Wednesday, October 26, 2011

First demand of Occupy Wall Street costs more than the entire income tax currently brings in


Stu Burguiere

In the least surprising development in modern political history, Occupy Wall Street seems to be better at spending your money than they are maintaining hygiene. As evidence, I present their first demand:

Jobs for ALL – A Massive Public Works and Public Service Program

We demand a massive public works and public service program with direct government employment at prevailing (union) wages paid for by taxing the rich and corporations, by immediately ending all of America’s wars, and by ending all aid to authoritarian regimes to create 25 million new jobs to:
Expand education: cut class sizes and provide free university for all;
Expand healthcare and provide free healthcare for all (single payer system);
Build housing, guarantee decent housing for all;
Expand mass transit, provided for free;
Rebuild the infrastructure—bridges, flood control, roads;
Research and implement clean energy alternatives; and
Clean up the environment.
These jobs are to be open to all, regardless of documentation/immigration status or criminal record.

After sifting through the standard ultra-progressive nonsense, one can pull out some interesting numbers. To pay for 25 million jobs at the median union salary, you’re going to have to come up with about $1.194 trillion. That is about 25% more than the entire income tax currently brings in. It also would add more than 1/3rd to our already completely bloated budget.

To put it another way, the very first proposal from Occupy Wall Street would cost around 50% more than Medicare and Medicaid combined, which is currently our largest expense.

But they say it’s paid for…right? How? It’s simple!

The cost of the plan is $1.192 trillion.

First, get rid of those evil wars: savings $171 billion.

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