Calvinonomics 101

I have been having the weirdest dreams lately. Last night I came up with a eight point plan to save the economy of America and therefor the world since we are all tied in so closely to what happens in the US. I know everyone will argue with most or all of this because I know the flip side to everything I am saying here.

1. Cap CEO Salaries to 5 times the average employees salaries. Bonuses caped at 20% of yearly wage. This will have the effect of keeping most CEOs from implementing cost cutting measures that reduce staff, prevent investment and stall innovation (for example, shipping jobs overseas). Banks and Investment houses need hard caps on how much they must lend out to small businesses and individuals with interest rates no more than 5%. The amount loaned out by individual banks will depend of their yearly profits. At least 80% of all profits must be available to be loaned out to individuals and businesses who qualify. More people should benefit from the hard work of those who actually DO the work than shareholders. This keeps money in the system and allows for small business growth which is the engine of employment. Give generous tax deductions for companies that create employment. Tightly regulate the money supply.

Capitalism and competition are great...but UNREGULATED capitalism and competition is totally destructive. Just look at what all the deregulation under Bush II did to the economy of the WORLD this year! Enact broader anti-trust legislation and take apart monopolies. They always lead to higher costs for everyone because companies can charge whatever they want for their services and that needs to be corrected.

2. Allow workers to unionize to give the power to bargain collectively for a living wage and then some. Get back to manufacturing products instead of sending those jobs overseas. People who have money will 'buy American' over cheaper imports. Put a tariff on imports to protect certain high employment industries. Have the workers pay part of those wages for comprehensive health care coverage which will protect families and allow workers more years in the labor force. Their experience is vital. Have business match those contributions. Make both tax deductible. The trickle down effects of employed people spending will fuel a surge in small business growth, employment and the standard of living. More people working means less who live in poverty thus less welfare and other social programs. Fairly increase taxes to pay for infrastructure (schools, roads, bridges, common use areas, and health care)

3. Do campaign finance reform that eliminates the lobby monies available to candidates. Public financing levels the playing fields and takes special interests out of the equation entirely. This will allow politicians to do what they are elected to do - put in place laws and policies that benefit all the people and not just those who bribe them.

4. Include everyone under the banner of medicare and get insurance companies out of the profit motive when dealing with people's health. Entirely to much money is paid out to politicians to maintain the status quo. That money should be paid out in claims that now are being denied for the most evil of reasons. People will still need car, home, life, and disaster insurance. You will make up the difference when healthy people are able to work longer and can afford your products. Regulate the industry and watch them closely. Take away the incentive they have to cheat the system for their own benefit. Those savings alone will be massive.

5. Pay teachers, nurses, social workers, day care employees much much more to encourage children to enter those professions (not everyone can be an pro athlete or a rapper). Make schools incredible learning environments implementing the most up to date technologies. Reward good, innovative teachers. Increase apprenticeship programs creating scholarships not only for athletes but kids whose lives would benefit by learning a trade. Government should pay for that training and schooling as long as the person is in the program. All qualified applicants should have low cost access to higher learning. Increase money to hire trained individuals so no child falls through the cracks just because they are poor, or in foster care, ect...

6. Bring the military personal home. Stop being involved in foreign wars. It's not worth the blood and treasure involved. Train military personal to also be able to respond to emergencies like floods, fires, or hurricanes and have them ready to go at a moment's notice. This should be their primary function. That will do more good than any war ever could. The condition of New Orleans STILL is a disgrace and should be a priority to fix. The army is often best equipped to do these huge jobs. Pay soldiers more. Create a new GI Bill to reward military service. Care as much about those who put themselves in harm's way as much as they care about their country. Treat terrorism as a 'police problem' and not a 'military' problem.

7. Legalize marijuana. It's less dangerous than alcohol and the profit potential speaks for itself. Take that revenue source out of the hands of crime syndicates. People takes drugs for a variety of reasons. The whole society is over medicated. Marijuana has tremendous health benefits. With such a safe alternative to harder drugs the quality of love and JOY in people's lives will improve. Treat those who do things like driving while stoned the same way you treat those who drive while drunk. Increase rehab options and allow health insurance to cover the cost.

8. Get over your addiction to oil. Most of the financing for terrorist activities comes from closed, dictatorial oil producing societies who do little to filter those profits down to their people which leads to frustration and anger in those societies. The creation and promotion of terrorism is a smoke screen to keep the citizens of the middle east mad at others rather than being mad at their governments who actively keep them down. Promote, research and fund alternative energy methods like wind power, solar power, geothermal power, nuclear power, ect...