TOP PRIORITIES

JURY DEMOCRACY
I am the founder of Jury Democracy USA and the inventor of the concept of Jury Democracy—a way to bring real power to the people.

In Jury Democracy, we will hold a jury trial on every bill or every important bill before a large jury (400 or more) of randomly invited citizens, large enough to be a statistically valid sample of the population. Both supporters and opponents of the bill would make their arguments and present evidence. The jurors would then deliberate and discuss in smaller groups and then vote by secret ballot. No bill would become law without approval from a majority of the jury. Laws would still also require approval from Congress.
This will be government by informed consent of the people. It is a government that will make policy by reason and evidence, instead of by money and influence. And it will be a governnment where We the People have real power.

CUT INCOME AND PAYROLL TAXES IN HALF AND REPLACE WITH A WEALTH TAX
I will propose a bill to cut income taxes and payroll taxes in half and replace that revenue with an annual wealth tax of 8% on wealth over about $400 million, 6% on wealth over $44 million (the top 0.1%), 4% on wealth over $12 million (the top 1%), and 2% on wealth over $1.5 million (the top 10%). That will raise $3.4 trillion dollars each year. More than enough to cut income taxes and payroll taxes in half, with enough left over to cut the deficit by 80%.  And it allows even the billionaires to continue to grow their wealth every year, since they make more than 8% on their money. 

If we simply taxed extreme wealth at reasonable rates, we could cut income taxes and payroll taxes in half.  And I will propose that we do that.  Of course, Congress will not consider this, but I will submit this proposal to a jury, it will pass with over 80% support, and then I will dare Congress to vote on it.

RESTORE THE ENVIRONMENT BY REWILDING
The current mass extinction and nearly all our environmental problems are caused by habitat loss. Humans use almost every square inch of usable land on the planet. My proposal is to that we simply share the planet with other species.

I will propose that the federal government buy 1% of the land in the U.S. each year for a decade and simply let it revert to nature. We can do that for just 2.7% of the federal budget each year. At the end of 10 years, we would have over 10% of the land reverted to nature, and then we could decide how much longer we want to continue.

HEALTH CARE
I support universal single-payer healh insurance.  An example that I would support is Medicare for All. I would also, while we have our current system, require that health care providers post their prices for common procedures and charge every insurer the same price for any procedure, with a discount for self-pay.  It’s ridiculous that when you go in for a procedure and ask the price, they say “We don’t know. But please sign this contract that says you agree to pay whatever we later decide to charge you.”
 
But my big difference with every other politician is the process by which we reform our health care system.  When Obamacare was enacted, they consulted with the insurers, the doctors, the hospitals, and the big drug companies to ask what each of those groups wanted. They did not consult with you.  I want to consult with you to see what YOU want.  The process would be a jury trial before a large jury of randomly invited citizens.  Three or four health care plans, including Medicare for All, would be presented to the jurors. Experts would explain the costs and benefits to each of the alternatives, and then I would have the jury rank choice the options. 

MAKE THE BILL OF RIGHTS ENFORCEABLE
Federal agents murdered Renee Good and Alex Pretti and broke into houses without a warrant in Minnesota. Then they were immune from suit and immune from federal charges for those violations of our rights.

It turns out the Bill of Rights is not enforceable against federal officials. They cannot be sued for violating our rights and cannot be prosecuted because violating our rights is not a crime. I want to fix that. I will introduce a bill to create a right to sue federal officials, including the President, for knowingly violating our rights and make that a crime. If Congress refuses to consider that bill, I will introduce it to a jury, where it will pass with over 80% support, and then I will dare Congress to hold a vote on it.

IMMIGRATION
Population growth hurts everyone except the top 1%. It is simple supply and demand, more people means more workers competing for jobs which drives down wages. More people means more people bidding against each other for land and housing, which drives up the cost of housing. It also drives up the price of food and resources and everything. Population growth in this country is driven entirely by immigration, and we have the highest percentage of foreign born in the U.S. in our history.

The elites want more immigration because, although it hurts American workers and consumers, it increases the size of the economy, which increases stock prices and corporate valuations and increases tax revenue for the government.

I support enforcing our immigration laws and reducing immigration levels. But the government can do that humanely, consistent with the Bill of Rights, and without murdering citizens and noncitizens.

ISRAEL AND PALESTINE
Not one penny to Israel! It is an outrage that our tax dollars are going to fund genocide and apartheid. I will also work to stop the genocide and abuse of Palestinians and bring Netanyahu and others responsible to justice.

END THE IRAN WAR
I will work to end the Iran war.

CAPITALISM—BREAKING UP MONOPOLIES
I believe in capitalism. But we do not have capitalism. We have “oligopolism.” Every industry is 90% or more controlled by five or fewer companies. Occassionally the government sues some for antitrust violations, but that never works.

I propose that we simply use the tax code to induce monopolies and giant corporations to break themselves up and create real competition. This can be done with a progressive corporate income tax on revenue or profits that taxes big companies at a higher rate than small companies. When giant corporations have a high tax burden that they can reduce by breaking up, they will. Then we will have real competition on prices, wages, and quality that will decrease prices, increase wages, and improve quality of services and goods. And small companies will be able to compete.

ABORTION AND BODILY AUTONOMY
I support abortion rights and bodily autonomy. I will work to create a federal law guaranteeing abortion rights and the absolute right for you to control your own body.

DATA CENTERS, AI, CRYPTO
I will work for full local disclosure in advance for data centers before they can be built. Data centers are being built because of “artificial intelligence” and cryptocurrencies and the absurd levels of electricity use for both of those.  That electricity use drives up your utility bills. Plus, the government plans use of digital currencies so they can censor you and block your access to all your money if you say or do anything the government objects to. I will work to prevent that and stop digital currencies and force AI companies and data centers to pay full price for their electricity use and water use plus a tax on top of that to protect your electric bill.  In addition, AI companies are funded by mountains of debt that they cannot hope to pay back.  Guess who they plan on paying off their debt?  You!  I will work to stop that.