Today's Economic Issues, A Poll Options

[pkbabe]

This a survey that I took in my Econ class a few days back. I found it to be interesting & thought I'd make a topic on it (kinda long...sorry)

Choose the position closest to the one you hold.

A. Health Care

1. All health care should be provided by private doctors and private hospitals. There should be limited government assistance for the poor who cannot pay their own way.
2. Health care should be provided by private doctors, but the government should offer free health insurance for everyone. It will be paid for by taxes.
3. The government should organize a health care system available to everyone at no cost and paid for by taxes. Those who wish may continue to use private doctors.

B. Income Tax

1. The Federal income tax on incomes above $200,000 should be lowered to 30%
2. The Federal income tax on incomes above 200,000 should stay @ 35%
3. The Federal income tax above $200,000 should be raised to 40%

C. Military Spending

1. The US military budget should be increased to $600 billion.
2. The US military budget should be reduced to $400 billion.
3. The US military budget should be reduced to $300 billion.

D. Aid to the poor

1. The Federal government should provide states with minimal funding so that aid to the poor is available for only for short period of time (less than 2 years) and in small amounts.
2. The Federal government should provide enough funding so that assistance is available for all who need it. Recipients should have incentives to find jobs, but the government should recognize that this is not always possible.
3. The Federal government should provide funding to the poor who cannot work. Jobs should be provided by the government for those who can work with wages high enough to lift recipients out of poverty.

E. Social Security

1. Social security should be replaced by a private pension system in which each individual sets aside money for retirement.
2. Keep the current social security by lowering benefits and raising the social security tax.
3. Expand the current social security system to provide higher benefits. Pay for it be increasing the income tax.

F. Plant closing legislation

1. Corporations should be allowed to close factories when they wish.
2. Large corporations should be required to give employees 60 days of warning when they will close a factory.
3. Large corporations should give the local community a voice in deciding whether or not to close a factory.

G. Environmental Protection

1. Current environmental laws should be cut back to allow corporations more flexibility in their production.
2. Maintain the current environmental protection program.
3. Expand the current environmental protection programs to include stricter pollution standards.

H. Parental Leave

1. The government should not pass laws requiring corporations to provide leave for parents.
2. The government should pass a law requiring corporations to hold a woman's job for her (without paying her) for 3 months after she has a child.
3. The government should provide paid one year's leave for one parent for the first year of a child's life.

I. Minimum wage

1. The minimum wage law should be eliminated so that employers will be able to hire any worker at any wage.
2. The minimum wage should be kept as is.
3. The minimum wage should be increased to $10/hr

J. Wealth Distribution

1. There should be no government intervention in the distribution of wealth.
2. Taxes such as a capital gains and inheritance tax should be used to tax those with wealth more than $1,000,000.
3. Taxes such as a capital gains and inheritance tax should be used to tax those with wealth more than $300,000

After the choosing process, add up your choices & figure out the sum (All #1 = 1 point, #2 = 2 points...you get the picture)

This survey actually helps determine what political view one holds (regarding economics of course, not everything)

• 10-19 : Conservative
• 20-24 : Liberal
• 25-30 : Radical/Progressive

Hope this was enlightening.