Feel the Bern!

Get me on board. How much tax increase are we talking about to pay for free healthcare and college?

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Letterboxd

This all depends on specifics... Some argue that the ultra-rich should pay, while some say it should be free for everyone. Bernie Sanders mentioned only public universities, so private colleges can still do whatever they want, but it might help those "elite" private schools more affordable.

If Scotland can give free college, then the US can - it's the richest country BY FAR in the history of man. I don't mind how it's done, I don't mind some compromise, even if it doesn't impact me, if it can help our fellow citizens, great.

Yeah I understand, and don't think anything can achieved magically or short term, a lot of what I would try to implement if I was in power would take place over many years, and look at an extremely long term socialistic plan that aims to eventually get society to a place where everyone has something at a basic level. I know it might sound like crazy talk but I honestly think with future cognitive, AI, robotics, machines etc. then something could be possible like this.

As for now you're right about hidden taxes, in the UK some public services (roads, schools, and then of course the big one, healthcare) are free, but at the point of consumption, and of course, someone has to pay. I think there are ways of balancing out things so that the rich aren't paying for everything, and entrepreneurship, innovation and businesses are not put off. Invest money in public work schemes, create jobs, give people training, there's money to spend, but it's spent on over stuff. Even if it requires a slight increase in taxation on the rich and businesses in the short term, this can generate a huge amount of money (raising corporation tax by 0.5% over here would pay for every student loan) and you can promise them lower taxes in the future, have it decrease gradually, and also there's a better educated work force. Also in terms of getting money for this short term, I would get rid of something like Trident, nuclear weapons spending, and slash money in other areas, even if you don't agree with that, there's similar solutions from the right wing view point, cut foreign aid or whatever.

I just read that in England, the top 1% have just as much as the bottom 55%, so they are doing a LOT more than okay. But, none of my English friends are homeless, hungry, injured, or in debt, and I have a variety of friends there.

Hypothetical - Add a half percent tax on billionaires. It won't affect them at all, but it would bring a lot of revenue. You fix roads, it'll save more in the long run. Bad roads cause accidents, sometimes death. Also ruining cars because of the many potholes we can't avoid, loss of productivity when workers are late, etc etc..

Again, the richest country in the history of the world, and yet there are homeless people I see everyday when I drive. Even the water in my city is poisoned. Why? To save a few bucks, so they can lower capital gains taxes.. They saved 3 million, but will end up spending BILLIONS, and they haven't changed ONE pipe yet.

I am all for making college more affordable, I'm fine with free if you can show me how. You seem to mention the 1% a lot. What does your ideal tax structure, where college and healthcare are free, look like?

I'm pretty sure .5% on billionaires doesn't touch what you are talking about.

I believe in reform. It doesn't have to be all-or-nothing. I tell my revolutionary friends that if you reform 20% each year, in 5 years we'll "get there" without overnight change.. Raising the income tax by 1% on the billionaires would be a start, seeing how that works, and going from there. And yeah, I mention the 1% a LOT. They write the laws that benefit them, that make them rich. Poor people have no say...

Remember when George W. Bush took over? He cut taxes for the highest bracket by 3.9%. For example sake, let's just take one very wealthy citizen. Each Walton sibling made 16 billion in 2000 (the income tax cut was done the year after), but I'll use just one of them.

$16,000,000,000 x .039 = $624,000,000

Then after a year or so the government says "We're broke, we need to make cuts." and so they get rid of Head-Start, which has been proven to help children starting school. But of course military spending just keeps going up; it's where most of your taxes go. What about the moral cost? Millions of people dead, including our own.

Let's not forget the taxpayers subsidize Wal-Mart. They are paid such a low wage that the workers have to get food stamps. Those same workers take those food stamps and spend their money right back to Wal-Mart.

Bush lowered everyone's taxes. That's what I'm talking about. There are such blinders when we alk about these things. Then when Obama repealed those cuts, I didn't hear the same he is killing the poor rhetoric. Plus getting that tax surplus back hasn't changed anything the last eight years. I'm for positive change, but it needs to be paid for and I want transparency. See, conservatives have pipe dreams too.

All aboard the Bern Bus!

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The tax cuts for everyone else was MUCH less. And I had no problem Obama giving everyone a tax cut (except the top bracket).

The median income is about $50,000, that's pennies back, but even those who know the implications are so desperate they need that $600 to pay rent, etc.. It's an upward distribution of wealth. If you give money to the "common man or woman" they spend it, and I'm sure you know that Rule #1 of Economics is to keeping money circulating. You give it to one of us, and we're likely to spend it in many industries, paying bills, etc.

https://www.facebook.com/PeopleForBe...2360165317523/

No Obama repealed Bush's tax cuts, which weren't less. You can't talk about % when it suits your point and then $ when it makes your point better. Yes, I agree with the money circulating theory, so you should have been upset with Obama repealing those cuts.

