March 12, 201016 yr What are you going to eliminate. The IRS. Flat taxation across the board of 17% federal 3% state. For individuals and corporations. No deductions for anything. Social Security. People age 40 or younger are returned half of the capital they have already contributed into the program, they forfeit half in order to provide payment for those 40 and older. People below age 40 are allowed to invest the half returned tax deferred and tax free when withdrawn after 59.5. Part of the reason that I chose 40 is that 20 to 25 years is plenty of time for people to invest those funds and make a significantly better return and payout than what they would have reaped by being in Social security. People age 40 and older continue to pay in and receive benefits until they pass. Program ends when last current 40 year old passes 50 to 60 years from now. Same exact plan for Medicare as Social Security outlined above. Eliminate all government subsidies (oil, food, etc.). Let the free market determine prices. The length of time that unemployment benefits are paid cut in half. International Assistance cut by 75% until surpluses are projected. Department of Defense cut by 20%. I am a conservative, but I think we can maintain our military superiority even with this cut and it would free up $140B. EPA cut by 40% Treasury Department cut by 25% Health and Human Services cut by 30%. Department of Housing and Urban Devlopment cut by 20% Department of Agriculture cut by 20% Department of Transportation cut by 20% Department of Labor cut by 20% Eliminate our majority funding of the UN, we contribute $8B of the $13.9B budget. Time for the other nations to step up to the plate. State sales taxes cut in half in every state. Prison sentences for possession drug related non-violent offenders eliminated. Eliminate double taxation of dividend income. Eliminate the estate tax. Eliminate half the postal service delivery days as well as many requirements on corporations that they have to send notification via snail mail if other notification can be obtained. That is a good start. Edited March 12, 201016 yr by Gunner11
March 12, 201016 yr [/b] That is simply not true. We do not all enjoy the same liberties and we are not all equally served. Governments are formed to protect the general welfare of the governed. It is not there to protect the right of any individual to make as much money as possible. Social Contract Theory. I believe that social contract theory states that governments are formed to protect the natural rights of their citizens, aka life liberty and property. How is the government protecting the right to property when it takes it away from one citizen and gives it to another. Under social contract theory, these actions would make a government unjust.
March 12, 201016 yr I believe that social contract theory states that governments are formed to protect the natural rights of their citizens, aka life liberty and property. How is the government protecting the right to property when it takes it away from one citizen and gives it to another. Under social contract theory, these actions would make a government unjust. Your belief is not completely accurate. Social Contract Theory says that people GIVE UP SOME OF THEIR RIGHTS and liberties to be able to live peacefully with one another. There is a slight bent to it depending on whether or not you are Hobbesian in your belief about the nature of man(kind) or Lockeian. The government is there to essentially protect us from ourselves. Note, too that Jefferson did not include property, odd isn't it that he would take much of the declaration from Hobbes Treatise but he would change property to pursuit of happiness. If I am living in abject poverty as a 8-15 year old kid, how is my pursuit of happiness being protected?
