Evan Ross

This took longer to write than Rick Perry's tax plan

2011-10-27T02:32:00.002-04:00

When Rick Perry announced that he would soon be releasing a tax plan, I was excited to see what he and his staff would come up with. I was fully expecting that it would be some kind of a flat tax that would attempt to compete with Herman Cain's 9-9-9 plan (which you can read my analysis of by clicking here). I did not expect to like the plan, but I was ready to read it, analyze it and write my thoughts. As of this moment, I have spent more time writing this piece than Rick Perry did developing his tax plan.

Rick Perry gives his plan two thumbs up. The rest of us give it little consideration.

Rick Perry's plan is simple. If you pay less than 20% of your income in federal income tax right now, you can completely and totally ignore Perry's plan. If you pay more than 20%, you can now choose to pay 20% instead. So in reality, all Rick Perry's plan does is lower the top tax bracket from 35% to 20%. His plan helps those who are least in need of help and does little or nothing for anyone else.
I have to wonder, was Rick Perry sitting on the john when he came up with this? Did he jot it down on a cocktail napkin while he was waiting for a beer at a bar? Did 'Joe the Plummer' pull this one our of a toilet before he announced his run for congress? I think someone might have come up with it and flushed it, because it isn't worth the cocktail napkin it was written on.
I wish I could tell you more, but that is basically all there is to Perry's plan. It is yet another example of why he is absolutely unfit to serve as President of the United States of America.

Jose Javier Rodriguez to run for Carlos Lopez-Cantera's Seat

2011-10-21T14:59:00.001-04:00

Jose Javier Rodriguez is a lot of things. He is Cuban. He is a Democrat. He is a Harvard Law graduate. He is a Miami native. He is an attorney for Florida Legal Services. And now, he is a candidate for the Florida House of Representatives (D-113).

His newly launched campaign website, JoseJavier2012.com, modestly mentions his Harvard background a chooses to focus more on his personal background, which is quite impressive.
Following graduation from Harvard law school, Jose Javier turned down the big-money offers and instead, returned home to Miami to give back to his community. He went to work for Florida Legal Services, helping people who could not afford to pay for a lawyer.
Rodriguez is likely in for a tough race. Though he has yet to draw an opponent, he is running in what has long been a Republican seat, though the trends suggest that could be changing. The seat is currently held by four term Representative Carlos Lopez-Cantera, a heavy hitter in within the Florida Republican hierarchy. Lopez-Cantera is termed out.
Rodriguez is fast at work collecting petitions to qualify for the seat. While he can't know for sure where his district lines will be drawn until the redistricting process is completed, he is not letting it stop his campaign from getting going. He has a assembled a strong team of friends, family and activists that are ready to work to make him the next Representative from District 113.
If you are interested in meeting Jose Javier Rodriguez, he will be at the Miami-Dade Young Democrats meeting this Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at 6:30 PM. The meeting will take place at City Hall The Restaurant - 2004 Biscayne Blvd.
Will Jose Javier Rodriguez, the guy who turned down big money to make a big difference in his community be the next representative from district 113? I sure hope so.

Want to follow Jose Javier's campaign?

Jose Javier Rodriguez's Facebook Page

Jose Javier's Campaign Website

9-9-9 or 911? Breaking down Herman Cain's 9-9-9 Plan

2011-10-13T16:41:00.000-04:00

9-9-9

Herman Cain's 9-9-9 plan has become a major national discussion. We all know that our tax system is far too complicated and often results in the wealthiest Americans being able to skirt taxes because they can afford the best accountants. Is the system broken? Absolutely. Should it be simplified? There is no argument, it should. Is Herman Cain's 9-9-9 plan the way to do it? Absolutely not!

First, lets break down the plan itself. Under Herman Cain's 9-9-9 plan there would be:

A 9% personal income tax on all Americans.
A 9% corporate income tax.
A 9% national sales tax.

Pretty simple? Yes. So what is wrong with Herman Cain's 9-9-9 plan? It not only generates less total revenue, but it punishes Americans who earn less.

According to Bloomberg News, Herman Cain's 9-9-9 plan would generate approximately $200 billion less than the current tax system. Though Cain has said that he disagrees with their analysis, he has not shown what is wrong with it. In a time when our national debt has grown to record levels, decreasing revenue is the last thing that we can afford to do.

Lets run through a simple comparison:

Sam is married with two children. Sam earns $40,000 a year. Sam's spouse earns $30,000 a year. Under the Cain 9-9-9 plan, they would pay $6,300 in federal income tax.

