Economic Fix, sometimes simple ideas are best

[Sburn]

Originally Posted by kokopellimotorsports

To go back further, I don't even know why housing appreciates. It would make more sense to have it depreciate with time like most other things.

Ty

Housing appreciates because the underlying utility value doesn't change. With a few percantage points of the total yearly mortgage spent on basic maintenance, a house is just as good of a dwelling 50 years after it was built.

So the value should go up roughly at the same rate as inflation. That value is the cost of building or replacing a structure plus the infaltion rate over the years.

Also, house values are also determined by the prevailing rents in the area. That's what a bank would look at if you were aksing for a loan to buy a rental property. Prevailing rents are pretty much determined by what the average hosehold monthly income is.

Any more appreciation beyond the above tends to be speculation, i.e., the buyer thinks the value will increase more than the rate of inflation and there will be a buyer when it comes time to cash in. Or, that somebody will pay a premium over renting because they want to own a place of their own.

[88Racing]

Just thinking

Fair-flat tax everyone and everything 12%.
No socialized medicine.
Tax breaks/incentives for corperations who bring jobs and or products back to USA.
The mortgage idea.
Any businesses in USA can't bank over seas. NAFTA countries only.

Just some thoughts.

Lars

[soutthpaw]

Originally Posted by 88Racing

Just thinking

Fair-flat tax everyone and everything 12%.
No socialized medicine.
Tax breaks/incentives for corperations who bring jobs and or products back to USA.
The mortgage idea.
Any businesses in USA can't bank over seas. NAFTA countries only.

Just some thoughts.

Lars

the only one I don't agree with is socialized medicine... the whole use of "socialized" is a political clique (sp)

I believe that healthcare should be a right and not a privilege. as long as healthcare is a business and not a service its going to continue to take advantage of people in the name of profit...
Did you know that Fire departments started out as a business venture. Funded by insurance companies to respond to fires of their policy holders and hopefully reduce the amount of loss. so if you didn't have that policy then you watched your house burn down... At some point government decided we needed to provide this valuable service to everyone regardless of their financial status.

We already have a socialized (meaning ran by the government) medicine. its called Medicare, Medicaid, and VA health care etc...
I do not know what the end solution is, some sort of combination of a socialized system and a private system.. like exists with medicare... you can purchase a supplement plan for more benefits, less out of pocket etc... the key is that everyone is qualified for the plan and pays the same premiums
#1 cause of small business failure is due to medical expenses
People say they don't want government deciding if they should get medical care.. (it already does, see above) How is that worse than the system currently in place? Right now you have insurance CEO's and other corporate types deciding if you health and life is too costly to their bottom line... (many cannot even qualify for private health insurance) Tell me how that is good for patients?

[88Racing]

The only reason I said no to socialized medicine for the general public is this:
Ok so you needed to have dialysis. Through sm your name goes on a list then the wait starts and you may die before getting it. Why? The government will only allow only limited numbers to get dialysis a year. Evrything would have a certain number for each proceedure per year.

Lars

[soutthpaw]

Originally Posted by v88Racing

The only reason I said no to socialized medicine for the general public is this:
Ok so you needed to have dialysis. Through sm your name goes on a list then the wait starts and you may die before getting it. Why? The government will only allow only limited numbers to get dialysis a year. Evrything would have a certain number for each proceedure per year.

Lars

That really comes down to how it the system is structured. no one on medicare is denied dialysis if they need it... but you are correct about waiting lists for non-emergent or (elective) proceedures in many countries that have exclusively a socialist type of health care system. That's is why I would advocate for a combined system like medicare and supplemental plans..