Posted on 09/11/2010 8:41:55 PM PDT by Bigtigermike
From Andrew Romano's great new profile of a Mitch Daniels he portrays as pragmatic and principled (kind of oxymoronic, but one of Daniels' principles appears to be pragmatism).
To wit, his suggestions:
Let’s raise the retirement age, he says. Let’s reduce Social Security for the rich. And let’s reconsider our military commitments, too.
When I ask about taxes—in 2005 Daniels proposed a hike on the $100,000-plus crowd, which his own party promptly torpedoed—he refuses to revert to Republican talking points.
“At some stage there could well be a tax increase,” he says with a sigh. “They say we can’t have grown-up conversations anymore. I think we can.”
(Excerpt) Read more at gop12.com ...
I think Daniels is a RINO that has as much chance of winning a primary as Rudyn Giuliani.
Or we could cut taxes, spur economic growth and reduce the deficit at the same time, just like Reagan did.
The problem is that there are a few anti-Christians among the “fiscal” conservatives. They hate everything to do with social conservatives and will latch on to anyone that seems to be one of them. Ol’ Mitch thought social conservatives should be quiet and move to the back of the bus. These fiscal so-called “conservatives” thought they had a champion.
You have to be leery of anyone who claims to be conservative in the fiscal area only, because if they don’t support all of conservatism fiscal, social, and constitutional “smaller” govt., chances are good they are not really conservative at all. Looks like Mitch has outed himself completely.
Go to hell, Mitch! If you don't have a meat cleaver to apply to spending, you are worthless.
Scratch another contender.
The tax code was also riddled with loopholes, many of them small enough to fit only a single person. In general the only people who paid the full rate were poor suckers who weren't able to protect their earnings by tax time.
Then the AMT was devised as a "fix" to ensure that people paid at least some tax, no matter how well covered they could be by loopholes and other deductions.
President Reagan knocked down the tax rates and knocked out most of the loopholes. Unfortunately, he left the AMT in place and now it is hitting a lot of people that it was never aimed at.
The whole tax code is a crock. Always has been. There's nothing fair or reasonable about paying a higher percentage from a higher base income. A straight percentage still means that the more income you have, the more tax you pay. Targeted tax cuts are as bad as targeted tax increases. It's social engineering and socialism by any other name will still smell bad.
I want massive civil unrest. Let’s settle property rights and freedom in the streets and cut out the middle guys, the politicians. ( Matter of fact, put them on a cruise ship for a year so they can all oil them selves up and have a big, year long policy wonk orgy. ) Meanwhile, if the local losers, spongers, disability scammers, fakes, frauds, grafters, layabouts want a fried egg breakfast and hot coffee, they can clean the alley and throw the crap in the dumpster, shovel and sweep, or ......get off my lawn.
Meat cleaver? How about a diesel powered chipper?
Aside from the philosophical issue, the problem with that formulation is that there simply isn't enough money to be had by taxation that satisfies that shortfall. At some point, we simply MUST reform the entitlement scheme. The system is simply not sustainable in its current configuration.
The longer the GOP refuses to confront the real problem, the longer we will flounder in this fiscal hell. Some "get it" (like Paul Ryan); some don't (like this guy).
The only reason for a tax hike is to expand the empires of government.
However - those Freepers who think we should not cut Social Security and Medicare benefits in a big way (as I do) should be prepared to suggest which taxes should be increased to pay for their continuance.
And saying that "economic growth will do it" is pure BS. There is no level of economic growth at which two working taxpayers. can support one retiree.
Which is why it was depressing to see the signs at tea party gatherings last year demanding that Obama "Not Cut Our Medicare!!"
Totally agree with much of your comment. As for the “Clinton surplus”. It was as much a case of over taxation as it was the fact that the Republicans refused to allow him to spend freely. It’s amazing how fast you turn red ink into black when you quit pissing away money on giveaways and frivolous social programs. The tax coffers filling with capital gains revenues from the stock market bubble helped as well.
“Let’s raise the retirement age, he says. Let’s reduce Social Security for the rich. And let’s reconsider our military commitments, too.”
Sounds good right up until;
“At some stage there could well be a tax increase,”
I didn’t really see any social welfare program cuts or eliminations, I’d like to see that prior to one cent being propsed in taxes.
Yes. Let's talk about welfare recipients. Isn't it time they grew up and stood on their own two feet? We can't continue to baby them anymore. It IS time for an adult conversation.
With massive welfare reform, everyone wins.
Share the work, and the wealth will automatically share itself. No one loses.
This is the same guy who’s denied a Congressional district in his state a special election for their vacant House seat.
Anyone who starts blathering on about raising taxes before they've actually managed to cut out the wasteful, uneconomic, economy-destroying, initiative-destroying social entitlement programs is nothing more than a neo-fascist mole.Quote of the day!
I think Mitch is merely spouting what he thinks he needs to presidentially spout to not be treated like Sarah Palin by the DC Rinocratic Oligarchs....that’s what I think.
He still thinks their opinion makes a difference.
Those people were FORCED to pay for it and have been paying for it all their working lives. They have every right to demand their money back.
Welfare families, generation after generation, who've chosen welfare as a life style choice have never done anything for any one - not even themselves. Get rid of the free rent, free food, free clothes, free cell phones, free lawyers, etc. If they're going to sit home on their fat, lazy, do nothing butts and simply demand everything from everyone else's work, make them get their own friggen jobs to get it !!
Get rid of the free ride for the younger people who have done nothing first. They deserve what only they've earned - NOTHING. The size and power of the government would be cut in half.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.