Pat is married with two children. Pat earns $2,000,000 a year. Pat's spouse earns $750,000 a year. Under the Cain 9-9-9 plan, they would pay $247,500 in federal income tax.

That seems fair, right? So what is the problem?

The problem is the 9% federal sales tax. With a $70,000 a year income, Sam's family is going to have to spend the vast majority of their income to pay their household bills and living expenses. With a nearly $3 million income, Pat's family will likely be spending a significantly lower percentage of their income. Pat's family will save a lot more money.

If Sam's family saves 10% ($7,000) of their pre-tax income, they would pay $6,300 in federal income tax and then an additional $4681.70 in federal sales tax. That totals out to approximately 15.69% ($10,981.70) of their total income being paid in federal tax.

Pat's family is in a much better financial situation than Sam's. They can live a much more luxurious lifestyle while saving a higher percentage of their income. Lets say that Pat's family saves 20% ($550,000) of their pre-tax income. They would pay $247,500 in federal income tax and then an additional $161,220 in federal sales tax. That totals out to approximately 14.86% ($408,720) of their total income being paid in federal tax.

My point here is simple. The less you make, the higher percentage you pay. Someone earning $20,000 a year has to spend a much larger portion of their income than someone earning millions. The Cain plan splits taxes between what you earn and what you spend. A person who has to spend all that they earn gets double-taxed. A person that can afford to save more does not get double-taxed on what they don't spend.

The tax code needs to be such that is scales so that those who can most afford to pay taxes carry the heavy burden while those who can least afford it carry a lesser burden.

We have certain items that we don't tax, such as groceries. Why? Because we don't want to add to the burden of putting food on the table for a low-income family. Under Herman Cain's plan, all purchases would be taxed.

I give Herman Cain credit for coming up with a system that makes the tax code transparent and easy to understand. But a system that taxes the poor at a higher rate than the wealth is simply unfair.

I guess we need to go back to the drawing board.

*DISCLAIMER: The math used in this piece does not factor state or local sales tax or state income tax. It also does not factor money spent outside of the USA.*

What do Will Smith and Bob Marley have to do with progress?

2011-10-09T02:25:00.000-04:00

I suddenly feel inspired. I'm laying in bed watching Will Smith in I Am Legend. He just quoted Bob Marley.

"The people who are trying to make this world worse are not taking a day off. How can I?"

I suddenly realize, that could be the call. We know that people like the Koch brothers, Karl Rove, Rick Scott and others are working to take control of our country. They are doing their work for their own benefit and that of their wealthy elitist cronies. People like them don't take a day off. How can I? How can you?

Most of us don't have the luxury of billions of dollars sitting in the bank. Most of us can't afford to miss days of our work in order to fight this fight. So what can we do?

I chose to make this my work. I make my living by working in the political world. Not everyone can do that.

Here are some things you can do:

Volunteer on a campaign - No campaign is too large or too small. All of our elected official start somewhere. All of them need help in their campaigns. I would specifically encourage you to get involved in state legislative and congressional races.

Share your thoughts - You might be surprised to find out how much your friends and colleagues value your opinion. Post your thoughts on Facebook. Talk about them at the office or over lunch or dinner. Don't be too general, be specific. Talk about issues that matter to you and who does and does not support your beliefs.

Get involved in an organization - There are a ton of great organizations to involve yourself in. Do what you love. Care about the environment? There's the Sierra Club. Care about workers rights? The unions are constantly organizing. I am involved in a number of organizations. The most significant of those is The Miami-Dade Young Democrats. We work across the board on political issues as well as in serving our community. For me, MDYD is the perfect balance. Do what feel right.

Make a financial contribution - Not all of us are in a position to make large contributions to political campaigns and organizations. But if we all chipped in a little bit, those little bits become a lot of bits. A lot of bits can really add up. President Obama shattered records for small donations in 2008. They were a huge factor in his campaign. What you view as a little may go a very long way if you put it towards the right campaign, organization or cause. Do your homework and find where your money can be best put to work.

Host an event - Every campaign needs people to host events for them. They don't have to be fundraising events. They can be meet and greets with voters. If you can put together a good size group of people, any decent campaign will gladly do the rest of the work.

Come up with your own way to help - We all have different skills, interests and schedules. No one knows you better than you. Find a way to put your skills to work for a good campaign or cause. Play to your strengths, but don't be afraid to try some new things along the way. You never know what you could learn until you give it a try.

I know this is not my traditional blog post. It is after 2 AM and my brain is running fast. I just felt the need to vent some positive thoughts in writing. Thanks for taking the time to read them. As always, feedback is welcomed.

In closing, we must not forget...

