So, there have been many arguments on these boards about healthcare. I would like to step away from the pro/cons about it for a moment, and just ask the ones who are for it a simple question.

If we provided healthcare for all through the government, how should the government go about paying for it? Please expand more then "with taxes".

If you can't think of a way to pay for it, please justify why you think we should buy something we can't afford.

Duh, We are going to borrow from China again

I'd pay for it by eliminating all tax loopholes and deductions.  Straight progressive "flat" tax.  In which eveyrone who makes 32,000 a year pays the same amout on taxes no matter how many cars they drive, kids they have or extended family they look after.

With the possible exception of charity work... i bet that'd come up with some big bucks for it.

If it wasn't enough i'd raise the capital gains tax.  I understand why it's only like 17% but I disagree with it being different then other income.

I'd balance that by making the end of the year gain being all that counts as income vs the current system where i'm taxed in May for gains that i've since lost in december.

Really though... if your talking about the Obama plan... it's not really a "universal healthcare" package... yet.

It's a "Lets create a public insurance that people have to pay for but it will be subsidized by the rich."

I'd be surprised if it got anywhere near universal coverage... unless it was a flat rate for all, prexisting conditions will still be outpriced... and likely since it's supposed to be a pretty low level insurance plan the copays will still be too high for those with prexisitng conditions if it was flat... and the poorer middle class, and middle class who have recently lost their jobs won't want to take that on and will just risk the fines that the legislation will put in.

Though addmittingly this will probably cost us a pretty penny infrustructre wise.

Raising taxes is exactly the right idea, so long as it was truly universal health care you were gunning for. It could even out if people were paying less in taxes than they (and especially businesses) are paying out-of-pocket, but there would have to be a general reduction in costs across the board to make this sustainable.

Raising taxes now only hurts the honest.  The way our tax system is there is WAY to many tax cheats.  I mean look at the percentage of the GDP when bring in vs what we should be...

There are too many people out their and special interests that are bending the tax code backwords not paying what they owe.

Trim down on the massive military budget?

They could always use the increased GDP and tax revenue from that with the millions of Americans who cannot get health care now becoming more productive citizens.

Ouch...

Seems unlikely.

The US is already the most productive country in the world... if anything it may end up decreasing productivity.

It would cost over 3 trillion a year. You have to double every tax.