February 27, 2004
12:36 PM
I have a feeling my additional proposals for the platform aren't going to pass the 2/3 majority requirement I proposed for passage by the group, so I'll just lay them out here.It's terrific that my Balanced Budget Amendment, carbon revenue measure, and health care tax deduction planks all passed unanimously, but we have the small problem that we're proposing a regressive tax to balance the budget for a class of people who have already been unfairly treated by the Bush tax cuts.
What would make the new carbon revenue measure fair (and what would also encourage people to take advantage of our proposed health care deduction) would be a "Thirty over Thirty" tax plan: earners wouldn't pay any income tax on the first $30,000.00 of annual income, and would then pay a flat 30% tax rate on annual income over $30,000.00. I.e., (before deductions and credits) someone who earns $30,000.00 would pay zero income tax, someone who earns $40,000.00 would pay $3,000.00, someone who earns $50,000.00 would pay $6,000.00 and so on and so forth. Such a plan would not only help the poor more than any government program ever has, it would provide predictable long-term incentives for investors (the top tax rate would go from 35% to 30%).
But such a plan still wouldn't fix Social Security. This nation could avoid the looming pension crisis by pooling workers' Social Security and Medicare taxes in a "Tithe Pool" (the rate would actually be less than 10%, but the Biblical concept of sharing a fraction of one's earnings for the greater good certainly applies) that's collected and divvied up on an annual basis to pay for S.S. benefits, Medicare, and perhaps other entitlement programs. The government gets out of the budget-busting "entitlements" business, and benefits are guaranteed.
I proposed a plank for that issue as well, and it failed to pass. Don't say I didn't try! It looks like we might have to wait until our membership grows, and people in general become more "up" on the issues as the election approaches. As it stands, we've got three planks below the triangle that are showcased nicely by our spoof sponsors. I suppose it works for now.
February 24, 2004
5:01 PM
The new Unity Runners site is up! Did a little research just to make sure this hasn't been done before, and came across John Anderson and the National Unity Party. Interesting.2/24/2004: nice date for a bit of history, if that's what this turns out to be.
February 23, 2004
5:00 PM
What a day! Purchased the url and e-mail account for Unity Runners' new website. Now just have to wait for the hosting service to set things up.It just so happens that http://www.runagainstbush.org/ was brought to my attention today. As always, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Let folks run against Bush all they like. Not only will they have an identity problem come November, I myself have finally come around to the philosophy of "live and let live." In other words, life's too short to run "against" anybody or anything. I'll continue to run (and work) for something positive and lasting, something productive and not reactive.
There are plenty of people out there who want to wiggle in the middle. You just have to give them the courage to take the first step by taking yours.
Have a pleasant evening...
February 20, 2004
1:58 PM
It's official: "Unity Runners," the world's third and only current political running organization, has been formed. Lots to do, lots to do, not least of which is to determine what the sixteen of us are going to be running for.I've already thrown some ideas out to the group, and we'll see what flies. My balanced budget and pro-environment proposals seem to be doing well from the start, but we'll wait til Tuesday, when the voting's over, to make any official announcements. Tuesday would probably be a good day to launch a website, and Monday to start setting it up. Yep, slap something up on the Web, then start spreading the word. E-mails would probably work best, though polite postings looking for "associate members" would be worthwhile as well. This is "Unity" after all--we don't want to give anyone the false impression that we're out to divide any votes.
Wrapping up the week here at work, and ready to take a break from politics to run a 15K tomorrow morning. The Al Gordon will be avoiding the Harlem Hills, so there might be potential for a very good time (if the weather cooperates).
Have a nice weekend!
February 12, 2004
12:57 PM
Well, here we go again with another blog (Hasta la vista "Bill's Blog" on http://www.runnersforclark.com/). This was going to be a requiem for the Clark04 campaign (and it more or less still is), but I just got two affirmative e-mails from fellow Runners for Clark regarding a new idea of mine.But right now I really should get back to my desk job. Hope any and all visitors to my site like the new look and feel (visitors from the RFC site might recognize some design features that I've carried over). But I plan to make regular entries here as my one and only blog on the Web... I still think BB on the RFC site was a nice feature that showed the building of a grassroots org from the ground up in real time, but, especially when you're dealing with politics, it's not always easy to express your opinions and keep everyone else happy at the same time.
I'm already experiencing a new sense of freedom as a blogger on my own
personal site, being able to write what I want to write. Adios!