it will be called Hubber Ideas to turn around the economy!

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   screamingposted 11 years ago

   Understand these are "OUR IDEAS", no mention of political party. I'll start it off.
   1. Eliminate government cell phones! This is one of the most abused programs out there! Many have these phones and an Iphone as backup! Needs Policing!

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   JaxsonRaineposted 11 years ago

   Reduce the corporate tax rate to 10%. Reducing the rate would take away approximately $100 billion in revenues, but it would attract huge amounts of interest in American investment. We would have more employment, and increasing employment will either match or eclipse the loss in corporate tax revenues.
   
   Switch to territorial tax system. We could see as much as a 10% increase in GDP(not likely, more like 5%) in one year from that change alone, especially if it is coupled with a lowered corporate tax rate.
   
   Pursue all energy production, especially oil. Pursue the estimated 2 trillion barrels of usable oil in shale in UT and CO.
   
   Those three things would have far more impact than anything else I can think of.
   
   Oh, and pass a law that requires government spending to be capped at a MAXIMUM of 18% of GDP within 5 years.

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   screamingposted 11 years ago

   2. Another small but far reaching! Set up old government building with food merchandise for food stamp use. Centralizing these items would eliminate abuse of selling the stamps for money. These empty facilities could be manned by people on unemployment.
   3. Used abandoned bases for teaching facilities  and child care facilities, for people on unemployment.Affordable child care would eliminate the excuse of why work, all I do is give the money to the child care facilities. These could be manned by people on welfare. Jobs created and money earned for a days work, rather then a check for sitting at home!

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      habeeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I've suggested something like your #3 before. Someone with a low paying job and three pre-school age kids can't afford to work.

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         wildernessposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Agreed.  In general I don't think abandoned or unused military bases would work, but areas with high welfare payments often have other empty buildings that could be converted to day care use quite easily. 
         
         You're absolutely right - young families with small children can't afford to have both parents work - it is a losing proposition.  I know we tried it many years ago, until we figured out that my wife was working for something like 20 cents per hour after deducting for travel, work clothing, day care, etc.

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      SomewayOuttaHereposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      i'm compelled to respond about #3....childcare should be about quality early childhood development and  learning...just putting random people in place to look after children is not the answer...i think they must be qualified (educated and experienced) to look after one of our most precious commodities....and paid well to do the job...just my thoughts.....

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         habeeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         But they could go through training beforehand.

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            SomewayOuttaHereposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            yes......and qualify
            
            i run into this same type of scenario at work from time to time, where gov't wants to save money (in Canada) and think that volunteers or whoever without education/training are equipped to look after children (and or without crim. record checks/and/or some dysfunctional kith and kin scenarios......................................yikes!....i won't allow it where i work ...
            
            ...the venue is also important...quality is key, imo.

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   Reality Bytesposted 11 years ago

   Create a mentoring program to work with the public schools where individuals can volunteer to teach skillsets.  Retirees would be great in passing on knowledge to eager students wishing to pursue their trade.  Anyone that wanted to participate could help out in many different areas.  The students would be consenting and anxious to learn.   

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      Mighty Momposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I like that idea. A longer term impact on the economy, but immediate impact on education enrichment, which this country sorely needs.
      There's no reason you have to have a child in a classroom to volunteer in that classroom!
      MM

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      habeeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      We actually did that at our high school. I don't know if they still do - I'm retired. I know some individual teachers still do it because I've been asked to come help out with writing skills.

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         PrettyPantherposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         A lot of these programs that are being suggested already exist in multiple forms for many types of demographics, including veterans, single moms, chronically unemployed, mature workers, recently laid off workers, ad infinitum.

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            screamingposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            @prettypanther, the problem is policing them for abuse and utilizing more people on these programs to man them. Earning with help.

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   Moderndayslaveposted 11 years ago

   End Commodities speculation. These parasites produce nothing except higher prices for rest of the planet and profit for themselves.Just think of all of the disposable income that could go somewhere useful. You may still purchase these products so there is no reduction in freedom to purchase them. You want 10,000 barrels of oil or 50,000 bushels of wheat, Where should we put it? 
   
   Bring 75% of our troops home, what a waste of money.
   Just one example of unbridled waste: http://www.halliburtonwatch.org/about_hal/costplus.html
   Then use 25% of this money for nationwide infrastructure improvements that will create Jobs while not borrowing the other 75%,not to mentioning stopping the killing.
   
   Stop the Fed from printing money. The more they print means the less the money we earn (The old fashion way,we actually work for it) will buy.
   
   Try to purchase things manufactured and sold  locally, this way your neighbor will keep their job. It only costs a little more but it's worth it.

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   screamingposted 11 years ago

   Figure out a way to "Police" the welfare program. Too many making a career out of welfare have boyfriends or girlfriends with them working. No one goes out to these homes to see exactly who's living there! If a "Working boyfriend" lives in the house, why provide assistance? The assistance was meant for the mom and kids! NOT the free housing for the boyfriend!

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   kathyinmnposted 11 years ago

   There are some very good ideas here.
   
   my 2 cent worth
   
   A working America is a strong America!
   
   Lets force all those corp who outsorce work to other countries bring them back home. Just having the call centers back would cut the unemployment almost in half! People who are working pay taxes and buy more things.
   The corps who won't bring back the outsources, should pay a fine and pay higher taxes

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   innersmiffposted 11 years ago

   Legalise the competing currency -
   In a time where the dollar's value has decreased to less than 3% of its original value, giving citizens the freedom to choose a more valuable and stable currency based on physical assets is not only the most practical solution, it is the most ethical. There will come a point where hyper inflation will cause food prices to jump to a range where the average family cannot afford. The Federal Reserve's quantitative easing (printing money) has been keeping families in a stunted economic position for decades. Let's energise their purchasing power!
   
   Make all tax voluntary -
   Citizens would love to be able to contribute to programs that benefit them directly without having to pay for things that do not, like the expansive wars. They would also love having all of their earned money to invest in more efficient practices. Most government spending is mal-investment and contributes to the unsustainable debt, so needs to be cut. The best way to do this is to allow citizens to choose where their hard-earned money gets invested. All of that extra money being invested in ventures that citizens actually desire will produce an economy more catered to the average person rather than the pockets of politicians and their lobbyists.
   
   Stop the bail-outs -
   Taking money from productive sources and giving it to corporations that have failed is the most counter-productive economic practice in history. The practice breeds an attitude of irresponsible investment and speculation - is it any wonder why they're still doing it? Supporters of bail-outs point to the jobs saved, but it is my belief that those jobs would be better served in sustainable, ethical companies.
   
   Stop corporate subsidies -
   For the same reasons as above. Counter-productive and unethical.
   
   Drop huge swathes of regulation -
   Increase small businesses' ability to hire and expand. Think about how difficult it is for someone to start a new bank, for instance. It just doesn't happen. Despite these times where more people are inclined to attack the very principle of capitalism, it might have to be capitalism that gets us out of this hole we've dug ourselves. Trust in people and incredible things can happen.

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