NEW FORMS OF INCOME (No Broad Tax Hikes)
These strategies are focused on fairness, modernization, and efficiency—targeting waste, loopholes, and untapped sectors.
1. Legalization & Taxation of Marijuana
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Federal revenue potential: $120 billion over 10 years
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Sources:
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10–15% excise tax on recreational sales
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Business licensing fees
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Reduction in law enforcement costs (~$3.6B/year)
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2. Wall Street Speculation Tax
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Proposal: 0.1% tax on stock, bond, and derivatives trades
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Revenue: ~$777 billion over 10 years
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Rationale: Targets high-frequency traders, not retirees or small investors
3. Digital Services Tax
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Tax on Big Tech companies: Like Google, Meta, Amazon (3–7%)
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Revenue: $100–150 billion over 10 years
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Model: EU-style digital tax on profits earned from U.S. users
4. Closing Corporate Loopholes
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Examples:
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Offshore tax shelters
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Tax-deductible executive bonuses
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Accelerated depreciation schemes
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Revenue: $300–500 billion over 10 years
5. Public Trust Fund Investment Reform
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Change: Allow Social Security Trust Fund to invest up to 15% in index funds (currently limited to Treasury bonds)
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Impact: 3x returns → Adds ~$1.4 trillion in value over 30 years
6. Federal Land Leasing Reform
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Update rates for oil, gas, and mineral extraction on public lands
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Current rates: Below market value since 1920s
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Revenue: $50–75 billion over 10 years
7. Cannabis-Related Healthcare Savings
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Impact: States with legalization saw:
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6% drop in Medicaid prescription costs
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3.4% drop in employer-sponsored insurance premiums
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Estimated savings: $50–100 billion over a decade
🟢 HOW SMALL TAX HIKES MAKE THIS EVEN STRONGER
Even modest, highly targeted increases can supercharge debt reduction and strengthen programs without burdening the working class.
1. Lift the Payroll Tax Cap (Social Security)
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Current cap: $168,600 (2024)
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Proposal: Apply 12.4% payroll tax to earnings >$400,000
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Revenue: Solves 61% of Social Security shortfall
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Fairness: Top 1.5% would pay more—everyone else unchanged
2. Millionaire Surtax
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Proposal: Add 1%–3% income tax on earnings above $1 million
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Revenue: ~$700 billion over 10 years
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Impact: Funds universal pre-K, mental health, debt reduction
3. Capital Gains Parity
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Proposal: Tax capital gains over $1M as ordinary income
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Revenue: ~$500 billion over 10 years
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Justification: Currently, millionaires pay less on gains than workers pay on wages
4. Ultra-Wealth Inheritance Tax
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Modernize the estate tax: Apply to estates over $25 million
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Revenue: ~$300 billion over 10 years
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Coverage: Impacts only 0.1% of Americans
⚖️ COMPARISON TABLE: Without vs. With Modest Tax Reform
| Category | Without Tax Hikes | With Modest Tax Hikes |
|---|---|---|
| Total New Revenue (10 yrs) | ~$2.1 trillion | $5.2 trillion |
| Debt Reduction | Slows growth | Shrinks debt-to-GDP ratio by 25% |
| Social Security | Solvent until 2060 | Solvent beyond 2100 |
| Healthcare | Stabilizes costs | Adds dental, mental health, and lowers premiums |
| Infrastructure | Incremental growth | Universal rural broadband, smart grids |
| Education | Maintains current levels | Universal childcare, tuition-free community college |
| Public Trust | Rising with transparency | Restored faith in fair taxation |
🔴 Why This Strategy Works for America
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✅ No Middle-Class Burden: Broad tax hikes avoided; only the ultra-wealthy pay more
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✅ Permanent Safety Net Fixes: No more kicking the can on Social Security or Medicare
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✅ Debt Control Without Austerity: Reduces debt and expands opportunity
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✅ Targets Speculation, Not Labor: Ensures workers and small businesses thrive
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✅ Sparks Growth: Healthier, better-educated workers → higher productivity and GDP
✅ Campaign Message Summary
“We will fund America’s future not by taxing the middle class into the ground—but by finally asking billionaires and big corporations to pay their fair share. We will legalize and regulate cannabis, tax Wall Street’s casino trades, and eliminate wasteful subsidies so your children get better schools, your grandparents keep their retirement, and you spend less on healthcare.”
