Breaking the Cycle

Rishabh "Rishu" Sheth
Anton Dimitrov

A detailed plan that tackles the U.S. debt crisis via a series of social and economic measures.

Austerity Measures

All figures are savings over a ten-year-period, estimated with our proprietary Python model.

1.    Repeal the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, reverting to the FY 2024 budget baseline to avoid adding ~$4 trillion in debt.

2.    Limit annual defense spending growth to 1% (instead of inflation-level increases), saving ~$680 billion through 2035.

3.    Allow private Medicare Advantage plans to compete with traditional Medicare, saving ~$360 billion.

4.    Repeal student debt cancellation and replace with the College Cost Reduction Act, saving ~$320 billion.

5.    Expand Medicare drug price negotiation and cap private-sector drug price growth, saving ~$230 billion.

Investments

All figures are savings over a ten-year period, estimated with our proprietary Python model.

1.    Implement national paid family and medical leave, costing ~$620 billion but boosting productivity and GDP.

2.    Make community college tuition-free nationwide, costing ~$120 billion over 10 years.

3.    Establish universal Pre-K, costing ~$280 billion over 10 years.

4.    Provide universal free school lunches, costing ~$110 billion over ten years.

5.    Invest $220 billion to build and support affordable housing, addressing the housing shortage and homelessness.

6.    Expand legal immigration and create broader pathways to citizenship, net positive fiscal impact (reduces deficit by ~$180 billion).

Tax Reforms

All figures are savings over a ten-year period, estimated with our proprietary Python model.

1.    Impose a wealth tax — 2% on net worth over $50M and 3% over $1B — raising ~$3.08 trillion.

2.    Raise the Social Security payroll tax cap while capping benefits, reducing the deficit by ~$1.15 trillion.

3.    Adopt a progressive, bracketed corporate tax system, restoring the top corporate rate to 35% for billion-dollar firms (~$1.03 trillion gain).

4.    Restructure federal income tax brackets, lowering rates for most Americans while increasing top rates, raising ~$660 billion.

5.    Raise the minimum international tax rate on foreign profits to 15–21% (GILTI reform), saving ~$630 billion.

6.    Cap the pass-through business deduction for high earners, saving ~$550 billion.

7.    Close the payroll tax loophole for self-employed individuals, saving ~$490 billion.

8.    Tax capital gains and dividends as ordinary income for earners over $1M, raising ~$340 billion.

9.    Implement a 0.01% financial transactions tax, raising ~$340 billion.

10.    Restore the estate tax to 2009 levels (lower exemption to $3.5M; 45% top rate), raising ~$320 billion.

11.    Extend and enhance IRS enforcement to reduce the tax gap, raising ~$280 billion.

12.    Increase “sin taxes” on cigarettes and alcohol, raising ~$160 billion.

13.    Increase corporate stock buyback tax to 4%, raising ~$90 billion.

14.    Repeal fossil fuel tax breaks, saving ~$80 billion.

Press Coverage

Placeholder

Date

Description

Placeholder

Date

Description

Placeholder

Date

Description

Placeholder

Date

Description

Key Findings

The report details significant changes that must be made to government spending, tax laws, government investments, and income tax brackets.

Economic Impact

The report outlines the long term economic impact of these reforms up to the year 2035. 

Policy Decisions

The reforms chosen were meant to be unbiased changes targeted towards the economic and social improvement of the United States.

Research Support

Information was gathered through a variety of government websites, online sources, and an in-house Python model meant to simulate the impact the reforms would have on the U.S. economy. 

Societal Benefits

While not the main goal of this research paper, notable improvements in fields like child care, education, and affordable housing were made through the lens of the long-term economic benefits they would bring. 

Future Outlook

The target of this research paper was to reach a national debt level that could be considered "stable". This level was determined to be 100% of GDP, at which point the danger of a debt rollover crisis would be greatly reduced. 

Follow Us On

© Copyright 2025 Breaking the Cycle. All Rights Reserved.