Thanks, and I am sorry for not being more specific. I am sure that drag is so unselfish. He's basically a wonderful person. Drag, I'm sorry I insulted you. I'm sure you're not selfish. At least, not in your immediate circle. KarmaGirl certainly pointed that out. My beef, however, with people who advocate tax cuts, particularly in spite of raging deficits, loss of services, health care, environmental support, etc. not to mention during wartime, for the sole reason that it's good for business, is exhibiting a social selfishness that I just can't understand. Trickle down economics are a proven failure. Cutting taxes on rich people only gives money to rich people. The poor, which is a rapidly growing segment of society, for reasons completely beyond their control, just get shafted, and any such tax cuts do absolutely nothing to benefit them. Trickle down economics is a fallacy that is perpetrated on the public to "enhance" the economy. This is why I used the word "selfish". In that respect, I stand firm.
Also, I do not think LInda Ronstadt is a kook. She is articulating what almost 50% of Americans believe. Bush is a disaster. Time and history will not judge him kindly. |
Thanks for the apology. Let respond to some of your points:
1) As a generalization, what I object to is having my political beliefs attacked as somehow being immoral or ignorant. I have different views than you do. Not inferior ones.
2) You provide tax cuts to people in order to stimulate the economy. It is recognized that government taxation is a drag on the economy. The US was in a recession. The government can't do a lot of things to help but one thing it can do is lower taxes so that consumers and job creators have more capital to purchase things and invest. Doing that will cause a deficit for sure. But I would argue that had Bush not acted, we would now be in a steep recession if not recession. Having the Dot-Com bubble burst and 9/11 happen at the same time was far more traumatic than the 1929 stock market crash in my opinion. The money we saved in taxes went to hiring more people. In fact, we've hired SIX people this fiscal quarter already and it's only November. That's new jobs that helps everyone.
I advocate tax cuts when anyone is paying more than 1/3rd of their income to the federal government. I don't think the federal government provides enough bang for the buck. I would rather see the federal government cut taxes even further and the states raise their taxes.
3) The poor is not a rapidly growing segment of society. And of course tax cuts do nothing to benefit them -- they don't pay taxes. You say trickle down economics is a falacy what experience do you have at it? My taxes were lowered. I then turn around and hire more people. This site, JoeUser.com, would not have existed without that tax cut because it allowed us to hire an additional IT person and this site was the first project he was put on. This site existing is evidence that trickle down (supply side) economics works. You can use negative terms like "selfish" all you want but that doesn't make it true. To me, it just shows an intolerance for other views and experiences. I think you would agree that I have more economic experience than you do. I recognize how tax policy works.
Besides, if you want to talk about selfishness, talk to John Edwards. He didn't pay federal income taxes. Instead, he made himself an LLC. He then paid himself with dividends from his LLC which is only taxed at 15%. In 2002 I paid more in federal income taxes than John Edwards did I believe even though he "made" $20 million and I made far far less than that. That is another reason I object to increasing income taxes because people like John Kerry (who barely pays and income taxes - 12% in 2003) and John Edwards weazel out. The "Selfish" Bush paid 29% of his income in federal income taxes. We need to change the tax rules but the lawyers, who control the Democrats at this point, won't let that happen because they're the ones who mess with these LLC rules that let rich guys get out of paying taxes. This is something almost every business owner or "loaded" guy like me knows about. But it gets little coverage because it's "complicated". Income taxes are easy to understand. LLC shell companies aren't.
4) Anyone who refers to people as "little Hitlers" because of who they vote for is a kook. I don't care which side they're on.
I think time and history will judge Bush well. His work in Afghanistan alone would put him in a good light. Iraq is still up in the air, we'll see. His handling of the economy though was masterful and the No Child Left Behind act is making dramatic changes to our problematic public school system.
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