posted
but just so you know, I was babbling about re-doing our economic system such that corporations got to be fully capitalist (compete aggressively, but be regulated)
They would shed all socialism stuff (like healthcare through your employer) and focus on the capitalism (making what people want, and competing for lower prices, higher quality) Innovation central, what capitalism is good at.
Then a 'new' Socialism sectino of the government, would take taxed collected on corporate profits, and give them directly to the people (basic income)
The people would then spend that basic income on goods and services, and select the companies THEY want (as opposed to gov selecting someting a senator wants)
Those companies then 'win' with big profits, but pay reasonable taxes, and the cycle repeats.
The basic income is just enough to guarantee housing, food, education, and healthcare. A few things (the military, politicians) are funded directly from taxes, but mostly the government would contract with corporations to actually do the work (building stuff, making roads, etc)
Part of the guarantee for food and housing is that the government contracts to maintain adequate low-rent housing (that someone on basic income alone could afford), and 'dining halls' (if needed) to guarantee reasonably priced, healthy, food is available to all.
Then, if you do seek employment, that gives you additional income (taxed eventually, though the basic income is not taxed) and there would probably still be something like the social security system, but ideally that would all be factored in.
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But you know, I think if we just solve real estate and health insurance (get their costs down 100x), we'd probably feel a lot less pressure.
posted
One of the main reasons healthcare in the US is so expensive is because of the employer-based healthcare system where it's subsidized through tax breaks. Subsidies tend to cause runaway price increases as we've seen in things like healthcare, student loads, and real estate.
Which is to say nothing about subsidizing oil and gas while also complaining about CO2.
Cutting subsidies across the board would solve a lot of problems.
-------------------- SoV: Exalted Devout Oracle | World Developer | The Black Guard Outside is just a prank older kids tell younger kids at Internet Camp Posts: 9528 | From: NY | Registered: Apr 2003
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