Eliminating all student debt seems unfair to those who either had no student loans or already paid them off. Especially considering that we are now running about a 1 trillion yearly deficit. Shouldn't we take care of the US debt first?
I had loans in 1958 and 1959 under the first NDEA and, IIRC, the interest rate was 1%. I didn't pay them off for a long time for obvious reasons...I completely agree. I owed roughly $50,000 in student loans after graduating dental school in 1980 and had held a janitorial job the whole time I was in school. I was able to pay it off in 10 years but was still buried under a mountain of debt from business loans so there was no relief. Many of my colleagues had the same experience. There should be zero interest on a student loan.
This sounds like a terrible idea to me at least initiallyBeto's latest proposal is a War Tax. God knows we need to do better by our veterans, but I'm not sure this is the best way to do it--particularly since it is the wealthy that gets us into wars and sends the poor to fight them while they stay at home.
Should make the debate entertaining, though.
Agreed. And seriously, Beto... "War Tax?" What horrible branding.This sounds like a terrible idea to me at least initially
he could get all punk rock again and re-purpose black sabbath's war pigs to promote it.Agreed. And seriously, Beto... "War Tax?" What horrible branding.
Our elections are never going to be secure, fair, or workable with so many jurisdictions each making their own rules — especially when some officials deliberately manipulate those rules to stop people from voting. Under my plan, we’ll have a uniform set of federal election standards that achieve four goals:
No more registration problems. My plan will mandate automatic voter registration and same-day registration for federal elections. State and federal government agencies will automatically register voters and transfer that information to state elections officials, and voters can opt-out, if they choose. Every state will also be required to offer same-day registration, which acts as a fail-safe for anyone who is mistakenly left off the rolls.
No more voter purges. Under my plan, states will be banned from removing voters from the election rolls unless the voter affirmatively requests to be removed or there is objective evidence of a legitimate reason to remove them, like death, change of address, or loss of eligibility to vote. We will also re-enfranchise those who have served their time and left prison.
No more difficulties voting. We will make Election Day a national holiday, and all federal elections will have a minimum of 15 days of early voting, expanded voting hours, the option to vote with a sworn statement of identity instead of an ID, convenient polling locations, and voting by mail. And we will pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Native American Voting Rights Act to shut down a host of festering discriminatory practices.
No more gerrymandering. Under my plan, states will be required to use independent redistricting commissions to draw federal congressional districts to prevent gerrymandering. Both parties should compete on a level playing field; not in a rigged game designed to suppress the will of the people.
I’m ok with everything except the federal holiday. I don’t mind a law that says everyone has the right to leave work to go vote, but I don’t need any more holidays to pay a staff for not working and government employees have enough holidays already.
Columbus Day is Oct 14. How about moving that to Nov 8? You kill two birds with one stone. Make it easier for more people to vote, and get a bunch of hippies who hate the idea of Columbus Day to quit whining.I’m ok with everything except the federal holiday. I don’t mind a law that says everyone has the right to leave work to go vote, but I don’t need any more holidays to pay a staff for not working and government employees have enough holidays already.
I really like what a some states are doing making Columbus Day into Indigenous Peoples Day.Columbus Day is Oct 14. How about moving that to Nov 8? You kill two birds with one stone. Make it easier for more people to vote, and get a bunch of hippies who hate the idea of Columbus Day to quit whining.
Source of official Federal holidays here.
I don't have that many days off. I only get 6 holidays (New Years Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving (the Thursday only), Christmas Day. I will say recently the bosses have been giving us the Friday after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve as well). Now government works get tons of days off.I’m ok with everything except the federal holiday. I don’t mind a law that says everyone has the right to leave work to go vote, but I don’t need any more holidays to pay a staff for not working and government employees have enough holidays already.
In my entire life I’ve never had a paid holiday. My dental career has been as a sole proprietor or independent contractor. I’ve made money mowing yards, as a soda jerk, working in a custom cabinet shop, as a saxophonist/guitarist, and as a janitor. None of those gigs included any benefits or paid days off. I don’t begrudge my employees their holiday and vacation pay because they are very loyal, hard working they do a good job and we all love and respect each other. Be that as it may, they don’t need any more free days and neither do government workers. We can have all the holidays in anybody’s name we want as long as no one is getting paid for not working.I don't have that many days off. I only get 6 holidays (New Years Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving (the Thursday only), Christmas Day. I will say recently the bosses have been giving us the Friday after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve as well). Now government works get tons of days off.
That's all fine and good - but you're gonna be sorely disappointed when turnout isn't any higher than it is any other time. Hell, you could vote for two solid months and not even go to a polling place in 2016. The problem isn't that people don't have time to vote - it's the pure trash we get as candidates. With the exception of the unique year of 2008, we haven't topped 56% in a Prez election turnout since 1968.......the last Prez election before we lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.Columbus Day is Oct 14. How about moving that to Nov 8? You kill two birds with one stone. Make it easier for more people to vote, and get a bunch of hippies who hate the idea of Columbus Day to quit whining.
Source of official Federal holidays here.
I'm in the same boat, of course. What would you think about election day on Sunday, as in many other countries?I my entire life I’ve never had a paid holiday. My dental career has been as a sole proprietor or independent contractor. I’ve made money mowing yards, as a soda jerk, working in a custom cabinet shop, as a saxophonist/guitarist, and as a janitor. None of those gigs included any benefits or paid days off. I don’t begrudge my employees their holiday and vacation pay because they are very loyal, hard working they do a good job and we all love and respect each other. Be that as it may, they don’t need any more free days and neither do government workers. We can have all the holidays in anybody’s name we want as long as no one is getting paid for not working.
Love the idea.I'm in the same boat, of course. What would you think about election day on Sunday, as in many other countries?
I'd be fine with it, but it's not going to make any difference.I'm in the same boat, of course. What would you think about election day on Sunday, as in many other countries?