Its Time for White People to Pay for Privilege: The Equality Tax

white privilege

Its irrefutable, white people are privileged. Recognition of this basic fact of life is not enough. Its time to take action to level the economic playing field. At a time when PoC is still tremendously disadvantaged, despite the best efforts of affirmative action policies, something else must be done.

The Equality Tax

Current US tax policy fails to recognize the inherent economic disadvantages that PoC face on a daily basis. Racist employers, a disproportionate targeting of minorities by law enforcement, racial wage gaps, poor inner city schools; these all contribute to what is an undeniable reality for minorities. A reality that equates to an unfair economic disadvantage.

To even the playing field, the privileged should pay more. I dont know how much more, but it must be more. Lets start at 5% as if centuries of subjugation could ever be righted by such a minuscule percentage. Certainly, the privileged can stand to spare 5% with all of their economic advantages.

What would a 5% Equality Tax Mean? ($151 Billion Dollars)

First, we have to do some math. According to USGovernmentRevenue.com, in the fiscal year 2017, the US government will bring in $3.64 trillion dollars from federal taxes.

According to TaxFoundation.org, white Americans pay 83% of the federal income tax.

This means that white Americans are responsible for approximately $3.02 trillion dollars that the government will receive in 2017. Add 5% to this number, and this means that minorities will benefit by a total of $151 billion dollars.

For your information, this is what 1 billion dollars looks like:One Billion Dollars

How would we use it?

While extracting this money is the most important aspect, not far behind is how its used. We must ensure that this money is used where it will benefit minorities the most.

If we kept things simple, we could redistribute the money based on non-Caucasian race status. According to InfoPlease.com, whites account for 63.7% of the population (a population of 308.7 billion based on the 2010 census).

Population of the United States by Race and Hispanic/Latino Origin, Census 2000 and 2010:

NOTE: Percentages do not add up to 100% due to rounding and because Hispanics may be of any race and are therefore counted under more than one category.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: National Population Estimates; Decennial Census.

This leaves $151 billion to be dispersed over 36.3% of the population, or 112 million.  Thats $1,348 for every US minority individual or roughly $3,000 per minority household on an annual basis. While $3,000 could never rectify centuries of abuse, it could at least give minorities the financial tools to compete in a white, male-dominated society.

Caveats

This new tax initiative must account for several demographic factors in order to be the fairest, and most effective. The following could represent a potential tax breakdown based on these demographics factors:

  • Single Heterosexual Caucasian Males
    Equality Tax: 5%
  • Single Heterosexual Caucasian Females
    Equality Tax: 4.5%
  • Married Heterosexual Caucasian Family
    Equality Tax: 4%
  • Non-cisgender Caucasian
    Equality Tax: 3%

This is a very simple template, and I concede that it could be much more robust.

The Inevitable Backlash

With the republicans in power and the rise of the alt-right, this new tax initiative is sure to enrage the privileged. But we must not back down. We must continue to voice our opinion, especially in this racist, misogynistic environment post-Trump.

They must understand that their economic success was only made possible by the blood and sweat of minorities.

Post your thoughts below in the comment section.

SOURCE: Wesplain  ALT SOURCE: Wayback Machine

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