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

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

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

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.* 

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

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.

Troy Davis : Forgotten Already?

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?