The people who are trying to make this country a place for a select few don't take a day off. So we can't either. I'll fight to protect your rights and create real progress. I hope you'll fight beside me.

Awake Miami Officially Launches

2011-09-29T12:06:00.000-04:00

Remember all those Awake The State reallies around Florida back in March? On March 8, 2011, "Awake" groups gathered all over Florida to protest the current state of Florida's government. Their message was loud and clear. Rick Scott and the most overwhelming Republican legislative majority in the country do not represent the interests of the voters Florida.

While rallies were going on statewide, there was one glaring omission. The largest county in Florida, Miami-Dade, had no rally, no event, not even an organization.

That has changed. Awake Miami has been formed. Led by new DEC Executive Director Cedric McMinn, AFL-CIO community organizer Edwin Enciso and SEIU District Director Eric Brakken, Awake Miami launched on September 28, 2011.

I was involved in the initial planning stages of the organization and will work to make it a success, but I have to give credit where credit is due. Cedric, Edwin and Eric made this happen.

The first meeting featured top leaders and executives from most of the major unions, community organizations, the Miami-Dade Young Democrats, and the Miami-Dade Democratic Party. In total, more than a dozen organizations were represented.

The goal is simple and the name tells you exactly what that goal is. It is time to awake Miami. The voters of Miami-Dade County need to understand the detrimental impact of the Tea Party, their governor and their legislature. Awake Miami will work at a grassroots level to inform voters and activate communities to stand up for their own interests. With so few representatives in Tallahassee truly representing the interests of the voters of Florida, the time has come that the voters make their voices heard loud and clear.

If you are interested in getting involved with Awake Miami, please feel free to email me and I will make sure that you are added to the mailing list.

"Like" Awake Miami on Facebook

Follow Awake Miami on Twitter

Elect Evan Ross - President of The Miami-Dade Young Democrats

2011-09-28T06:30:00.000-04:00

Today, I proudly announce my candidacy for President of The Miami-Dade Young Democrats and ask for your vote.

The Miami-Dade Young Democrats are ready. We are ready to take the passion, dedication and amazing progress that have been lead by our current president, Cedric McMinn, and turn it into something even bigger. Under Cedric's leadership, MDYD has gone from being an organization that simply existed to an organization that is relevant and quickly gaining a reputation for hard work, great events and passionate young leaders. But our work is not done.

With Cedric moving on to his new role as Executive Director of the Miami-Dade Democratic Executive Committee, we are in a better position than ever to take our party to new heights in Miami-Dade County.

We have the potential to be an organization of thousands. We can and should be the organization that helps foster the election of strong Democratic candidates in Miami-Dade County and builds the next generation of leaders. With that vision in mind, I make you this promise:

I will do the work and provide the leadership necessary to make that goal a reality.

This is not an overnight process. This is a plan that will take years of hard work and proper execution to fulfill. It is a plan that requires YOU to share in that work. I know that together, we can paint Miami-Dade County blue with the best and brightest elected officials representing us from our municipalities all the way up to the White House.

With the help and guidance of Cedric and others, I have developed plans that I know will take The Miami-Dade Young Democrats to a level of influence and accomplishment that we can and should reach. Though these plans are detailed and lengthy, they are not set in stone. I want YOU to share YOUR ideas with me. I want YOU to tell me what YOU think of mine.

As president, I will ask for and value your input and opinion. My role is to lead, not to dictate. This is your organization. If you choose to give me the privilege and responsibility of leading it, I will do so with an open mind, an open door and the level of passion and dedication that it requires and deserves.

I thank you for your time and support. Please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments and suggestions.

Yours truly,

Evan Ross

ELECTION DETAILS:

Tuesday, November 29, 2011 6:30 PM @ City Hall The Restaurant
2004 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, FL 33137

In order to vote, you must be a paid member in good standing of The Miami-Dade Young Democrats.

If you are not a member and are between the ages of 16 and 40, you may sign up and pay your membership dues the night of the election, or any time prior.

Annual Membership is $10 for students, military, and law enforcement. Otherwise, it is $20.

Miami-Dade DEC: New Leadership - Fantastic Decision

2011-09-28T06:00:00.000-04:00

The Miami-Dade Democratic Executive Committee has hired a new executive director. Miami-Dade Young Democrats President and lifetime Miami-Dade resident Cedric McMinn has been tasked with leading the party to victory in 2012.

Evan Ross & Cedric McMinn

Having worked with Cedric over the last few years, I can't say enough about his passion, work ethic and most importantly, his successes. Cedric works harder than anyone I know. His passion for the Democratic Party is like no other. Under Cedric's leadership, the Miami-Dade Young Democrats grew from a small and insignificant organization to one of stature and productivity.

