The daily noise the Trump administration generates distracts us from a constructive dialogue about the real issues. For example, the caravan headed to our border is being used to both frighten us and distract us from talking about meaningful immigration reform. There are many issues that have been either pushed off the agenda or polarized to the point that the discussion is a cartoon of any meaningful exchange. I have put together a list of issues and ideas that have been forgotten in all the noise.
Climate Change: The most serious of the forgotten issues in that the clock is ticking and we are ignoring it. The scientific evidence suggests this is very serious and that we may soon hit a point of no return. Even if science has gotten it wrong and it is only half as bad as they conclude, we are facing a real challenge. The US needs to rejoin the Paris Accord and lead on this issue worldwide. There is not going back to fossil fuels and we need to build on the non-polluting alternative technologies that have recently emerged as viable.
Healthcare: The Affordable Care Act was a first step in giving all American’s access to healthcare while controlling costs. It is not perfect and it does not address all uninsured people. Ultimately, we need to move to the system of exchanges as the primary source for all people to get insurance. Compared to employer-sponsored insurance, the exchanges offer individuals access to a broader range of private insurance options We need to transition from employer-based insurance to the exchanges. This will further broaden the cost pool and through regulating the insurance companies (as we do now), we can guarantee the same insurance plans employers offer will continue to be offered through the exchanges.
Taxes: We need a more equitable tax system. This means having the rich pay their fair share. I also believe we should consider a Value Added Tax (VAT). A VAT is a national sales tax and can be a source for some of our tax revenues. The advantage of the VAT is everyone who consumes has to pay it. There are no loop holes to evade it. The one danger is that it can be regressive so some products such as food and other basic staples would need to be excluded from the tax.
Social Security: To make social security solvent for the long future we need to continue raising the eligibility age until we reach 70 and remove the tax cap. Raising the eligibility age recognizes that people live much longer than when the program was introduced in the 1930s. To limit the burden on the younger generation, the average number years one spends on Social Security should be shortened. At the same time, if we remove the cap on the social security tax, we can raise the extra money needed to pay for the program by taxing only the rich.
Immigration reform: We need a coherent policy that recognizes that immigration has fueled our economy, attracts the world’s brightest minds, gives a future to the 12 million people who live here illegally, and controls the flow. We can improve border security (if that is really needed) through electronic surveillance and deter anchor babies by tighten our laws in very specific ways. At the same time, we need to allow for significant immigration as it positively contributes to our economy.
Education: We need to rebuild a foundation of strong public schools. We can do this by measuring performance and determine whether programs are successful and ending those that do not work. We need to price community colleges at a level that one could work part-time and manage to go to school. We should implement high academic standards and require good employment outcomes as a criteria for getting Federal funding and scholarships.
Defense: We spend over 600 billion dollars a year on defense (or about 16% of our Federal budget) Responsible Fiscal Policy . At the present time. I think the military is in good shape and is certainly the strongest fighting force in the world. There are likely some opportunities to trim the defense budget and re-purpose that money on things like infrastructure.
Infrastructure: We need an infrastructure plan for our aging roads and bridges. It should encourage and create incentives for cost sharing between the Federal government, the states, and the private sector,