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I would want a graduated income tax. I would want to effectively get rid of these "tax brackets" that are such a hindrance to our economic welfare. Additionally, those living below the poverty line would pay no income tax.
I feel that I can say a little with regards to education. roachboy made some excellent points about funding and the manifestation of schooling based on the socioeconomic status of localities, but my main concern is the standards being set by the states. My old high school was severely underfunded and had to take out a loan of $5,000 from the state department just for paper.
Schools place far too much emphasis on passing a standardized test that sets standards far too low. Today's youth is not any less intelligent than the youth of decades past; today's youth is only less motivated. I know of several high-school dropouts that are fairly intelligent - they just couldn't muster the willpower to sit through more classes, let alone put in the work outside of class to get a decent grade. Another problem is the tendency for a public education to be simply years of regurgitating facts and figures - students do not know how to think critically, as roachboy also mentioned. In math classes, perhaps less time could be spent on covering additional material, and rather more time could be left to introducing the students to basic proofs, from algebra to calculus. Math in particular is a lot more exciting when you learn WHY it works, not just that it works. English and social studies classes need to spend more time exchanging and discussing ideas than simply reading through "Frankenstein" for the fourth time since the sixth grade.
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