Now that the election is over and I have had time to reflect, I have to admit that I am a better person for having run for office. I knew I was a long shot. Given that I started my campaign at the 11th hour, when the Top Two Primary was ruled constitutional, I did not take nor solicit any donations for the obvious reasons. As a result, my chances for winning were minimal.
However, I learned a lot by listening to differing views. As a conservative, I felt it necessary to engage with the blogs and forums on these websites to get a liberal perspective. If by chance I was elected, I was committed to representing everyone. I look at our government and believe that I want the same as most people. I want to be treated equally and fairly.
Unfortunately, I discovered that all too often, politics is not about representing the people but special interest groups. It is about a particular group getting preferential treatment at the expense of others. As a result, it becomes an issue of money and using that money to obtain power. That is alright if we do not have to pay taxes. However, we all know this is not the case and the majority of us face taxation without representation.
Having said that, I am committed to creating several initiatives. My thoughts are that the dollars raised to eliminate the B&O Tax will provide the funding to allow me to obtain signature for the other initiatives. I would like input for and against these proposals.
Initiatives for:
Eliminate B&O tax to be replaced by a fair corporate tax.
History of the B&O Tax: At the economic low point of the depression in 1933, Washington enacted the Gross Tax Receipt, now known as the B&O Tax. During this time property and income taxes plummeted and The State Department of Revenue described the tax as "temporary, emergency revenue".
Business and Occupation Tax (B&O): Otherwise know as a Gross Receipt Tax (GRT)
• GRT is a tax on all gross revenues incurred by a business not just the profits.
• GRT is a stealth tax which is hidden from the consumer.
• GRT is a tax on a business whether they make a profit or not.
• GRT is imposed on each stage of the service or product and creates a pyramid effect which is in turn passed on to the consumer.
Healthcare to be funded by the State of Washington.
Ask yourself the following questions:
• Do you believe that our government will provide a real solution to our healthcare crisis?
• Do you believe that the healthcare proposals that are being presented in the US Congress provide affordable healthcare to all of our citizens?
An affordable healthcare plan is needed that covers everyone. Most individuals are paying for three types of medical coverage plans. These plans are:
1. Medicare-Medicaid
2. Worker's Compensation
3. Private or personal medical insurance.
Why continue to pay for three inadequate plans? The Census Bureau shows that 53 % of our citizens are employed, 47% are under 18, over 65 or unemployed for a variety of reasons. Therefore, every working person needs to cover the medical costs for themselves and one unemployed individual.
1. There are 2,080 work hours in a year x $1 per hour paid to L&I = $2,080
2. American Health Insurance Plans' Center for Policy and Research shows that the average cost for an individual plan in the year 2006 was $2,015 per year.
3. Consider that the insurance companies are making 40% + in commissions and profits. The actual amount that goes to medical coverage is $1,209. Therefore, the cost of medical coverage for two people is $2,418.
4. The amount each worker will have to pay into medical care will be minimal (approximately $400). Rather than having the profits go to the insurance companies that look for ways to deny claims, the profits could go to our state to pay down the deficit.
With this system, people continue to choose their physicians, doctors' clinics and hospitals as they always have. The only difference is the billing process. By insuring one's self, eliminated are the profits to the insurance companies that look for ways to deny claims. Simultaneously, this reduction streamlines the billing process.
Granted this is a broad brush picture. The point is that affordable healthcare is possible. Not only is it possible, a scenario can be created that will save US corporations billions of dollars each year. With the current sad state of the economy, and the need to be competitive in the global economy, this could be a tremendous boost to US industries.
Note: If and when this is passed, I will contact our state representative and seek legislation that will allow the dollars paid into the federal government for Medicaid and Medicare be returned to the state. The average American family spends $702 on Medicare each year.
Civil Relationship.
I am of the opinion that this is needed in order to create justice and equality. Many individuals are penalized for not being involved in a heterosexual marriage. Why is it that a married couple get a tax break and the following individuals are not offered the same benefits?
Single mom or dad taking care of an elderly parent.
Homosexual partners that are in a committed relationship deserve to be treated equally.
Two or more heterosexual males/females that reside together to share living expenses.
Bottom line is that when people live together, it is a form of a business relationship. The benefits and the risks are shared. There is not equality or justice when tax breaks/benefits are given to one group and others are excluded. I understand the issues go beyond tax breaks for a married couple to the exclusion of others. We need to start somewhere, and I asking for feedback.
Public Funding for Campaigns
This article from www.thehill.com says it all.
We were troubled to read the editorial in The Hill entitled "Running for Money" (Jan. 12). A democracy should be about all of us and not just those who can afford to write huge checks. The wealth primary -- where less than one-tenth of one percent of the population makes contributions to candidates -- is the seedy underbelly of our electoral process. It's during this time when candidates dial for dollars and run around the country courting a privileged few, hoping a coronation -- as well as thousand-dollar checks -- from political elites will soon follow.
Our elections should be about ideas and experience instead of dollars and donors. And in some places they are. To date, seven states and two cities have enacted Clean Elections campaign reform -- also known as full public financing of elections. In the two states that have had Clean Elections since 2000, Maine and Arizona, the system is extremely popular. Currently, 84 percent of the Maine House and Senate, and nine out of 11 statewide elected offices in Arizona, including the office of governor, will be occupied by people who ran and won under a Clean Elections system.
To submit that the person with the largest pile of thousand-dollar checks is the anointed winner of some back-room "popularity contest" as a good way to elect our officials is irresponsible and just plain wrong. It's time to make elections about voters, not campaign donors, and Clean Elections is the common-sense solution that will do just that.
Please feel free to e-mail me with your thoughts and if you care to get involved in this process.
Jvaughn50@comcast.net