Happy New Tax Year

People are going to be “very, very happy” with "the largest tax cut  in the history of our country.” “They're going to get tremendous, tremendous tax cuts and tax relief and that's what this country needs.”

For most, the tax reduction is no help at all.  

• For the bottom quintile, they'll get an extra $5/month, enough for two gallons of gas.
• For the middle quintile, it's about $77/month.  Enough for a family dinner out perhaps, but not enough for their health insurance or their kid's college.
• Top quintile folks will see and additional $7000 per year, and top 1% will get about $51,000 per year in additional after-tax income.

I imagine the rich folks will enjoy that $51,000 bonus, but I don't think they need it.

What would really be helpful ... reasonable wages, healthcare, education, mobility, opportunity ... for everyone.

Income increases have gone to the top, while costs of survival have increased and left half of our workforce behind.

I'm open to another interpretation of this tax reform, but similar policies in the past have had the same outcomes.

• Since the 80's, education costs have increased 600%
• Medical costs have increased 250%
• and wages have been stagnant for the middle and lower economic segments.

Corporate tax restructuring is indeed necessary to keep U.S. businesses on a reasonable footing in the international marketplace. 

Individual tax rates are already low compared to other developed nations. Tax relief for the wealthy is not what's needed, but rather perhaps  restraint of predatory finance (Wall Street and the Banks) and abusive wage practices (Walmart, et al, and fast food sellers).  Marketplace practices by pharmaceutical providers have been particularly harmful.

Reducing taxes for the wealthy is a political play, not a needed or helpful economic adjustment.  The latest congressional analysis predicts the plan will add one trillion to the deficit in the next decade.

What we'd like to see,
  a flourishing education system,
    an upwardly mobile workforce,
      an improving healthcare system,
        a thriving culture,
          and emerging social understanding, wisdom ...

Over the last forty years, we've watched inequality and poverty increase, indebtedness increase (to the benefit of the financial industry), and mobility decline ....
Our national identity is fractured,  and we're told yet again, it's just wonderful how well we're served.

Curious if there might be a higher standard for both citizens and nations?
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Things to watch in the coming years:
Where does the wealth go ... to the top or shared reasonably?
Quality of education on an international scale ...
Quality of healthcare on an international scale ...
Middle-class and the American dream ... nearer or farther away.
And who gets left behind?  Years ago, we worked hard to make sure our children, at least, were equipped for life and growth, but the issue became political rather than human, didn't it.

And, what are our national goals?