Advice for the incoming House of Representatives—Part 3—The Bush Tax Cuts

Liberal Democrats are inexorably opposed to tax cuts, because tax cuts give people more power, and take away from the role of government.
Rush Limbaugh

For those who have been asleep for the past few years, Keynesian economics do not work. Who knew that taking hundreds of billions in taxes, and spending it on short-term stimulus projects (read pork) that generate no income, would not buy us out of a recession?

Now, what might work? How about extending the Bush tax cuts for everyone? It would seem that the citizens, spending their own money, on goods and services they need and want, will actually stimulate the economy. It is certainly a better idea than having the government spend it on things no one, except big campaign contributors and special interest groups, want. Again, who knew?

The new, Republican-dominated House of Representatives needs to make the Bush tax cuts permanent. Failing that, due to Democrat opposition, they need to extend them all as far into the future as possible. In no event should they allow the continued taxing the top income brackets while extending the others.

Now might be a good time to talk about what is fair. Democrats are all about being fair. Is it fair that the top 10% of earners pay 40% of all income taxes? Is it fair that 38% of the population pays NO income tax? When the military fights to protect the United States, is that 38% not protected? When that 38% eats a meal, transported to the grocery store over federal highways, were they not the beneficiaries of that tax supported highway system? That 38% contains all the nonproductive in our society. They receive food stamps, free medical, housing, childcare, etc., from those who do produce, and they receive it mostly from that top 10% of earners. The United States was not built on a system of taxing those who work for a living and giving that tax money to those who would rather not.

For that reason, the Bush tax cuts, in their entirety, should be placed in a Republican sponsored bill to make them permanent. If the Democrats oppose that bill, fine. Let them vote to impose higher taxes on everyone . . . except that 38%. Maybe they will get 38% of the popular vote in 2012.