Whay does a fair income bracket look like to you and how much of the perfect America can be accomplished with it?

You skipped the entire point... One person gets back 624 million, even though taxpayers are already subsidizing their business. Also, when the government spends billions on research and development, it helps big business, not the homeless guy 2 blocks down from me.

If you think it's fair that the billionaires get all the breaks, just say so, I respect honesty, but to take it out of everyone else' pockets is a rigged game.... When Wall St. needs 800 billion for a bail-out, why do we all have to throw in?

I'll throw something else. People keep saying how McDonalds workers are so unskilled, which is untrue, it's just that people need a 2nd job, or anything until they find something else. If they are so unskilled, why does their labor bring BILLIONS in profits each day? I'm not saying they should be paid CEO wages, but $8/hr.?

Sanders isnt being evasive how the money would be made to do these things, but its not as cataclysmic as Clinton and Republicans would have people believe.

Geez, that's like twenty economic fallacies in a row.

I'll see if I can pick them apart later, but my memory is that we've been through a few of them before.

I could care less if Billionaires taxes go up to the 52% or whatever Bernie is proposing. The thing is, that's not goimg into your pocket dude, ever. Guess what, he is going to raise your taxes too. Not as much, I know, but still more than what your paying now, and more than under the evil Bush.

That's what irritates me. The rhetoric of rich evil, poor put upon. Like liberals are trying to change that. They are not. They're not even pretending if you look past the stump speeches. Isn't that what you always preach. Look at the record not the platform.

Just because it doesn't go to MY pocket, doesn't mean it's not a good thing. There are still 20 million people without insurance, those who make 150% above the poverty level for example.

I didn't call the billionaires evil, and I haven't said anything about liberals. In fact, I find the leftists are the true frauds. It's easy to lay back on vacation with a group and say how much you (others) want people to have. When it comes to sacrifice, they hide like thieves. Anyone can call themselves whatever they want, it's how they live.

I find the most empathetic people those who are apolitical, those who aren't members of groups. Those who do the right thing, for the right reason, and not just to feel good for about ten minutes.

I agree with your empathetic statement to a point. Because I find most people empathetic when they are met with someone who has needs. That is why we should be much more interested in people giving of their own free will instead of taxing it out of them. Most people would and do give. We have all kinds of charities. I'm interested in how you think socialism changes this. Healthcare will be another tax and we already have things like indigant care, disability, and medicaid. Is socialism not one of the groups you speak of?

I dont know the particulars, and couldnt argue tax plans, fact checking, etc... Each election I support the person. I dont think Hillary, Cruz, or Trump can match up to Bernie Sanders character. Hes also not bought off by special interest. After all the crap and bitching the past 16 years Im willing to give Sanders a shot.

If K-12 is covered, what's another 4 years? Same thing with health care.. We still have a market economy. It costs less than having someone go to an emergency room and having to pay thousands of dollars, putting them in debt for life. As I said earlier, after the basics are covered, you're on your way. I believe in social responsibility. I don't like parasites, or even those who live at home with mommy and daddy forever. I've lived with that idea of "pulling myself up by my (non-existent) bootstraps. I'm independent and I like it that way, and would rather be homeless than live with someone else. But just because that's the way I live, doesn't mean I want to impose my lifestyle on others. And I understand people who say they don't wanna buy insurance. Most states require car insurance, but no one ever talks about that... I don't like most of my tax money going to kill people I don't know, only to make all of us in more danger.

I'm not a socialist, never have been. Some might think I'm a radical, I just think context has changed. I like free enterprise, I've had a few retail businesses in the past and know the perks and advantages. Even my vacation to Europe was 50% deductible as a write-off. I'm still a businessman - I'm a musician and an author, but I don't see the government strangling me with regulations. Quite the opposite, I think it's very pro-business, just not pro-worker.

I just think with the richest country in history that the basics should be covered, especially when MUCH poorer countries can do this. Maybe the murder rate would go down? What good is all the money if people are afraid to leave the house, or to go Downtown for events, having alarm systems, living in paranoia.

It's like all the trillions we spend on war, which only makes us more dangerous. I can't believe we have to have this conversation. Everywhere I go, it's all I hear, and part of me wants to stop, but it's hard to avoid. The choice is to chat about whatever is popular, or not to chat. Personally, I prefer to talk about movies, and would love more interaction.