Friday, March 30, 2012

Jobs Plan?


The Republicans in the House of Representative unveiled another of their so-called jobs plans.  Here is the main points: Specifically, the legislation:
  • eliminates Security and Exchange Commission restrictions that prevent entrepreneurs from raising capital from a large pool of investors;
  • makes it easier for small businesses by increasing the threshold under which companies are exempt from SEC registration;
  • raises the shareholder registration requirement threshold from 500 shareholders to 1,000 shareholders.
Where in this proposed legislation is there anything that will result in hiring out-of-work individuals?  Have you ever heard of an employer who placed a help wanted ad that stated that now SEC restrictions have been eliminated, raised, or lowered, we are hiring?  How many employees will be hired if shareholder registration is increased to 1000 shareholders?  Then there is the plan put forward by the Republican Senators: Under the plan — unveiled Thursday by John McCain, Rand Paul, and a half-dozen of their colleagues — the entire tax system would be reworked. Individual income taxes would be at a maximum of 25 percent, with two marginal rates. The top corporate rate would be reduced to “no more than 25 percent,” a reduction from the current rate of 35 percent.   The Republicans claim that by eliminating some of the exemptions, deductions, and loopholes this plan would be revenue neutral. They neglected to specify what they would eliminate deferring that until later and they did not indicate the level of tax receipts they consider to be “revenue neutral”.  Again, one has to question how many jobs this legislation will create?   Neither plan polls well with the American public.  People earning income from capital gains and dividends will prosper under the Republican proposals as will people paid in excess of $250,000 per year or compensated by way of stock options and other forms of corporate largess.  However, anyone earning under $250,000 or anyone whose income comes from salaries, wages, and tips (or ordinary income in IRS terms) will find nothing in the Republican plans that would benefit them.  Additionally, the gains they have made from the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) like the elimination of pre-existing conditions, insuring children up to age 26, eliminating the lifetime cap on insurance payments, and other benefits of “Obamacare” will also be eliminated, thus adding to the costs of living to those under $250,000 per year. So, Republicans, how many jobs will you add by repealing “Obamacare”? 

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