March 12, 201016 yr The IRS. Flat taxation across the board of 17% federal 3% state. For individuals and corporations. No deductions for anything. Social Security. People age 40 or younger are returned half of the capital they have already contributed into the program, they forfeit half in order to provide payment for those 40 and older. People below age 40 are allowed to invest the half returned tax deferred and tax free when withdrawn after 59.5. Part of the reason that I chose 40 is that 20 to 25 years is plenty of time for people to invest those funds and make a significantly better return and payout than what they would have reaped by being in Social security. People age 40 and older continue to pay in and receive benefits until they pass. Program ends when last current 40 year old passes 50 to 60 years from now. Same exact plan for Medicare as Social Security outlined above. Eliminate all government subsidies (oil, food, etc.). Let the free market determine prices. The length of time that unemployment benefits are paid cut in half. International Assistance cut by 75% until surpluses are projected. Department of Defense cut by 20%. I am a conservative, but I think we can maintain our military superiority even with this cut and it would free up $140B. EPA cut by 40% Treasury Department cut by 25% Health and Human Services cut by 30%. Department of Housing and Urban Devlopment cut by 20% Department of Agriculture cut by 20% Department of Transportation cut by 20% Department of Labor cut by 20% Eliminate our majority funding of the UN, we contribute $8B of the $13.9B budget. Time for the other nations to step up to the plate. State sales taxes cut in half in every state. Prison sentences for possession drug related non-violent offenders eliminated. Eliminate double taxation of dividend income. Eliminate the estate tax. Eliminate half the postal service delivery days as well as many requirements on corporations that they have to send notification via snail mail if other notification can be obtained. That is a good start. Nice.....:thumb:
March 12, 201016 yr The IRS. Flat taxation across the board of 17% federal 3% state. For individuals and corporations. No deductions for anything. Social Security. People age 40 or younger are returned half of the capital they have already contributed into the program, they forfeit half in order to provide payment for those 40 and older. People below age 40 are allowed to invest the half returned tax deferred and tax free when withdrawn after 59.5. Part of the reason that I chose 40 is that 20 to 25 years is plenty of time for people to invest those funds and make a significantly better return and payout than what they would have reaped by being in Social security. People age 40 and older continue to pay in and receive benefits until they pass. Program ends when last current 40 year old passes 50 to 60 years from now. Same exact plan for Medicare as Social Security outlined above. Eliminate all government subsidies (oil, food, etc.). Let the free market determine prices. The length of time that unemployment benefits are paid cut in half. International Assistance cut by 75% until surpluses are projected. Department of Defense cut by 20%. I am a conservative, but I think we can maintain our military superiority even with this cut and it would free up $140B. EPA cut by 40% Treasury Department cut by 25% Health and Human Services cut by 30%. Department of Housing and Urban Devlopment cut by 20% Department of Agriculture cut by 20% Department of Transportation cut by 20% Department of Labor cut by 20% Eliminate our majority funding of the UN, we contribute $8B of the $13.9B budget. Time for the other nations to step up to the plate. State sales taxes cut in half in every state. Prison sentences for possession drug related non-violent offenders eliminated. Eliminate double taxation of dividend income. Eliminate the estate tax. Eliminate half the postal service delivery days as well as many requirements on corporations that they have to send notification via snail mail if other notification can be obtained. That is a good start. On the surface, I agree with almost everything. I would like more details on exactly what you would elimnate in each category, though. Personally, I'd eliminate more heavily in Health and Human services. Not so much in cuts to services, but in streamlining administration. I'm of the belief that administration is where most of the waste can be found in most government programs, no matter what department.
March 12, 201016 yr On the surface, I agree with almost everything. I would like more details on exactly what you would elimnate in each category, though. Personally, I'd eliminate more heavily in Health and Human services. Not so much in cuts to services, but in streamlining administration. I'm of the belief that administration is where most of the waste can be found in most government programs, no matter what department. I agree, that I need to delve into each of those areas more, and the cuts are and will be extremely difficult as some programs are important to segments of the population. I think that if we do not start to get the financial house in order, it could get really ugly if we do not have foreign governments willing to finance our debt ad infinitum. Not good policy to rely on other nations for that.
March 12, 201016 yr Can you go into this in more detail, Fastbreak? Ideally, what would a nation that honors God do? What has this nation done to fit that mold? I would begin from the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. I would follow this with the First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. I would continue with an exposition (which time and space preclude at this point) on how the majority of our early laws and legal system may be traced to Biblical laws and principles. God gave mankind the right to choose between right and wrong, good and evil, heaven or hell. America is one of the few nations in the world founded on such principles of liberty. Throughout our history, Americans have been among the most generous in helping those in need. We have donated over one billion dollars to Haiti following the earthquake... many, many times more than the entire UN have donated. We have liberated nations around the world... at our own expense and loss of life. Charity, in terms of assisting the poor and needy is an individual responsibility. We are called by God to be charitable as individuals and as a church body. I strongly encourage charity and practice it to the best of my ability. BUT, it ceases being charity when it is forced under threat of severe penalty by a government. Our system is broken. We have politicians throwing the present and future good of our nation out the window purely for their individual power and glory.
