Everyone in the United States (perhaps maybe the world) knows that the economy has always been a big deal, and a big problem in the United States. How can a nation go from such a successful and gleaming economy in the 1920's to a state of national disaster in just one day? Every presidential candidate since the Great Depression has focused on making appeals to the economy and making proposals during their campaigns. Many introducing new ideas to help the citizens or plans to amend relations with other nations' economies. However, helping out the citizens and giving them money isn't as easy as it seems; decisions must be made with precautions.
Maybe out of all the classes in the United States, the class that needs the most aid would be the middle class, rather than the lower class. Due to all the benefits and plans the government has issued out in the current years, the lower class could easily ask for more financial aid and such, but the middle class does not qualify for all these things; they are left to stand on their own.
Hillary Clinton, the nation's well loved female presidential candidate in the 2016 presidential election, has introduced plans to help the middle class. She has announced so in her speeches that she has used as part of her campaign. Clinton has declared that "if you work hard and do your part, you should be able to get ahead." This sounds more like a motivational statement rather than an uplifting and promising one. It seems as if she is saying that it is up to a person to do his or her own part and be successful on his or her own, rather than looking for and receiving help.
Clinton's plan to help the middle class will not be a simple and easy one. In the past, when presidents and government officials have tried to help the people by offering more benefits or trying to manipulate the economy themselves, the outcome usually didn't turn out the way they wanted to. Perhaps Clinton wants to offer more benefits and support towards the middle class, such as making financial aid applicable to them, instead of just the lower class. Either way, since her plan has not been unfolded yet, it seems generally well received to United States citizens, especially those who are not well off, yet still unable to qualify for any kind of monetary help.
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Up, Up, and Away!! (But coming back, hopefully)
The issue addresses the continually rising prices of products that producers are easily placing in the United States' market. This is a kind of rebound in the industrial production from the records last month. These rising prices include the cost of gasoline and other necessities, but mainly those that are oil driven.
A few months ago, the gasoline prices took a dip, a wonderful surprise that nearly everyone celebrated, but the plunge in crude oil prices steadily subdued producer inflation and has damped overall domestic price pressures. (Just a fun fact, I once filled up an entire tank of gas for my Toyota Camry for $20.67) Then, as if trying not to raise people's hopes up too high, President Obama announced to the nation that the gas prices in the nation would indeed be very low for awhile, and it was, but it will gradually rise and become the average gas price that most citizens have paid for before. It went all the way from a staggering $3.50 per gallon to nearly a delightful $1.50. However, nearly about a month after that pleasant announcement, he warned the nation that the then current gas prices would begin their steady increase; and although it did, it did not increase all the way up to $3.50, but it did increase by a dollar or so in June to about $2.50.
Scarcity of natural resources was probably the reason why gas prices were so high. Obama had used positive economics to describe the current gas prices, but he then stated the normative, where he addressed what the gas prices should be. The United States buys oil from the Middle East, mainly Dubai and surrounding nations, because they lack their own nation's oil providers. A suggested reason for why gas prices were so low was that the United States had found a new way to get oil or had found oil itself on its own land. But if that were the case, why is the price of oil going up?
However, as the oil prices steadily rise, inflation is stabilizing. So perhaps it is a good thing that gas prices are rising, but a powerful dollar might suggest any increase will be gradual. In the economy when something goes up, something else must go down, it's never a win-win situation.
Although many are not happy with the rising gas prices, at least inflation is going down, and perhaps the American dollar is getting stronger. Something that will prove to be a great benefit to the nation. The dollar and lower gas prices have hurt profits of multinational corporations which is pressuring the manufacturing industries.
A few months ago, the gasoline prices took a dip, a wonderful surprise that nearly everyone celebrated, but the plunge in crude oil prices steadily subdued producer inflation and has damped overall domestic price pressures. (Just a fun fact, I once filled up an entire tank of gas for my Toyota Camry for $20.67) Then, as if trying not to raise people's hopes up too high, President Obama announced to the nation that the gas prices in the nation would indeed be very low for awhile, and it was, but it will gradually rise and become the average gas price that most citizens have paid for before. It went all the way from a staggering $3.50 per gallon to nearly a delightful $1.50. However, nearly about a month after that pleasant announcement, he warned the nation that the then current gas prices would begin their steady increase; and although it did, it did not increase all the way up to $3.50, but it did increase by a dollar or so in June to about $2.50.
