The economy is good? Cut taxes! The economy is bad? Cut taxes! Taxes are too low? Cut taxes!

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The Republicans, it seems, have a solution to every problem. Or, to be more precise, the Republicans have a solution to every problem. Like the medieval barbers who thought that the cure for every malady was bloodletting, the GOP believes that the cure for every ailment is tax cutting. The economy is good? Cut taxes! The economy is bad? Cut taxes! Taxes are too low? Cut taxes! I await the inevitable day when the Republican Party advocates tax cuts as a means of overturning Roe v. Wade, forestalling gay marriage, and putting a massive granite sculpture of the ten commandments in every federal courthouse. Remember, if we don’t cut taxes, the terrorists have won.

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Type: Discussion • Score: 16 • Views: 11,934 • Replies: 87

@Robert Gentel,

I LOVE that philosophy; let 's have more of that.

David

2 Replies

@Robert Gentel,

i guess that advice also applies to individual taxpayers/consumers - and not just in the U.S.A :

feel depressed and lousy ? go and shop - use your credit card aplenty !

feeling really good and on top of the world ? go and shop - use your credit card aplenty !

even though we live in canada , we get plenty of calls from american credit card companies to "please accept our credit card " ! even if you have several cards already , do NOT hesitate to accept our card : 'it costs you nothing and there are great benefits in using the &#$@ credit card ! ' " .
unfortunately they all insist on a "billing address " . i wonder if i should apply and show the billing address as "under the toadstool" - might it work ?

we do use a credit card but make sure that we pay the full balance every month - even though they remind us that we only have to make a minimum payment of a few dollars . we also make sure that we get some nice bonus just for shopping with the card . we have noticed lately that some retailers are asking if we prefer paying cash , but when asked for a discount usually say : "we can't do that " . well , we give them a choice .
hbg

0 Replies

@OmSigDAVID,

It's dishonest unless it's tied to spending decreases directly. If they fight for tax cuts without fighting for reductions in spending we get the worst of both worlds.

Some defend the strategy and call it "starving the beast" and that's a very reckless way to treat the American people because if that happens it won't be fun for anyone.

It's easy to criticize the government, but a bankrupt government wouldn't be any better.

2 Replies

@Robert Gentel,

robert wrote :

Quote:

Some defend the strategy and call it "starving the beast" and that's a very reckless way to treat the American people because if that happens it won't be fun for anyone.

my uneducated guess is that tax cuts will likely benefit a few highly taxed individuals (perhaps they'll need to buy another mansion and employ some servants - trickle down ; isn't that what it's called ? )
hbg

1 Reply

@hamburger,

Well, considering the poor don't really pay taxes, who would you expect it to help?

The middle class ($50-$250 imho) could use a tax cut, but what are they gonna do with it? You'd think they might pay off some debt, but far from likely. Spend it on porn most likely.

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There is unrefutable evidence that responsible tax cuts do spur the economy and that in turn does increase tax revenues into the local, state, and national treasuries. Spending reductions to 'pay for a tax cut' are necessary only within the context of how tax policy affects behavior.

Mostly it all comes down to basic ideology. If you think government does a better job of spending your money than you would do, you are in favor of more taxes. If you think the private sector does a better job spending the money, you are in favor of less taxes.

Conservative Republicans fall into the latter group more often than not.

4 Replies

@McGentrix,

McGentrix said...

"Well, considering the poor don't really pay taxes"

Nice way of phrasing things today, G, but you see the big picture, sure you do...

Rolling Eyes

1 Reply

@Foxfyre,

Foxfyre wrote:

There is unrefutable evidence that responsible tax cuts do spur the economy and that in turn does increase tax revenues into the local, state, and national treasuries. Spending reductions to 'pay for a tax cut' are necessary only within the context of how tax policy affects behavior.

I would love to see your "unrefutable" evidence of that. No such evidence exists that is "unrefutable" because all arguments about what would have happened with or without tax cuts are speculative. The only hard evidence is what actually happened.

2 Replies

@parados,

parados wrote:

Foxfyre wrote:

There is unrefutable evidence that responsible tax cuts do spur the economy and that in turn does increase tax revenues into the local, state, and national treasuries. Spending reductions to 'pay for a tax cut' are necessary only within the context of how tax policy affects behavior.
I would love to see your "unrefutable" evidence of that. No such evidence exists that is "unrefutable" because all arguments about what would have happened with or without tax cuts are speculative. The only hard evidence is what actually happened.

0 Replies

@Rockhead,

Rockhead wrote:

McGentrix said...