March 12, 201016 yr I would begin from the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. I would follow this with the First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. I would continue with an exposition (which time and space preclude at this point) on how the majority of our early laws and legal system may be traced to Biblical laws and principles. God gave mankind the right to choose between right and wrong, good and evil, heaven or hell. America is one of the few nations in the world founded on such principles of liberty. Throughout our history, Americans have been among the most generous in helping those in need. We have donated over one billion dollars to Haiti following the earthquake... many, many times more than the entire UN have donated. We have liberated nations around the world... at our own expense and loss of life. Charity, in terms of assisting the poor and needy is an individual responsibility. We are called by God to be charitable as individuals and as a church body. I strongly encourage charity and practice it to the best of my ability. BUT, it ceases being charity when it is forced under threat of severe penalty by a government. Our system is broken. We have politicians throwing the present and future good of our nation out the window purely for their individual power and glory. I could probably create a much longer list of things we do that do not honor God, as a country, not a collection of individuals.
March 12, 201016 yr I could probably create a much longer list of things we do that do not honor God, as a country, not a collection of individuals. :lol: :lol: :lol: And I might very well agree... I could come up with quite a list myself. That would only reinforce my original point. We began on very solid footing, and have allowed a solid foundation to be eroded by larger and more intrusive government that was never intended to become so bloated and demanding of its citizenry.
March 12, 201016 yr :lol: :lol: :lol: And I might very well agree... I could come up with quite a list myself. That would only reinforce my original point. We began on very solid footing, and have allowed a solid foundation to be eroded by larger and more intrusive government that was never intended to become so bloated and demanding of its citizenry. A very solid footing that did not allow women to vote (amongst many other things) and considered blacks less than human. How was that honoring God?
March 12, 201016 yr A very solid footing that did not allow women to vote (amongst many other things) and considered blacks less than human. How was that honoring God? While those things were indeed active in the culture of the day, the founding documents made it possible for the evil of slavery to be eliminated, and for females of the "mankind" to share in the civic right to vote... "...all men (and women) are created equal..."
March 12, 201016 yr While those things were indeed active in the culture of the day, the founding documents made it possible for the evil of slavery to be eliminated, and for females of the "mankind" to share in the civic right to vote... "...all men (and women) are created equal..." Of course it only took a war and a federal government to enforce it.
March 12, 201016 yr Of course it only took a war and a federal government to enforce it. True... Jesus Himself never led an armed revolt. His words are the embodiment of love, peace, grace, mercy, etc. and yet, how many wars, battles, etc. have been waged in His name or for His cause? I don't think any of that can be legitimately leveraged to diminish the truth of Jesus' teaching. The Civil War and the 19th Amendment are evidence the foundation documents were solid. :thumb:
March 12, 201016 yr I would begin from the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. I would follow this with the First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. How is this honoring God? What has changed for the worse? There is still religious freedom and more equality today than when the document was written. I would continue with an exposition (which time and space preclude at this point) on how the majority of our early laws and legal system may be traced to Biblical laws and principles. I would be interested in hearing that, why it honors God, and how countries with similar legal systems don't honor God. God gave mankind the right to choose between right and wrong, good and evil, heaven or hell. America is one of the few nations in the world founded on such principles of liberty. A lot of countries have liberty. Some even have anarchy. How does it honor God to have a liberal country? Throughout our history, Americans have been among the most generous in helping those in need. We have donated over one billion dollars to Haiti following the earthquake... many, many times more than the entire UN have donated. We have liberated nations around the world... at our own expense and loss of life. Then what has deteriorated that you can no longer say this country honors God but cite donations to Haiti as evidence of its honoring God? Charity, in terms of assisting the poor and needy is an individual responsibility. We are called by God to be charitable as individuals and as a church body. I strongly encourage charity and practice it to the best of my ability. BUT, it ceases being charity when it is forced under threat of severe penalty by a government. Our system is broken. We have politicians throwing the present and future good of our nation out the window purely for their individual power and glory. When has that not been the case?
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.