Scarcity of natural resources was probably the reason why gas prices were so high. Obama had used positive economics to describe the current gas prices, but he then stated the normative, where he addressed what the gas prices should be. The United States buys oil from the Middle East, mainly Dubai and surrounding nations, because they lack their own nation's oil providers. A suggested reason for why gas prices were so low was that the United States had found a new way to get oil or had found oil itself on its own land. But if that were the case, why is the price of oil going up?
However, as the oil prices steadily rise, inflation is stabilizing. So perhaps it is a good thing that gas prices are rising, but a powerful dollar might suggest any increase will be gradual. In the economy when something goes up, something else must go down, it's never a win-win situation.
Although many are not happy with the rising gas prices, at least inflation is going down, and perhaps the American dollar is getting stronger. Something that will prove to be a great benefit to the nation. The dollar and lower gas prices have hurt profits of multinational corporations which is pressuring the manufacturing industries.
Friday, August 21, 2015
Taking From the Rich (and Poor)
Ah, taxes. The long time, century old problem. The reason why the United States revolted against the British perhaps? But if there are no taxes, the government won't have any money to support itself. I mean, that's why the Articles of Confederation failed so miserably right? How else is the government supposed to support itself? It seems only fair that since the government is paying workers, workers should give a certain percent back. So since taxes are inevitable and proven to be a necessity for a country like the US, it seems only fair to have the government try to make taxes as fair as possible.
The flat tax sounds good to me, at first, and perhaps to most citizens who don't really know anything about taxes besides the fact that they have to give away part of their incomes. United States presidential candidate Raymond Rubio introduced two tax brackets instead of one, 15% for those earning $75,000 or lower and 35% for those who earn higher than that.This proposal is the closest thing to flat tax than the others that we have, considering that that it is only two tax brackets instead of numerous brackets. However, as learned from the Russian oligarchs, flat taxes allow loopholes and possible the government leeching off big companies.
So rather than follow in the Russian's footsteps, the United States is inventing their own version of the flat tax, as they do. A flat tax will entail the elimination of most tax breaks (a big no-no from the citizens, am I right). It also entails a new consumption tax, in other words, a national sales tax (an even bigger no-no from the citizens).And knowing the United States government, flat tax rates are not going to stay the same for a year or two, they will probably change every few months depending on how much revenue the government needs to pull in. Perhaps, this is why Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Russian oligarchs love the flat tax. Because they love equality.
But, overall, the major and most obvious problem is the amount of money needed to keep the government afloat. With the huge debt, and probably still accumulating) the flat tax rates might rise to 45% or even higher. The flat tax doesn't really seem like a bad thing at the beginning, but if one were to look at the details it might possibly take more from the person than he or she is giving right now.
The flat tax sounds good to me, at first, and perhaps to most citizens who don't really know anything about taxes besides the fact that they have to give away part of their incomes. United States presidential candidate Raymond Rubio introduced two tax brackets instead of one, 15% for those earning $75,000 or lower and 35% for those who earn higher than that.This proposal is the closest thing to flat tax than the others that we have, considering that that it is only two tax brackets instead of numerous brackets. However, as learned from the Russian oligarchs, flat taxes allow loopholes and possible the government leeching off big companies.
So rather than follow in the Russian's footsteps, the United States is inventing their own version of the flat tax, as they do. A flat tax will entail the elimination of most tax breaks (a big no-no from the citizens, am I right). It also entails a new consumption tax, in other words, a national sales tax (an even bigger no-no from the citizens).And knowing the United States government, flat tax rates are not going to stay the same for a year or two, they will probably change every few months depending on how much revenue the government needs to pull in. Perhaps, this is why Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Russian oligarchs love the flat tax. Because they love equality.
But, overall, the major and most obvious problem is the amount of money needed to keep the government afloat. With the huge debt, and probably still accumulating) the flat tax rates might rise to 45% or even higher. The flat tax doesn't really seem like a bad thing at the beginning, but if one were to look at the details it might possibly take more from the person than he or she is giving right now.
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