"Well, considering the poor don't really pay taxes"

Nice way of phrasing things today, G, but you see the big picture, sure you do...

No, seriously, poor people don't pay federal taxes. You should look into it.

If you are poor and paying federal taxes, you're doing it wrong and it probably helps to explain the whole poor thing.

2 Replies

@parados,

parados wrote:

Foxfyre wrote:

There is unrefutable evidence that responsible tax cuts do spur the economy and that in turn does increase tax revenues into the local, state, and national treasuries. Spending reductions to 'pay for a tax cut' are necessary only within the context of how tax policy affects behavior.
I would love to see your "unrefutable" evidence of that. No such evidence exists that is "unrefutable" because all arguments about what would have happened with or without tax cuts are speculative. The only hard evidence is what actually happened.

I didn't say that it is unrefutable. I said there is unrefutable evidence that responsible tax cuts do spur the economy. Perhaps I would have been more precise had I phrased it that the evidence that responsible tax cuts spur the economy appears to be unrefutable? You won't be able to present any evidence that they do not.

There are any number of experts and examples to support my statement cited in this article, however:
http://www.nationalreview.com/kudlow/kudlow200504060758.asp

3 Replies

@McGentrix,

Gee, I wish I'd known that sooner...

You are incorrect, and certainly shallow in your perception of my circumstances, but....OK.

1 Reply

@McGentrix,

Seriously, you are completely deluded.

FICA is collected on your earnings even if your wages are only $1500 for the year.

The last time I checked the pump at my gas station doesn't give the option to not pay the federal gas tax if I am poor.

Cigarette taxes are not based on income.

To claim the poor pay no federal taxes is to ignore the 40% of federal revenues that come from FICA and excise taxes.

3 Replies

it seems so strange to me that middle class and lower income republicans get so freaked out by the idea of those making over $250k paying a little bit more.

i mean, think about it. how many republicans here on a2k make over $250k?

how many people do you personally know make more than that? how likely is it that you will ever make that much?

but i guess it's okay. let's just keep cutting taxes until the country is totally in the dumper. then we can all pat ourselves on the back for killing the goose that lays the golden egg.

1 Reply

@parados,

FICA is not a tax that would be cut in any tax cut plan.

Gas taxes are not a tax that would be considered when discussing tax cuts for Americans.

Cigarette taxes are not a tax that would be considered when discussing tax cuts for Americans.

Income tax is the tax that is being discussed when sane people discuss tax cuts. I am sorry you feel the need to be such a tool. Perhaps someday, maybe, your posts will not be such tiresome drivel. Hey, I am an optimist.

Again, poor people do not pay federal INCOME (for the oblivious) tax. If they are, then they are doing it wrong and fail.

2 Replies

@Rockhead,

see above.

0 Replies

@McGentrix,

define "poor" please...

1 Reply

@Foxfyre,

Foxfyre wrote:

parados wrote:

Foxfyre wrote:

There is unrefutable evidence that responsible tax cuts do spur the economy and that in turn does increase tax revenues into the local, state, and national treasuries. Spending reductions to 'pay for a tax cut' are necessary only within the context of how tax policy affects behavior.
I would love to see your "unrefutable" evidence of that. No such evidence exists that is "unrefutable" because all arguments about what would have happened with or without tax cuts are speculative. The only hard evidence is what actually happened.

I didn't say that it is unrefutable. I said there is unrefutable evidence that responsible tax cuts do spur the economy. Perhaps I would have been more precise had I phrased it that the evidence that responsible tax cuts spur the economy appears to be unrefutable? You won't be able to present any evidence that they do not.

There are any number of experts and examples to support my statement cited in this article, however:
http://www.nationalreview.com/kudlow/kudlow200504060758.asp

It won't matter how precise you are. Those that choose not to get it, won't.

1 Reply

@parados,

parados wrote:

Seriously, you are completely deluded.

FICA is collected on your earnings even if your wages are only $1500 for the year.

The last time I checked the pump at my gas station doesn't give the option to not pay the federal gas tax if I am poor.

Cigarette taxes are not based on income.

To claim the poor pay no federal taxes is to ignore the 40% of federal revenues that come from FICA and excise taxes.

if i hire a freelancer for engineering, editing or graphic design, i have to report any wages over $500. i can of course opt to pay cash, but then i can't claim the expenditure on my taxes.

0 Replies

The economy is good? Cut taxes! The economy is bad? Cut taxes! Taxes are too low? Cut taxes!

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