If  I understood Bernie's words  last night, he's pushing  free tuition for U.S.  College students.  
According to his plan, Free College tuition would be paid for with a small tax on stock trades.  
  He didn't mention the amount of tax or how it would be imposed.  
     
   Off the cuff without investigating the math or average number of daily trades,  I propose a  $5.95  tax for each transaction over $ 500.00,  when buying stocks  valued above $1.00.
   
  Big block investors like Warren Buffet would pay a $ 999.99 tax  for  every million dollars worth of stock trades.  
 It wouldn't be fair  making the big guys pay the same or a larger percentage since their investments are helping the little guys survive and often help stocks to rise.    
   Penny stock speculators shouldn't be taxed at all since they need all the help they can get.  
   
    If a  small investor like myself who has to diligently save for every $ 500.00 I can scrape up for investment,  could easily afford a 5.95 surcharge, why not you ?  
     
At the same time, if I was in charge I would put a freeze on minimum wage.  
  I believe the vast majority of  employees  who learn how to improve  and increase their  work performance will usually earn more money.
 
IMO  Lazy employees  don't deserve a raise.  
 
   Now that I've thought more about  lazy employees, I believe students with less than a 3.2 average  should lose their free tuition.

Just put it on the Chinese credit card? Tax the rich?

Is that all just to be forgiven? If not, why should they pay and new enrolee's not have to pay?

Do you know how much debt the Chinese Government owns? Why not say "put it on the Japanese credit card"? That was the standard line back in the 80s when Japan was the big exporter. Remember the paranoia we had that Japan was taking over the world. How's that going? China is about 8% of our debt, Japan is about 7%, with the U.K. right behind Japan on the international side. U.S. individuals and institutions are the largest owners of debt, with the Federal Reserve in 2nd place.  

of Bernie's free college (public institutions only) for everybody. You do realize he hasn't disclosed any specific details, and this goes beyond the "who is going to pay for this". Think of the immediate demand. There are something like 600+ 4 year public universities versus 1800+ 4 year private universities. Logic says the demand for public universities will outstrip the supply. Public universities are already operating at well over 100%. Try and get a kid through in 4 years. Think of the enrollment requirements (GPA and SAT). It will increase based on demand. Who suffers? What are the consequences? There will be students left behind. Are you ready for an Federal affirmative action program?

Seems like you are picking at nits here Croix. Whether we have one or 50 credit cards, we have a massive debt problem, correct?

The same kids that every 6 months have a new iPhone, tablet, hd TV,  etc can't pay a few hundred bucks a month on their loans? Bullshit.

It seems every politician, and rank amateur uses that "put it on the Chinese credit card" bumper sticker quote. Everybody needs to know who owns our debt. Japan was the economic boogeyman in the 1980s. Today it's China. It's easy to point fingers.  

Nobody even gives a fk how MUCH the debt is, or how unsustainable it is, and you want them to know all the holders? Good luck.  

What happened? Remember the economic stimulus plan? It was something like $880B in the 2009 budget. Budget went to 25% of GDP. The problem was the baseline number changed. In 2008 the federal budget was something like $2.9T. In 2009 it increases to $3.7T, or close to it. You would think with the 2010 budget we would reduce the budget back to $2.9T plus an inflation factor? $3.7T became the new baseline. So other expenditures, programs, departments were created. The federal budget for 2016 is something like $3.5T. Obama has taken credit for reducing the budget, and reducing the deficit. See the stupidity?

I guess you didn't apply either? I know 50k isn't worth leaving the house.

Sorry Croix, but the whole " we cant piss people off" mantra is what has caused this problem.

Just how much political capital are you willing to spend to save millions out of budget of trillions?

Certainly not I. But I am sure Leftys dont want to fund conservative groups/causes.

Do you really think the lefties are going to let this happen without a fight?  

Bc China holds an excessive amount of our debt- both T bills and corporate bonds - China has the ability to sink our economy if it dumped all this debt over a short period of time.  This would cause interest rates to spike and hurt the stock market and the housing market.  Plus it would impact the dollar - and since oil is priced in dollars, this would further cause volatility in the oil market.

The point wasn't whether the debt should be spread out among different countries/entities, the point was does it matter if the average American cares about the exact verbiage? I argue they don't.  

you asked “does it really matter” and in your post stated “whether we have one of 50 credit cards, we have a massive debt problem.”

That's the point GaG.

But I agree with your points re: several creditors is better than one and your national security concern as well.

The Dems agreed reluctantly to lift the 4 decade old ban on oil exports. I trust the environmentalists are pissed, just like the Conservatives are pissed off over the fact that PP and Obamacare are funded through 2016. They are all part of the $1.1T spending bill negotiated by Paul Ryan on the Right. Tell me Jack, on the surface was that a good trade off?  

THOSE are the battles I am willing to fight, not symbolic issues like PP. Fighting PP as a fiscal issue is like Obama wanting to infringe on the rights of lawful gun owners as a response to terror attacks.  

Something to the effect:

The only numbers I could find were from 2005 but they serve the desired purpose.

Oh, come on GaGambler! I've been waiting for your typical response!

"Statistics never lie, but liars use statistics!" Where are you Gag? And, statistics from 2005?  

-- Modified on 12/22/2015 8:58:04 AM

Ed reminds us that:  "'if your watch your pennies the dollars will take care  of themselves.'"  

He hardly seems to be supporting a battle against PP. Quite the contrary, he seems to agree that PP is a relative drop in the bucket and that there are much bigger fish to fry, a position that I would think a liberal like you would tend to agree with.  

And you are correct about PP and their piece of the pie, although I do object to them from a political standpoint. They receive federal tax dollars yet turn right around and make political contributions, 99% to Democrats of course. They aren't the only beneficiary of tax dollars to do this but it should all be illegal (but that isn't on point here).  

Wrong again!

So sorry you took it personally. I was addressing what I perceive as GaG's seeming bias in using the above mentioned saying. I can't recall him using it with someone on the right side of the aisle, but often enough with one on the left side of the aisle.