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Kamala Harris's economy plan: new housing and end to price-gouging (www.bbc.com)

submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

She is supporting a federal law banning firms from charging excessive prices on groceries and urged action on a bill in Congress that would bar property owners from using services that "coordinate" rents.

Fantastic.

She has also called for capping the monthly price of diabetes-drug insulin at $35 for everyone,

Fantastic.

finding ways to cancel medical debt

Awesome

and giving families a $6,000 tax credit the year they have a new child

Great

The campaign's proposals include a "first-ever" tax credit for builders of homes sold to first-time buyers,

Very nice

as well as up to $25,000 in down-payment assistance for "eligible" first time buyers,

Very nice

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I have learned to never trust the federal government when they use the word, "eligible."

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Eligible in this case presumably has to do with income. Obviously people making 300k/year won't need any assistance.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Means testing is almost always a bad approach, but neoliberals love it. Verifying eligibility often adds administrative overhead costs that overwhelm the savings for the program. It also creates income traps where people are effectively punished for doing better, and such effects get worse over time as the eligibility requirements often don't get adjusted for inflation. Universal benefit programs are also harder for the right wing to vilify and terminate.

Progressive taxation policies are a much better way to address inequality issues.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

For me the trap is the hours worked. I'm not at work long enough to be eligible for most federal programs, but if I found an employee who offered 40 hours of work per week at my rate, I would be above the income thresholds.

Means testing is the most expensive way of doing the least good. It also means they can exclude people who don't know about the program. An income check requires specific approval to access IRS data. Without means testing they can just mail a check to the people who need it. With means testing, the feds pay for billboards to tell people about the form they could fill out in order to be denied help on a technicality.