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From: mjk@tty3b.UUCP (Mike Kelly)
Newsgroups: net.politics.theory
Subject: Re: Wage Rates: Unions, Minimum Wage Laws, and Employer Oligopoly
Message-ID: <602@tty3b.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 15-Feb-85 10:08:35 EST
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Posted: Fri Feb 15 10:08:35 1985
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Yes, I do have a counter proposal.   It is not only mine, but has been
discussed many times in Congress, usually initiated by the Congressional
Black Caucus, who have a great interest in unemployment due to the incredibly
high unemployment rates among American Blacks (at least double the white
rate, and often worse).

We should make a significant cut in defense spending, somewhere between 25% and
50%.  The tax code should be reformed to tax all income, regardless of source,
and impose a single high floor, somewhere around $15,000.   These two actions
together would seriously address the deficit (which, despite his pious claims
to the contrary, Ronald Reagan has been the single biggest contributor to
with his outlandish defense budgets.)  A good portion (around $80 billion) of
the remaining money should be dedicated to a massive public works program in
the U.S.  Roads and bridges need to be rebuilt.  The train system needs new
right-of-ways. Mass transit should be built in areas where it is needed.
Approached properly, this is not only an opportunity to provide much needed
repairs to America's infrastructure, but also a significant opportunity to
train people in these jobs.

Why don't we do this?  Certainly not because it costs too much.   We're
spending four times as much on the military.   Certainly not because we
can't afford it; can we "afford" unemployment and misery for 10% of our
people?   No, it's just a lack of political will to address the problem.