The Statements: It’s time for college to be free
It’s time for healthcare to be free
It’s time to guarantee housing to every single American Nina Turner 8/15/2022
Question: What tax rate would you suggest for the lower, middle and upper class to reach those results? -A Forum For Ideas
Suggested Answer: 70% tax rate for anyone making more than 10 million a year seems fair. -Sebby
Analysis:
All numbers used are based on 2016 data unless noted otherwise
I. The costs:
A. Universal Healthcare - $2.87 Trillion
In the United States healthcare costs were $3.3 Trillion. Medicare and Medicaid spending equaled $1.2376 trillion. A 2017 study conducted by University of Massachusetts suggests universal healthcare would reduce costs and should cost $2.93 trillion. I adjusted this number for inflation and that number becomes $2.87 trillion 2016 dollars.
Sources: https://peri.umass.edu/publication/item/1127-economic-analysis-of-medicare-for-all
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-healthcare-report-idUSKBN1E031D
B. Free College - $65 Billion
There are numerous numbers outlining the cost of free college. A 2020 article suggested $70 Billion and a 2012 article suggested $62.4 billion Those numbers when adjusted for inflation are $64.5 and 65.4 billion respectively. For our purposes I took the middle position of $65 Billion
C. Guaranteed Housing - 71.9 Billion
I couldn’t find projections as to how much this would cost. In 2016 HUD spent $36 billion on housing. In 2023 HUD is requesting $71.9 for its budget. I decided to use the 2023 request as my number for 2016.
Sources: Budget of the U.S. Government, Fiscal Year 2017, Analytical Perspectives (Washington: Government Printing Office, 2016), Table 29-1.
D. Total Cost of New Programs - $3.0069 Trillion
E. 2016 Tax Situation:
Tax Revenue: $3.3 Trillion
Government Spending: $3.9 Trillion
Government Deficit: $587 Trillion
Sources: https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/115th-congress-2017-2018/graphic/52408-budgetoverall.pdf
F. Impact of 70% Tax Rate - Additional $80 billion in tax revenue
Number of people affected: 16,000
Current collection: $90 Billion
After Tax Increase Collection: $170 Billion
Additional tax revenue: $80 billion
G. Current Government spending - $1.2736 Trillion
Medicare/Medicaid: $1.2376 Trillion
Housing: $36 Billion
Education: Above figures would be additional spending
Results: $2.2403 Trillion deficit for 2016.
Substantial additional tax increases would need to implemented or drastic government reduction in spending elsewhere would be necessary.
Thomas Aquinas is credited as one of the greatest proponents of natural law. During his time in Cologne he was taught by Albertus Magnus. Magnus used the teachings of Aristotle in his mentorship of Thomas Aquinas.
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Hefei, China Thursday 6:00AM
The rising sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon. The darkness of night was about to give way to the light of day. The sleeping city would soon be bustling with activity completely unaware of what had occurred while it slept.
Zhao Kai stood outside a small warehouse looking building. For all of the modernization that had been occurring in China this building had been skipped. At least on the outside. It appeared old and nearly abandoned but the inside told a different story. Before Kai entered the building he glanced at the rising sun. This was his favorite moment of the day. The blinding light of the sun was a weapon that he used literally.
On numerous occasions he would take a prisoner to a spot where there was an unobstructed view of the rising sun. Then he would bind them in such a way that they had to stare directly into the sun. If he did his job right they would not be able to close their eyes and would return to their prison cells blinded for life. If he didn’t just kill them. That punishment would not be on the table today but perhaps tomorrow. He liked ...
