Senator Tom Harkin and Representative Bruce Braley introduced legislation today that would levy a small tax on “most non-consumer financial trading including stocks, bonds and other debts,” as well as “all derivative contracts, options, puts, forward contracts, swaps and other complex instruments.”
Both Harkin and Braley have insisted that revenue increases be part of any plan to reduce the federal deficit. At a joint press conference in Washington, the two Democrats argued that a small tax on financial trades would “help raise necessary funds” while discouraging “certain speculative activities” on Wall Street. I enclose below a press release spelling out more details about the legislation and a video clip from the press conference.
In December 2009, Braley and Harkin proposed a similar tax on some Wall Street transactions. While the idea is worthwhile, and many other countries tax financial trades, I can’t see this bill moving forward in either the House or the Senate. The 2009 proposal didn’t advance even when Democrats had historically large majorities in both chambers of Congress.
Press release from Representative Bruce Braley, November 2:
Harkin, Braley Join Lawmakers to Introduce Targeted Wall Street Trading Tax
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Congressman Bruce Braley today joined lawmakers in introducing legislation to place a tax on certain trading activities undertaken by banking and financial firms. The measure does not harm long-term investing, but instead raises the greatest revenue from rapid financial trading and complex transactions undertaken by financial and investment firms.
Joining Harkin and Braley in cosponsoring the legislation were Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) along with Congressmen Peter DeFazio, Hank Johnson, John Sarbanes, Bob Filner, Betty Sutton, Earl Blumenauer, Louise Slaughter, Mazie Hirono, Peter Welch, John Conyers and Maurice Hinchey.
“True deficit reduction in this country must come from a balance of spending cuts and necessary revenue increases,” said Senator Harkin. “This trading tax would help raise necessary funds to invest in our infrastructure and the education of our children, among other priorities, and would do so without hurting job creation. There is no question that Wall Street can easily bear this modest tax.”
“Wall Street got us into this economic mess — they should help get us out,” Braley said. “While Iowa and the rest of America are left dealing with the consequences of their actions, Wall Street’s back to bagging record profits. That’s not right.
“The Wall Street speculation fee we’re proposing is a tiny amount that would drastically cut down on stock market speculation and put a check on the greed that’s run rampant on Wall Street in recent years,” Braley continued. “It’s about time Wall Street does their fair share to pay down the deficit and rebuild our country.”
The measure will place a small tax of three basis points (3 pennies on $100 in value) on most non-consumer financial trading including stocks, bonds and other debts, except for their initial issuance. For example, if a company receives a loan from a financial company, that transaction would not be taxed. But, if the financial institution traded the debt, the trade would be subject to the tax. The tax would also cover all derivative contracts, options, puts, forward contracts, swaps and other complex instruments at their actual cost. The measure excludes debt that has an original term of less than 100 days.
By setting the tax rate very low, the measure is not likely to impact the decision to engage in productive economic activity. It would, however, reduce certain speculative activities like high-speed computer arbitrage trading. A transaction tax could help to shift Wall Street away from short-term trading. Given the very high volume of financial trading, it will raise considerable funds, badly needed for government services and for reducing deficits.
The proposed tax would take effect on January 1, 2013.
The European Union is considering a similar proposal, but with a tax rate that is more than three times higher. Today, 30 foreign nations have in place a similar tax, including Great Britain and Switzerland.
Various experts are available to comment on this proposal, including Dean Baker, Co-Director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, John Fullerton, former Managing Director of JPMorgan, Capital Institute and Lisa Donner, Executive Director, Americans for Financial Reform.