Posted on 01/06/2014 5:14:36 PM PST by markomalley
French President Francois Hollande has been confronted by the glaring light of reality -- sort of.
On New Year's Day, as his massive tax increases began taking effect, Hollande, a member of the Socialist Party, admitted that taxes in France have become “too heavy, much too heavy.”
Indeed, as of Jan. 1, French households now must contend with a new value-added tax on many goods and services and, writes International Business Times, “French companies will be required to pay 50 percent tax on all employee salaries in excess of 1 million euros. … The effective tax rate will amount to 75 percent.” Unemployment, which Hollande promised to reduce, has risen to nearly 11 percent. Some companies and wealthy people have left France in search of business-friendly environments. More will surely follow unless Hollande's rhetoric is followed by actual tax reductions.
Hollande's head-on collision with reality is reminiscent of President Clinton's remarks in 1995 at a campaign fundraiser in Houston: “Probably there are people in this room still mad at me … because you think I raised your taxes too much. It might surprise you to know that I think I raised them too much, too.”
Neither Hollande (so far), nor Clinton, followed up on their remarks by cutting taxes. Like many other politicians, these men tried to have it both ways.
The next political leader who will be forced to adjust his left-wing ideology to reality is the new mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio, who has proposed a tax on the wealthy to fund universal pre-K education. He, too, thinks raising taxes on the successful is the way to prosperity for the poor. He should pick up the phone and ask Hollande how that is working for him, as Hollande's approval ratings are sinking faster than President Obama's. Even better, he might recall Calvin Coolidge's remark: “Don't expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong.”
Penalize success and prosperity and you get less of it. Subsidize bad decision-making by giving taxpayer money to the poor, and you may well undermine initiative and personal responsibility and create new generations of poor people.
The Left in America and France have gained political power by appealing to voters' emotions, but when they achieve power their ideology harms the very people who voted for them when these well-intentioned programs prove unworkable. This presents conservatives and Republicans with an opportunity, as well as risks.
Liberals are allowed to be as ideological as they wish, and the major media and too many among the unfocused public will mostly support them. The Left is never told they must compromise their ideology when reality proves them wrong, or “work with Republicans and conservatives” to achieve common goals. That is the trap liberals set for conservatives, who are repeatedly told they must compromise their principles if they hope to win elections, but whose squishy politics then become as unappealing as cold oatmeal.
Here is the path Republicans and conservatives must take if they not only want to win, but bring positive change to the country. Instead of debating feelings and ideology with the Left (territory on which they almost always lose — recall “compassionate conservative”), conservatives should hold their opponents accountable. Are their policies producing the results they claim? Is the record debt good for the country? Are agencies performing as their charter demands, and should their budgets be reduced or the agency eliminated if it can’t show results? Every government agency and program should be regularly required to justify, not only its budget, but its very existence.
Americans typically hate waste. It is why as children most of us were told to clean our plates because somewhere in the world there were hungry people. Requiring the Left to prove their programs and policies are producing outcomes at reasonable cost would shift the debate from ideology and good intentions to reality. This is where conservatives have a distinct advantage if they will embrace it.
Nothing there that I have a single problem with. Well written piece, good advice.
More accurately, we need to hold the leftists accountable for what they have wrought in the name of their ideology. That would require that we indict, try, convict, sentence, and execute the sentence on leftists for giving aid and comfort to the enemy.
Teh problem will be when the left claims in a hissy fit of new castroti tone Well, we didn’t spend ENOUGH, that’s why the program failed to produce the results we claimed. You nasty republican meanies prevented it from working for partisan advantage.
Wouldn't the enemy be THEM?
The guy who proposed a 75% income tax is complaining that taxes are too heavy?
That’s rich
That is fantastic piece. Thank you for posting
Fifty years and seventeen trillion dollars for The War On Poverty. When do we get that Peace Dividend from The War On Poverty?
Hold them accountable in what way?
Obama think a 100 % tax is the way to pay back the white man and Jarrett would make it happen if she could.
Except, in order to try and execute them, you would first need to wage a civil war.
That is likely something the author would condemn based upon some of his other columns. I'm not sure he would even approve of the trial and execution part let alone a civil war.
Sorry Cal, nobody respects a weakling who is too "civilized" to use force.
Eggactly!
The party of perpetual victims always has the ability to blame the opposition for their very own failures. Somehow there’s got to be a way to make them pay for that.
You NAILED it.
If they have anything left after taxes, then the communist reality is that there is room for more taxation.
Unfortunately, most Americans will quickly sympathize with leftist politicians should efforts be taken to prosecute them to whatever extent for their ideological malfeasance. Victimhood is a pathway to elective power for Democrats and socialists. Winning the struggle rests with education and a restoration of American culture. This includes a massive PR campaign designed to reject, ridicule and financially/reputationally destroy the proponents of cultural rot and their disciples.
It is hard for a psychopath, or a group them who just happen to be in the pinnacle of power, to feel any sort of remorse for what their ideology has wrought.
Biden Flashback: Iraq Will Be One of Obama’s Greatest Achievements
I had to clean my plate because my Scottish/Irish Mom, having scraped for food during the depression, wasn't about to see me waste it at our table. She never once referred to "starving children" out there in an imaginary world.
Excellent strategy. And we are not doing it because???? Because the majority of the pubbies either don’t know why conservatism is better than socialism OR they believe in socialism and lie to us to get our votes.
When they do that, use derisive and humerus ridicule to destroy them. Be ready for them to lie.
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