Our party faces great challenges in the upcoming election. We desperately need to pick up seats in the state legislature. Miami-Dade County will have to produce big results if we are going to re-elect President Obama and Senator Bill Nelson. All that--compounded by a Miami-Dade County mayoral race, the implementation of fair districts and the drastic changes in the electoral process created by the Republicans' Voter Suppression Act--are going to make for a crazy year.

With the polls shedding doubt on many of these races, I can't help but feel a new spark. I can't help but go from worried and ready to work to optimistic and READY TO GO! That is because our party could not have made a better decision. Cedric McMinn has the respect of Democratic leadership across the state. His abilities to unite and motivate are rare. He possesses the leadership skills to light a fire under the Democratic Party and the talent and smarts to do the things that will ensure that we have a successful 2012 in Miami-Dade County. I commend Chairman Richard Lydecker, Chairman Rod Smith and everyone else who played a role in this decision.

I call on everyone in Miami-Dade County to give Cedric your utmost and unwavering support in every way possible. I look forward to celebrating our success under his leadership come November 2012.

Troy Davis : Forgotten Already?

2011-09-26T15:53:00.000-04:00

As we move on with our lives, we often forget so quickly what was only yesterday, the biggest story in the country. Troy Davis is the perfect example of that. The TV coverage ended a few hours after Troy Davis was pronounced dead. The newspapers all reported the story the next day. And for most, that was the end of the story.
That is not good enough for me. I can't just forget Troy Davis and move on with my life. His death should not be in vain.
I won't profess Troy Davis's innocence. I won't claim that he was even a good person. Understand, I am not saying that he was either innocent or guilty nor good or bad. What I am saying is that for the purposes of my point, it is irrelevant.

Did we murder an innocent man?

Over the last few weeks I have been watching the Republican presidential debates. I watched as Republican frontrunner, Texas Governor Rick Perry proudly boasted Texas's nation leading number of executions as a Tea Party crowd roared in support. I watched as Ron Paul said that an uninsured 30 year old should be left to die because he can't pay his medical bills. I watched as no one on the stage took an opportunity to disagree. Then I watched as a man who may or may not have committed a murder struggled for his life and lost.
I didn't know Troy Davis. I never spoke to him. I don't know whether or not he did in fact murder officer Mark MacPhail. What I do know is that there are likely two or three people who do know for sure. One is Troy Davis. He is in fact the only person who truly knows for sure. The second is Officer MacPhail. The third would be someone else if in fact they and not Troy Davis committed this horrific crime. What I also know is that there is a chance that the state of Georgia executed an innocent man. I know that in a country that is the world's beacon of freedom and prosperity, that should never happen.
NEVER AGAIN should we take the life of a person who we are not certain committed the crime for which they are being executed. We have the best court system in the world. Our burden of proof, "beyond a reasonable doubt" is in place to protect the innocent at the expense of possibly not convicting the guilty. But our system is not perfect. We have wrongfully convicted thousands of people for a multitude of crimes. We have executed people that we now know to be innocent. How is it than in a country that prides itself on the best justice system in the world, we murder innocent people by government sanction? Make no mistake about it, the deliberate taking of an innocent person's life is murder. The fact that we don't know for sure that they are guilty is exactly why it should never happen.
In the case of Troy Davis, I never heard a cry for him to be released from prison. I only heard a cry for his life to be spared in the interest of ensuring that an innocent man was not murdered.
Though our country faces difficult times, I can't help but enjoy certain social progress that has taken place. The one area that there seems to be little progress in is capital punishment. It is time for it to be made an issue.

Have we forgotten the words of our founding fathers?

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

What ever happened to that? What ever happened to life being a right that was unalienable?
It is time for us to decide that we as a nation value the life of one innocent person more than the death of one guilty person. It is time that we remove the arbitrary standards for the death penalty (none of which include certain guilt) from the books. It is time that we air on the side of life over the side of vengeance.
After reading this, you may never hear the name Troy Davis again. But Troy Davis's own story is not about Troy Davis. It is about a system which fails to properly protect justice for the innocent. Troy Davis is gone. We can't bring him back. And that is the whole point. Put an innocent man in prison for life, and he still has just that, his life. He has the hope that he will one day experience the freedom that he deserves. Put an innocent man to death and he has nothing. Nothing but the torture that led to his execution for a crime that he knows he did not commit. There is only one word that I can think of to describe the premeditated killing of an innocent person - MURDER.
Let us never again allow government to sanction murder.

A risk that YOU are willing to take?