Updated x2: Can FlatFica Sam Be an Economic Game-Changer?

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Saturday December 03, 2011 · 1:19 PM PST

2011/12/03 · 13:19

I made a few posts here about a year ago and was so inspired by the conversation that started that I bought a domain and started a web page (with a fellow Koser's help). Eventually, I shut it all down out of discouragement and a feeling that I couldn't really make a difference.

Poll

5 votes Show Results

Can FlatFica Sam Be an Economic Game-Changer?

5 votes Vote Now!

Can FlatFica Sam Be an Economic Game-Changer?

Yes. I'll promote it!

5 votes

Nope. No can do.

0 votes

Splitting the Social Security Metaphors

bibschol

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Friday December 17, 2010 · 4:15 PM PST

2010/12/17 · 16:15

There's a bit of a scuffle going on in the progressive economist blogosphere about how the Social Security payroll tax holiday will play out. But this seemingly small scuffle could be the most important economic policy moment in some time and for some time to come.

On one side stand James Galbraith, Marshall Auerback, Randall Wray, and Ezra Klein. Galbraith advocated for a payroll tax holiday several months ago. Auerback and Wray recently wrote a piece on New Deal 2.0 that not only approves of the holiday but also calls for it to be extended indefinitely. Ezra Klein follows suit.

Poll

65 votes Show Results

Which option do you prefer?

65 votes Vote Now!

Which option do you prefer?

Keep Social Security separate and untouchable

42 votes

Get rid of the illusory and regressive separation of Social Security from the whole financial system

3 votes

Split the Metaphors with a Structural Compromise

18 votes

Something else

2 votes

Framing a Progressive Economic Revolution

bibschol

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Thursday December 16, 2010 · 12:59 PM PST

2010/12/16 · 12:59

A comment by member tle in my previous diary has me thinking about another formulation of the idea of a Flat, Fair, Low, Pro-Business Social Security tax structure as a structurally-progressive economic game-changer.

Flatfica Sam

(In case you haven't met Flatfica Sam, he's the mascot of the Flat, Fair, Low, Pro-Business Social Security tax revolution; his "birth" is described in this diary)

Hi-res image here

Poll

22 votes Show Results

Which scenario would have a better chance of gaining massive public support?

22 votes Vote Now!

Which scenario would have a better chance of gaining massive public support?

Scenario 1

2 votes

Scenario 2

20 votes

Flatfica Sam – a Progressive Economic Revolution is Born

bibschol

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Wednesday December 15, 2010 · 1:25 PM PST

2010/12/15 · 13:25

Meet the leader of a potential progressive economic revolution: Flatfica Sam.

Flatfica Sam

Hi-res image here

Poll

19 votes Show Results

Will you help make this idea will go viral?

19 votes Vote Now!

Will you help make this idea will go viral?

Yes

7 votes

12 votes

Poison in the Package and Its Antivenom

bibschol

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Tuesday December 14, 2010 · 1:10 AM PST

2010/12/14 · 01:10

Three deadly snakes have struck in the Tax Compromise negotiated by the President and passed this morning by the Senate and heading to the House.

These snakes are:

Renewal of Bush Cuts for incomes over 250k (2 years; cost: 82 billion)

Estate Tax Cut (2 years; 35% at 5 million exception vs. previously passed House bill 45% with 3.5 million exception; cost: ~ 30 billion)

Payroll Tax Cut (1 year; 6.2% to 4.2% Social Security tax on employee side.; cost 112 billion)

How are they poisoning the government, country, and economy?

Poll

27 votes Show Results

Which snake in this deal is the most dangerous?

27 votes Vote Now!

Which snake in this deal is the most dangerous?

Bush Tax Cuts for incomes over 250k

4 votes

Estate Tax Cut

2 votes

Payroll Tax Cut

20 votes

Some other snake not mentioned above

1 vote

Could One Wonky Idea Save America? Turning Robert Reich's "Tax Jujitsu" into Political Dynamite

bibschol

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Sunday December 12, 2010 · 3:48 AM PST

2010/12/12 · 03:48

Update: A reader pointed out that Robert Reich was the first to frame the idea of "Tax Jujitsu".

Not that I'm in any place to disagree with a leading economist, but I'd emphasize that Reich and others need to operate with the KISS principle and think about how to SELL this thing politically.

Get behind the idea of a PERMANENTLY FLAT, FAIR, LOW, PRO-BUSINESS Social Security Tax for Employers and Employees. That core, simple idea is what is political dynamite. It's easy to understand and most businesses will think it's Christmas Morning in America. We'll mess it all up if every economist adds his own little cool spin to it. Simplicity is power.

Original Diary here, where I explain why the American people would absolutely love this idea, and how it can destroy the Wall Street / Republican stranglehold on the Economy in one simple move.

Poll

14 votes Show Results

Do you think this idea could actually take hold? If so, when?

14 votes Vote Now!

Do you think this idea could actually take hold? If so, when?

Yes, we can! Right now, in the lame duck.

4 votes

Yes, we may! But it won't be taken seriously until after Jan. 1.

6 votes

Yes, we might! Sometime in the indefinite future.

3 votes

No can do. Sorry. Eternal Republican Empire is unstoppable.

