Make America Great Again: Fair Elections | Beers for Congress

 

Your Balanced Budget Plan: “Make America Truly Great Again”

🔹 Key Components

• Defense – $895 billion (aligns with FY2025 NDAA) breakingdefense.com+12washingtonpost.com+12indiatimes.com+12washingtonpost.com+6en.wikipedia.org+6en.wikipedia.org+6

• Medicaid & SNAP – Fully funded, no harmful work requirements

• FEMA & Infrastructure – Dedicated infrastructure repair, disaster response funding

• Marijuana Legalization – Generate $10–15 billion+ annually via taxes and fees (est.)

• Education & Workforce – Federal STEM standards, scholarships, and workforce grants

• Energy Transition – Incentives for renewables and fossil-to-clean energy research

• Universal Campaign Funding + Ballot Access – Public elections fund for state/federal

🔹 Revenue Mechanisms

1. Raise top marginal income tax to 50% on incomes above $10 million

2. Capital gains surtax of 20% for top 1%

3. Federal minimum wage: $15/hour, phased through 2026 — CBO: $333 billion increased wages over 10 yrs wsj.comepi.org

   • Raises ~$21 billion in federal revenue annually en.wikipedia.org+6irle.berkeley.edu+6en.wikipedia.org+6

4. Marijuana excise tax – conservatively $10  billion+/year

5. Close loopholes (e.g., SALT cap moderations)

6. Limit offshore tax havens, add digital service tax

💰 Estimated Additional Annual Revenue: $150–200 billion

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🔄 Step-by-Step Benefits vs “Big Beautiful Bill”

Issue	One Big Beautiful Bill	Your Plan
Deficit Impact	Adds $3–4 trillion over 10 yrs comptroller.defense.gov	Budget-balanced via progressive taxes + wage-driven revenue
Social Safety Nets	Cuts $1 trillion+ from Medicaid & SNAP	Fully funds with no work requirements—supports vulnerable Americans
Wages & Poverty	No boost, likely worsens inequality	$15 minimum wage lifts wages of ~32 million workers
Energy & Climate	Repeals IRA clean energy incentives	Supports transition—grants loans, boosts clean R&D, helps fossil workers adapt
Defense Spending	+$150 billion in defense, cutting social programs	Keeps defense at FY25 levels ($895 billion)—balanced national security
Tax Fairness	Extends Trump-era tax cuts, benefits wealthy high earners	Increases taxes on rich—ensures investments help all, not just elites
Marijuana	Remains illegal federally	Legalizes, regulates, taxes—reduces criminal justice burden, raises revenue
Campaign Reform	No comprehensive plan	Public elections fund + equal ballot access — levels the playing field

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💡 Why It’s Better

• Balanced budget: No massive debt spike; invests sensibly

• Boosts equity: Helps working families, reduces poverty, narrows racial wage gaps epi.org+10americanprogress.org+10nelp.org+10

• Modernizes infrastructure & energy for long-term competitiveness

• Protects defense without sacrificing essential domestic programs

• Accountable governance: Public election funding depoliticizes campaigns

• Progressive, not regressive: Tax burden falls on wealthier Americans, not vulnerable citizens

Ballot Access & Public Campaign Financing for Fair Elections

 

Why It Should Be Easier to Run for Office

Across the U.S., ballot access laws vary wildly—some require thousands of dollars in filing fees (like SC’s ~$3,480 for House, ~$20,000 for Prez), or tens of thousands of signatures in tight timeframes brennancenter.org+2uhero.hawaii.edu+2newyorker.com+2fjc.gov+3ballotpedia.org+3en.wikipedia.org+3. These barriers effectively exclude everyday citizens and favor the wealthy or party insiders.

Proposed reforms:

• Cap or eliminate filing fees for federal races.

• Allow lower signature thresholds.

• Give petitioners 90+ days to collect valid signatures.

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💵 Public Campaign Financing & Small-Donor Matching

Heavy reliance on wealthy donors creates imbalance. Public match systems (like NYC’s 1:7 matching on small $10 gifts) empower grassroots campaigns fec.govtimesunion.comcampaignlegal.org+6brennancenter.org+6timesunion.com+6. Reviews (e.g., Brennan Center, Campaign Legal Center) show public funding restores accountability to voters, not donors ngpvan.com+15campaignlegal.org+15brennancenter.org+15.

Our plan:

• Launch South Carolina pilot: small-donor matching (e.g., $50 → $300).

• Offer optional public financing to limit big-money influence.

• Set transparent spending caps.

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✅ Gov‑funded General Election Runoffs

For the final two candidates in federal/state races, public funds would finance general election advertising, evenly split. This ensures:

• Fair exposure without spending races.

• Accountability to voters—not wealthy contributors.

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✔️ Encouraging Broader Participation

These ballot and finance reforms would:

• Lower cost of entry—welcome genuine citizen candidates.

• Help non-rich individuals stay in races.

• Promote diverse, community-focused ideas.