"How Would You Fix the Economy?"

[BingoT]

There recently was an article in the St. Petersburg , Florida Times. The
Business Section asked readers for ideas on: "How Would You Fix the
Economy?"

I think this 80 year old guy nailed it!

Dear Mr. President,

Please find below my suggestion for fixing America 's economy. Instead
of giving billions of dollars to companies that will squander the money
on lavish parties and unearned bonuses, use the following plan. You can
call it the "Patriotic Retirement Plan": There are about 40 million
people over 50 years old in the work force. Pay them $1 million apiece
severance for early retirement with the following stipulations:

1) They MUST retire. 40 million job openings - Unemployment fixed.

2) They MUST buy a new AMERICAN Car. Forty million cars ordered - Auto
Industry fixed.

3) They MUST either buy a house or pay off their mortgage - Housing
Crisis fixed.

It can't get any easier than that!!

P.S. If more money is needed, have all members in Congress pay their
taxes.

Mr. President, while you're at it, make Congress retire on Social
Security and Medicare. I'll bet both programs would be fixed pronto!

 

[Silencio]

nah. step 1 > economy crashes cause of the lack of knowledge
step 2 > rest of the world boycots US products.
step 3 > ? eh

here's mine

step 1. Legalize gambling? (duh)

step 2. Legalize all drugs, sell it at pharmacies. So no more war on drugs, criminal gangs loose their profit. Ever seen ross kemp's documentaries? (if not, seriously go watch it) All the worldwide criminal gangs live on drug money.

3. stop globalization of companies, I don't know how, just do it. Make minimum wage a global thing for instance.

4. see 3, do that same for maximum wages.

 

[LaurieJim]

Have to agree with you on that one Tom

Laurie

 

[luarod]

An Irish friend showed me a similar email about how to fix the crisis in Ireland. So much money has been spent stupidly, governments giving money to the banks that are in part responsible for the crisis and then cutting expenses for the citizens....

 

[BingoT]

Warren Buffett, in a recent interview with CNBC, offers one of the best quotes about the debt ceiling:
"I could end the deficit in 5 minutes," he told CNBC. "You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more
than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election".

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple!
The people demanded it. That was in 1971 - before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc.

Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took one (1) year or less to become the law of the land - all because of public pressure.
Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask
each of those to do likewise.

In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed
around.

_*Congressional Reform Act of 2011*_

1. No Tenure / No Pension.

A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no
pay when they're out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social
Security.

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the
Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into
the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the
American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all
Americans do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise.
Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and
participates in the same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the
American people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void
effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make this
contract with Congressmen/women.

Congressmen/women made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in
Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers
envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their
term(s), then go home and back to work.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will
only take three days for most people (in the U.S.) to receive
the message. Don't you think it's time?

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!

 

[Pulver]

You should raise your taxes, espescially for the super rich. That would solve your defecit in the long run. But I guess any president that would suggest such a thing would be called a communist, so basicly I think you are f..ed But seriously, I think higher income taxes on the middle\high class is the way to go.

 

[Nifty29]

You should raise your taxes, espescially for the super rich. That would solve your defecit in the long run. But I guess any president that would suggest such a thing would be called a communist, so basicly I think you are f..ed But seriously, I think higher income taxes on the middle\high class is the way to go.

I'm sure Greasemonkey would agree with you....he's a big fan of sharing.

 

[Pulver]

I'm sure Greasemonkey would agree with you....he's a big fan of sharing.

Well, I don't know were people got the idea that they can have the largest military etc. in the world, but not pay for it. USA have spent more money than they "earn" for many years. Either they got to cut down on the spending or pay up.

I am no communist, but it is funny how it is always the people with the most money that complains about higher taxes. Same thing in Norway. People with hundreds of millions of dollars complain about having to contribute to the community. I sum it up in one word, greed.

 

[footdr]

We should impliment a "progressive" tax on capital gains realized income. The President failed to mention that his plan would raise taxes on individuals and families earning $250k+; I hardly think you can consider that raising taxes on millionaires and billionaires.

Taxing realized income from Capital Gains based on a progressive tax, as ordinary income is taxed, would increase revenue from millionaires plus.

Taking from Peter to pay Paul has never worked to improve the economy, nor is it a fair idea. Blaming only Wall Street for the melt down is stupid.

Fannie and Freddie are still receiving our tax dollars and helped to spur the sub-prime mortgage market. Taxpayers have been bailing them out due to their purchase of subprime loans for 4+ years.

 

[Silencio]

Not 100% on-topic but it's stuck in my mind.
Saw a documentary about the rain forest, a new one. And it's quite depressing although it puts stuff like this in perspective.

Turns out gold mining, cocaine production, oil mining and cattle ranching are the biggest threats.
It's so sad, for gold mining they use mercury, a toxic component which is killing everything.
For cocaine, they use diesel and other chemicals, which are dumped in the soil/river.
And oil mining, sigh, the company formerly known as texoco claimed they cleaned up the mess, well they didn't

The US is the biggest consumer of most of those materials.. Not to blame you guys, as I live in a 'rich' country myself. But I mean like now everywhere economy is no.1 on the agenda, while the planet dies.

People over there are very poor, and take for instance the bail out money for the banks we used world wide, or all the wasted money on wars.. we could have saved the forest with this.

Thinking about those gold commercials you see on television, makes me sick now..

Disclaimer, if you have depressive tendencies, don't click play. Excellent series though..

 

[rockycatt]

never mind the world isn't ready to digest a revolution in the states

 

[slotplayer]

you want to fix the economy, go out and buy something. oh and stop watching fox news.

 

[felicie]

There recently was an article in the St. Petersburg , Florida Times. The
Business Section asked readers for ideas on: "How Would You Fix the
Economy?"

I think this 80 year old guy nailed it!

Dear Mr. President,

Please find below my suggestion for fixing America 's economy. Instead
of giving billions of dollars to companies that will squander the money
on lavish parties and unearned bonuses, use the following plan. You can
call it the "Patriotic Retirement Plan": There are about 40 million
people over 50 years old in the work force. Pay them $1 million apiece
severance for early retirement with the following stipulations:

1) They MUST retire. 40 million job openings - Unemployment fixed.

2) They MUST buy a new AMERICAN Car. Forty million cars ordered - Auto
Industry fixed.

3) They MUST either buy a house or pay off their mortgage - Housing
Crisis fixed.

It can't get any easier than that!!

P.S. If more money is needed, have all members in Congress pay their
taxes.

Mr. President, while you're at it, make Congress retire on Social
Security and Medicare. I'll bet both programs would be fixed pronto!

Best idea I've heard yet Tom. Now about the health care problem.....ah shit let's save that for another day.

 

[footdr]

Consumer spending is important but.......

you want to fix the economy, go out and buy something. oh and stop watching fox news.

Your idea suggests that people have money to spend beyond their living expenses and assumes they have jobs! Nobody seems to realize that other than millionaires and billionaires living off capital gains; those in all tax brackets earning ordinary income tend to live at the "top" of their means.

So it is all relative. Those earning 200,000 up generally have no big government credits and don't qualify for many deductions afforded those in the lower income bracket. That alone attempts to even things out. Additionally, those with higher incomes buy more expensive cars and homes but they owe higher mortgage payments and auto loan payments. Those earning less income purchase less expensive homes and cars. Both have spent the same percentage of their income on these to purchases(as an example). Therefore, neither may have much disposable cash at the end of any given month. Both are supporting the economy by making these purchases.