@Jsc
"If you set it at $1 million, you could do a 100% tax rate and it would only be a drop in the bucket. Do the research and run the numbers."
Maybe you should do the numbers yourself if you're thinking a 100% tax on millionaires would only be a drop in the bucket... I'll give you a hint: these millionaires and billionaires own more wealth than the rest of the population combined! A 100% tax on these people would probably triple government revenue.
"And why do Canadians with their "free" healthcare, come to the U.S.?"
Only the very rich do that, because they don't want to wait a week for a hip transplant, so instead they pay a couple of million bucks to have it done within two days in the US. Now of course a not-so-rich American would be glad with a one week waiting period, because in the US he would not get that hip transplant, ever, well unless he files for bankrupcy. Really, take it from someone who's experienced both government run healthcare and a government/corporate hybrid system: both are vastly superior when it comes to caring for the common man (everyone who can't afford a monthly $1200 premium), and a lot cheaper as well (even in terms of GDP). It's very tragic to hear people say America has the best healthcare in the world. No, it has among the best healthcare in the world, at least, for those who can afford it. It usually takes a relative filing for bankrupcy because of chemo or getting denied treatment after 20 years of paying exorbitant premiums for people to start believing that maybe there is some merit in what every other rich country is doing with healthcare. I hope for your sake your insurer doesn't screw you over one day and you won't have to learn this painful lesson when it's too late, but chances are that will happen. Playing fair is not profitable in healthcare or education. The corporations can choose to have 4 people each pay $250 for service (the right thing to do) or have 1 person pay $1000 for service (the profitable thing to do because this option requires less personnel). It's different from say the car industry because there are less vendors, there are no alternatives, there's no such thing as second hand healthcare or education, there's no difference in "models" and features and in the case of healthcare you really don't have a chocie: if you say no you die. Some people say the government should not force people to have healthcare, but it's not the government that forces you: it's nature giving you the "choice" to have healthcare or die.
"Salary caps? Please. If we are going to do that, let's cap the salary of sports figures, lawyers, and our congresscritters."
Sports figures and lawyers aren't paid for from tax dollars and congresscritters already have salary caps.
"US corporate rates are some of the highest in the world."
They are comparable to those of other rich countries and (this is a fact not many Americans know) in many European countries (and many others as well) corporations pay "social fees" for employees. These fees amount to hefty taxation but are not registered as "corporate tax". Corporations are far better off in the US then they are in other rich countries when it comes to tax, of course there are also many poor countries out there with which no rich country can or should compete because these countries are willing to practically turn their country into a giant sweatshop just to attract foreign investment.
"Better idea: do away with the Dept. of Education."
Sure, if you want people in Kansas to learn Adam and Eve walked with dinosaurs... But seriously, don't you think something may be wrong when even the tuition at community colleges is rising faster than wages are? You always hear people telling how they paid for college themselves, only that was 20 years ago (when tuition was much lower compared to minimum wage) and they followed a cheap and light curriculum (law, business), not an exact science or medicine. Other countries prevent universities from raising tuition without consent of the national parliament.
There are many things that are great about America but sometimes America has to be a bit less stubborn and accept the fact that sometimes it can learn a thing or two from other countries. You know, just like not waiting to abolish slavery, segregation and decriminalize homosexuality for decades after every other developed country did these things. A fitting comparison since healthcare is very serious business: every year many thousands of Americans die or have to move to a cardboard box under the bridge for the crime of falling ill and not making enough money to afford the exorbitant and ever faster rising insurance premiums, then again, even having such an insurance doesn't shield you completely: you can still get screwed and be denied treatment. The managers at insurance companies don't care: they get a bonus for every person they deny treatment.