1 vote

UPDATEDx8: Could One Wonky Idea Save America? Economist Regulator William Black emails me, "Yes"

bibschol

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Saturday December 11, 2010 · 6:18 AM PST

2010/12/11 · 06:18

--Original title "FICA Jujitsu: REAL? URGENT? YOU TELL ME?"--

I’m going to make the audacious claim that one simple idea has the potential, if Democrats rallied around it as a simple yet signature and structural progressive policy commitment at this precise moment of ~~CRISIS~~ OPPORTUNITY, to be a game-changer for the economy, the country and the electoral fortunes of Democrats, and the historical legacy of the Obama presidency.

Here it is, in two simple parts.

1. Cut the Social Security FICA rate for both employees and employers, permanently.
2. Remove the Social Security FICA income cap, permanently.

A major Progressive revolution can happen if we rally behind the SIMPLE concept of a FLAT, FAIR, LOW and PRO-BUSINESS Social Security tax for EMPLOYERS and EMPLOYEES. This simple idea can destroy the Wall Street / Republican stranglehold on the economy.

Here’s why the American people would be on fire for this wonky idea...

Poll

76 votes Show Results

Do you think this idea could actually take hold? If so, when?

76 votes Vote Now!

Do you think this idea could actually take hold? If so, when?

Yes, we can! Right now, in the lame duck.

24 votes

Yes, we may! But it won't be taken seriously until after Jan. 1.

14 votes

Yes, we might! Sometime in the indefinite future.

23 votes

No can do. Sorry. Color me _________________.

15 votes

STOP Reacting, START Thinking and Acting Structurally

bibschol

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Friday December 10, 2010 · 2:50 PM PST

2010/12/10 · 14:50

Democrats may think they have won some historic battles (esp. healthcare), but they are losing the structural economic war.

The Republican STRUCTURAL PRIORITIES have won and continue to win: Unending and All-Pervasive War while tilting the system ever more to the interests of the Super-Wealthy and Behemoth Corporations.

And Democrats have allowed them to do it. Thinking in the short term, reacting to manufactured emergencies (Iraq, global economy meltdown), throwing money at macro-problems, Democrats have been the enablers of these massive structural Republican victories.

And it's happening again, right now...

Give and take compromise, my ass...

One diagram says all that needs to be said... Cui bono?

bibschol

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Thursday December 09, 2010 · 7:48 PM PST

2010/12/09 · 19:48

Al Sharpton bashed on Anthony Weiner today, threatening "pushback" and dismissing his blaming of Obama as "over the top." (h/t Adept2u)

Sounds like African-American Civil Rights leaders see Obama standing up for the interests of the poor and marginalized.

In other news, in his open thread today, Kos claimed that there is no one seriously talking about a primary challenger to Obama. Howard Fineman seems to concur.

But then there's Clarence B. Jones...

bibschol

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Wednesday December 08, 2010 · 2:54 PM PST

2010/12/08 · 14:54

Emergencies (perceived or manufactured) are the pretext and cover of the worst evils in recent memory.

The invasion of Iraq is the premier example, sold as if a dire emergency, a threat to national security.

Then came the enormous bailouts of Wall Street firms responsible for economic crisis. Global economic collapse was used as justification for giving those same firms huge amounts of money with little to no strings attached.

Now we have a tax emergency... a financial HOSTAGE CRISIS...

bibschol

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Tuesday December 07, 2010 · 5:08 PM PST

2010/12/07 · 17:08

I was an adamant supporter of Obama. I saw him in person in Iowa before the primaries. I donated politically for the first time because of him. I engaged in political blogging (if only a little) for the first time because of him. A picture of him hangs in my home office even as I write this diary.

I stood by him through the mire of health care negotiations, deferring to his political acumen and pragmatism. No doubt, it was a success in many ways. In retrospect, I wonder if we could have got a lot more with Howard Dean’s proposal. But still, I have stood faithfully with Obama until today.

I sent an email to the White House a few days ago with a warning, a clear line—capitulating to the Republicans on bonus tax cuts for income in excess of 250k would cost him my support. Of course, I was only holding him accountable to the line he drew so clearly and repeatedly in his campaign and his presidency.

bibschol

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Thursday June 10, 2010 · 11:50 PM PDT

2010/06/10 · 23:50

Tonight's late email from OFA (pasted below), and the perilous situation in which we find ourselves today, reminded me of a Star Trek episode (TNG) called Galaxy's Child. A large, vessel-like creature that inhabited the vacuum of space gives birth as the crew of the Enterprise looks on. The offspring mistakenly imprints upon the ship rather than its real parent. Then it begins to feed, taking in the Enterprise's energy and thus draining its power. At the climactic end, Geordi and Leah Brahms finally think to "sour the milk." They "add vinegar" by changing the power frequency to make it incompatible with the offspring's needs. Seeing its true family approaching, "Junior" spits out the bottle-in-a-ship and finds its true place and future.

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Updated x2: Can FlatFica Sam Be an Economic Game-Changer?

Splitting the Social Security Metaphors

Framing a Progressive Economic Revolution

Flatfica Sam – a Progressive Economic Revolution is Born

Poison in the Package and Its Antivenom

Could One Wonky Idea Save America? Turning Robert Reich's "Tax Jujitsu" into Political Dynamite

UPDATEDx8: Could One Wonky Idea Save America? Economist Regulator William Black emails me, "Yes"

STOP Reacting, START Thinking and Acting Structurally

UPDATED: The Prodigal Son of the Civil Rights Movement

the LIES behind the TAX CUT EMERGENCY

Bad Metaphor, Wrong Analogy

The Milk Has Soured, and BP Is Not Our Mother