Charles M. Reigeluth

2. Social Imbalance of Political Power

Caused by shrinking of the middle class, income inequality,

excessive power of big business and oligarchs, regressive national tax policies,

money considered as speech, discrimination, and unequal educational opportunities

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2A. Have the Supreme Court overrule the following (see #4 below):

• The ruling that equates money with speech.

• The ruling that equates bribery with gifts.

   4a2, 4a3

2B. Pass a national law to limit monetary contributions to election campaigns, including through non-campaign means.

   2b3, 4a4

2C. Pass a national law creating a corporate income tax system that disincentivizes businesses from becoming very large and encourages small business formation.  Include requirement for stronger enforcement of anti-trust act.  Features include:

• Is far more progressive, with a top tax rate of 52% (which it has been in the past, during a prosperous time) and 0% for new businesses for their first three years.  This encourages small businesses and discourages mergers, acquisitions, and takeovers (vulture capitalism).

• Allows many fewer deductions, such as only 25% of all donations to causes that benefit the rich, and a lower deduction for advertising expenses (starting at 90% and gradually declining to 50% over 8 years—5% per year).

   2a7, 2b2, 2b3, 2b7, 2b8

2D. Pass a national law creating a personal income tax system that incentivizes work but also creates a more equitable balance of income levels and consequently political power.  Features include:

• Is far more progressive, with a top tax rate of 94% (which it has been in the past, during a prosperous time).

• Allows many fewer deductions and only 25% of all donations to causes that benefit the rich.

• Taxes capital gains at the same rate as earned income.

• Has a negative income tax system that always incentivizes earning more and provides the benefit of equitably dealing with loss of jobs from AI. 

   2a1, 2a3, 2a4, 2a6, 2a7, 2b1, 2b2, 2b3, 2b4, 2b5, 2b9, 2b11, 2b12, 5b4

2E. Pass a national law requiring states to offer equal funding (adjusted for local cost of living) for all public schools and stipulating that private schools cannot receive any government funding unless they meet the requirements and restrictions placed on public schools. Include federal funding for schools to address misogyny, chauvinism, and patriarchy.

   2b4

2F. Create a bipartisan commission to review all federal laws, policies, and regulations for any discriminatory elements and recommend ways to correct them.

   2a6

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2G. Appeal frequently to wealthy people’s sense of fairness and concern for the common good.

2H. Impose anti-trust and other regulations on AI companies (a) to reduce the ability of government and businesses to use it to control people and wage war, and (b) to save jobs.

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