the money into existence.
Fiscal Policy – The government will operate the same way insurance companies do: Tax revenues will be invested in various instruments (restricted to debt instruments, non-voting equity stakes and foreign assets), and government expenditures will be funded out of the returns. The budget will always be in surplus except in case of emergencies. During economic downturns spending should be allowed to go into deficit in order to maintain current levels of spending without needing to raise taxes (which would drain private-sector resources).
Unions – Supports unions as a “market†solution to incorrect compensation and dangerous working conditions. Also supports government intervention in economic recessions to lower wages in order to lower overhead for industries.
Protectionism – Strategic protectionism is used to combat comparative advantages in industries that might otherwise be considered efficient, and also to reverse and prevent the erosion of industry in favor of a service economy.
Social Policy:Marriage – Encourages heterosexual marriage via tax breaks and tax credits, with a tax credit which raises $250 for each IQ point both parties have over 115. Has no stance on Gay marriage
Abortion – Opposes abortion, but concedes that it should be a community standards issue. Requires all abortions be done with the consultation of a therapist and an ultrasound of the fetus.
Prostitution – Will be legal and nationalized at the federal level. Will be allowed to be distributed privately in Sinful Economic Zones with some regulations.
State and Church – Support separation of church and state
- Prayer will not be mandated or encouraged in schools, but will not be forbidden.
- Likewise, religious displays on public property are not a priori forbidden, (for example Christmas trees in front of town halls, etc.).
- Creationism (or variants thereof) will not be taught in any science course in public schools.
Civil Rights – Support fully free association in the private sector. Government agencies will be prohibited from discrimination on basis of age, sex, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual preference, or disability.
Affirmative Action – Oppose any affirmative action whatsoever.
Narcotics – Distribution of hard drugs will be nationalized, and its supply will be restricted. Soft drugs will be legalized and taxed and regulated like tobacco.
Alcohol & Tobacco– Supports legal age for each as 18.
Gambling – State issue.
Gun Ownership – A license similar to a driver’s license will be required to carry a loaded firearm in public. Background checks and a three-day waiting period will be required to purchase a firearm, and loaded fully automatic weapons will not be allowed to be carried or used in public, outside of shooting ranges. No other restrictions will be levied on gun ownership or use.
Militia – Supports having official state militias for defense against invasion, unruly mobs, neighborhood watches, and preventative policing. Militia participation is voluntary and comes with a small $1000 bimonthly payment as well as state bought equipment.
Law and Order – Supports a well funded police force with automatic weapons and combat shotguns as well as any personal handgun the police officer might have. Also supports the removal of the conscripted jury system in favor of a professional jury for each level of felony. Supports the death penalty for murder and treason.
Education -
Education standards: Specific standards should be determined state by state, except for standards pertaining to science.
School setup: Teachers should be paid like private industry, in accordance to performance. Poor performing teachers may face termination at the discretion of an independent panel of 7 other teachers who will hear evidence from both sides. Schools will be K-7 and 8-12, with a test in between to determine if a student is qualified to continue. Students that fail have half a year to either retake the test or decide which trade school to go to.
Trade schools: The government will open up schools that will require students who either fail to go on to high school or who don’t want to go to college to learn a trade (eg electrical engineering, plumbing, mechanic, construction).
College: College tuition for math and science degrees will be provided for by the state if one cannot afford or paid for through private means. No tax dollars will be allocated to liberal arts degrees.
Colleges will be allowed to choose their own curriculum, but this curriculum will have to go through the government to screen for anti-nationalist sentiments. Colleges that fail to comply will be branded “unaccredited†and though businesses may choose to hire students from unaccredited schools, the government will only pay for students to go to accredited schools.
High school graduates: High school graduates that fail to go to college will be able to go into business as the educational standards will be higher due to alternative education courses being offered.
The Environment -
Global warming: Although not acknowledging complete, undeniable proof of global warming, encourages preventative measures be taken to prepare for the worst.
Alternative fuels: Encourages an alternative to oil be found for political and economic reasons, including stripping the Middle East and South America of their influence and becoming a center of commerce.
- By JohnRawls
- By ingliz
- By Potemkin