rssThe Conservative Case Against Tax Cuts
Friday, January 09, 2009 at 1:14 pm
- 4 Comments
Since some Democrats like Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts and Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota are starting to complain that President-elect Barack Obama’s proposed stimulus package is too heavy on tax cuts — Harkin has called them “trickle-down” — I asked Brian Darling, the director of Senate relations at the Heritage Foundation, if conservatives could be won over by Obama’s plan.
“The ironic thing about that,” Darling said, “is that public proposals out there are thin on tax cuts and heavy on welfare. The earned income tax credit is welfare — it goes to people who aren’t paying taxes. Giving people stimulus checks is not an effective way to stimulate the economy. It’s far more effective to cut taxes for taxpayers. And the other things I see are short-term accounting loopholes for some businesses. Accounting gimmicks and welfare programs are not tax cuts.”
Would a stimulus like this be totally ineffective?
“Infusing $1 trillion into the economy is going to bring some short term stimulus to the industries getting the money, sure,” Darling said. “States and localities with ‘shovel ready projects’ are going to benefit. But this is money taken out of the economy and spending that adds to a massive deficit.”
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4 Comments
Comment posted January 9, 2009 @ 4:51 pm
Why are we asking the conservatives anything at this point? They are the ones who screwed everything up with their “greed is god” philosophy and distaste for the legal and social frameworks that defend citizens from thieves and con artists. You should be asking some socialists, communists and anarcho syndicalists what's wrong with Bush administration “halfassed socialism for the rich,” or perhaps some people who are suffering from the Bush/Conservative carnage.
Comment posted February 1, 2009 @ 12:37 pm
Tax cuts do not work to stimulate groweth, and the republicans had their chance for stimulus and the bail out and they all failed! The repugs idea's are old and tired and it's time for something alse!Let me tell you I don't pay tax's because I am disabled on SSI disability and guess what? I would spend and put every dime given me in a stimulus or money into food and cloths that are badly needed in my home right now! Others can afford to save it, people like us can't and won't! So David Weigel, you sir don't know what you are talking about. If you give the checks to people like us, we will stimulate groweth much faster than those who are upper class, but still what you consider lower class! Obama understands this because he's been down here with us in this waddle of a mess. But apprently you and people like Kerry,Harkin, conrad have not been poor enough to understand any of it! I think you have to been where we are to understand exactly who would benefit, and stimulate America the most and put us back on our feet! Obama figured it out, it's a shame Millionairs like Kerry, mccain and the likes just don't know what in the heck they are talking about, and apparently neither does this reporter who wrote this article!
Comment posted February 11, 2009 @ 12:43 pm
Rather than complaining here why don't you attend the next Obama concert and tell him you need a car, loaf of bread, more cash, more clothing, more time to spend with family and friends, less stress, more sunshine, and anything else you want him and the government (me and all the other Actual tax paying citizens) to give to you. I'm absolutely sure you believe you deserve all of that and more. You are entitled to it. Why? Because you are a US citizen. This is the mindset and the madness.
Comment posted February 11, 2009 @ 8:43 pm
Rather than complaining here why don't you attend the next Obama concert and tell him you need a car, loaf of bread, more cash, more clothing, more time to spend with family and friends, less stress, more sunshine, and anything else you want him and the government (me and all the other Actual tax paying citizens) to give to you. I'm absolutely sure you believe you deserve all of that and more. You are entitled to it. Why? Because you are a US citizen. This is the mindset and the madness.
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