I'm glad you've mentioned innovation and free markets. Find us on this index: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Innovation_Index We have interesting company.
If you want a healthy middle class you have lower taxes on them... so they can save and invest in businesses. High taxes lock in the class divides. If you are really concerned about unequal distribution... you must be a low tax or no tax advocate.
The growing inequality is simple to explain: Global wage arbitrage has killed american private sector wages, while global enforcement of property rights has created a vast windfall for those who know how to tap into the global economy or own certain types of businesses/assets (as well as those who own large blocks of stock). Flooding in massive numbers of low wage workers has killed wages in fields like construction, etc, that for a time payed reasonable amounts, while Offshoring is killing private sector "middle class" jobs. The fable I keep seeing here is that somehow this (falling middle class wages and standard of living) is the fault of American workers, and all they need to do is "look in the mirror" to see the problem. Totally false! It is a huge, large scale arbitrage that has nothing to do with the quality of work Americans do, or how hard they work. Economics truly is at times a zero sum game, and the losers quite frankly often are not the cause of their falling standard of living. the problem is much, much bigger than that. If you double the supply of something, all else equal it's value goes down. It is an economic law. It is our trade and immigration policies that are the problem. Businesses know this. Businesses that are smart lock up legal advantages with Patents, Copyrights, other forms of IP, etc, such that they are able to secure minor monopolies on certain things. In other words, the government PROTECTS THEIR PRIVATE INTERESTS. Yet workers are told they are "lazy" or "the problem" if even slightly they ask for the same thing? If they ask that their birthright, the benefit of US citizenship at least slightly be managed to their favor? Give me a break! It is a mistake to think "Right wing" equals globalism. This is far from true, in fact. The left has in fact usually represented "internationalism". The true right values independent productive capacity, heavy industry, PRODUCTION, and culture ABOVE raw economic calculation, which is seen as important but not THE primary value. There are solutions to this problem that are NOT egalitarian in nature. Progressive taxation is not the answer because handouts and "redistribution" only demotivate and demoralize the recipients. As a moral principle I also find the notion of taking from the strong to be reprehensible. We do NOT NEED more handouts, but rather policies that support independent productivity in all sectors that will put americans back to work in american jobs producing american goods. Policies that promote REAL PRODUCTIVITY rather than rent seeking what has effectively become a far too financial-centric, non-productive economy. Few people understand that much of the destruction of industry has come about from government manipulation of the cost of capital, which has devalued real, physical investment and rewarded asset flipping and non-productive speculation. Also contrary to popular opinion the true right does not represent fables like "equal opportunity" which is not possible and is based in mythology not reality. We value inheritance as a fundamental right, as a great honor and privilege that must be lived up to. We encourage all americans who can to save, invest, and do what they can to leave to their children more than they received . We value and respect private, productive capital. We also value the gift of US citizenship, and seek to manage it so that the value of this treasure grows for all americans. The true Right values liberty, tradition, family, (including family businesses that should be passed on without tax) Nation, culture, strength, honor. Things like that. From an authentic right wing perspective, the solutions are simple: Citizens are part owners of America. Citizenship is a tremendous birthright that must be MANAGED to grow and protect its value, NOT devalue it and degrade it, as has been done for far too long in this country by short sighted, political whores in BOTH parties. A right wing solution: -Cut corporate tax in domestic investment to almost nothing -Cut income tax -End most new immigration that kills working class and middle class wages -put the marines on the border NOW. -Terrif on goods and services provided offshore or imported to make up for domestic tax cuts -free up our domestic energy industry to generate energy independence It is a combination of domestic economic liberalization combined with prudent and thoughtful management of the value of our Citizenship such that US citizenship effectively pays a growing dividend to workers at all level, as capital is invested at home and domestic wealth and benefits flow to US citizens at all levels. The authentic right has always sought to align class interests, not aggravate them. More than anything we need authentic right wing solutions, not the slime corporatism-whores who currently are running the show. If we can get a genuine right wing movement going, these phony right wing-whores will be tossed out quite promptly.
Our taxes are progressive. The rich pay the most, the poor the least. So why is the gap still increasing? Why are we trying to lower taxes on the rich, and pass debt on to the poor? Why do other societies with higher taxes have a larger middle class?
Not going to waste time going through your points, just that you outed yourself with following showing that you are biased in your thinking. What we need are solutions that are divorced from right or left wing...but practical, pragmatic, aware that we have a pluralistic society, etc. Enforcement of any particular ideology is not going to solve the problems. Here is where you outed yourself: "More than anything we need authentic right wing solutions." We need solutions, true. We don't need left wing, or right wing solutions, we need people who are above that divisiveness of right or left wing, and concerned about what is in the best interest of all Americans. We need to cut military spending, by reshaping the military. We do need to secure our borders. We need to offer a path to citizenship for those who want to be citizens, and those who came here illegally----if they want a path to citizenship need to pay a stiff price for that opportunity. Think from the middle, and I believe you will find that right or left wing thinkers are too glued into an ideology...which prevents them from looking at the present day facts, and coming to the most reasonable and effective solutions and prevents the move toward fascism, either right wing or left wing fascism. Why don't I want religion in our government? Because as a theist, I don't what a government that in any way promotes one religion over any other. Why don't I want a right wing or left wing government? Because moderation is nearly always the best solution. Most of what I see today is just reactionary thinking...and blame. Not reasonable adult thinking. Not everyone who is poor today is lazy. Not everyone who is out of a job is not tying to get a job. Not everyone can afford medical care. Not everyone is a racist. Not everyone believes that our military has evolved to current times. Go with what is reasonable, leave the right wing dogma, or left wing dogma at the church you worship at.
Innovative simply means to initiate change, and not all innovations have been good. It takes time and a view of history's perspective to determine if the innovations were good or bad. Hitler was an innovator in Germany, and the German people were pleased with his innovations...and so were many of the industrialists like Prescott Bush who saw a chance to profit financially from Hitler's innovations. So, a better view would be over several generations or more to determine whether the changes made by people or a society or a country were truly progressive innovations that improved the lot of the entire society, if not the entire world.
Taxes are irrelevant. What matters is how much money you have after taxes to take home. Most of the truly wealthy, like Buffett and others don't complain of taxes. The middle class is getting squeezed, not from taxation, but from the stagnancy of wages...not due to taxes, but due to globalization and the non patriotic attitude of the corporate beast which is completely narcissistic in its goals and practices. Taxes are not the problem, income not keeping pace with the cost of living is the real problem. Bush's tax cuts did not really help the economy. The housing bubble kept the economy going following the dot.com bubble. Tax breaks for the wealthy did not spur new and emerging industries. Our problems in America are not due to high taxes, we have a lower overall tax rate than the best of time for America. What was done by both the left and right leadership was to open up globalization with penalties to the American worker, and no means of leveling the playing field.
18 votes so far, with an average of 1.44%. My bet of over was a sure thing. 18 votes and 1.44% average...that puts it somewhere around 16 worst, and 2 best votes. Too predictable.
You're taking it harder than I am. Look, they're not voting down the topic, they're voting the poster.
I outed myself? I think my position has been clear in most everything I have written. Yes, I am biased. I write from a specific point of view. Usually, almost always, a right wing point of view. I am Biased in favor of things I think would make this a more free, pleasant, productive place to live, and in favor of things I believe are true. (like I assume you are?) Optional, you love to play the critic. What policies do YOU THINK would help?