time.com — Health care in the U.S. is expensive. That much is plain to many Americans these days. But as the economy spirals downward, a series of recent reports forecasts that the country's health-care crisis is about to get worse, particularly for children.
May 5, 2008 View in Crawl 4
geauxlsuMay 6, 2008
I never said war is good....Only that nothing is free in this world. Free healthcare is as much a myth as free war.
temjrpghMay 6, 2008
You are right, jayscot. Socialist societies have a half life. It takes a knowledge of history to realize this because it takes about 1/2 - 3/4 of a lifetime for socialism to run it's course. Experience and knowledge elude the majority, except for a perceptive few.
ray154751May 12, 2008
My question to the Fed> If an economist were asked to design an economic model with the objective being to drive the cost of goods & services down 5--10% @ the retail sales price level while ensuring Government received all necessary revenues -- Would the following economic model work? Gov Budget Requirement-$2.5 Tril/ Taxable sales base-$25 Tril. Figures to work with as they relate to contribution towards $2.5 Tril Budget. 1-Top 10% income earners contribute via FICA-------28%/-$700 Bil. 2-Miscellaneous taxes contribute--------------------6%/-$150 Bil. 3-ARTT tax of 6.6%X$25 Tril contributes------------66%/$1650 Bil. 4-TOTAL-------------------------------------------100%/$2500 Bil The above figures roughly approximate fiscal 2006 budget requirements per IRS handbook pie charts. I have rounded off for demo purposes. The ARTT represents all other sources of taxation or borrowing as indicated below as they relate to contribution towards $2.5 Tril budget. 1-Lower 90% of income earners----------------------12%/-$300 Bil. 2-100% of business profit tax contribution---------13%/-$325 Bil. 3-Combined contribution of business & 100% of income earners to SS/Med fund-----------------------32%/-$800 Bil. 4-Funds borrowed for national debt interest---------9%/-$225 Bil. 5-TOTAL--------------------------------------------66%/$1650 Bil. The total above,$1650 Bil, could be realized via a 6.6% tax levied upon $25 Tril in lieu of elimination of all taxation relating to the $1650 Bil. My question above applies to the above scenario & assumes the following conditions would be realized; 1-All current tax codes would have been eliminated except as indicated below. 2-All retail purchases would be taxed 6.6%. 3-Total contributions made by the the combination of the top 10%+ the miscellaneous taxes would remain at 34% of budget requirement. 4-All expenses, with the exception of employees wages & salaries, of business would be taxed 6.6% similar to a retail level purchase. In other words--All overhead costs except wages & salaries would be taxed. 5-This model assumes business cost to provide a product or service will decrease by 15%+- due to elimination of current taxation procedures upon business prior to application of the 6.6% ARTT tax. This would indicate that an after tax 8.4% decrease in net cost to both the business & the consumer at the retail sale level is probable. The $2.5 Tril vs the $25 Tril ratio could be expressed as 10% thus indicating that a 10% national sales tax could be levied upon $25 Tril in sales to satisfy the budget requirements therefore eliminating the need for all existing Federal taxation. $50 Tril would indicate a 5% NST & etc, etc. It is my firm belief that the solution to our current economic problem is contained somewhere within the above scenario BUT the causes of the current problem are what created the situation we now face and that is what we need to address if we are to avoid a repeat of this situation in the future. Ray Pfeiffer/703-395-1123/ ray154751@yahoo.com