Friedman known as consensus builder

USA Today ^ | 12/9/2002 | Thor Valdmanis

[ThePythonicCow]

NEW YORK

[ThePythonicCow]

Another positive article on Friedman ... let's hope he turns out to be a good pick.

[PhilWill]

I noted with interest the reference to the Bush administration's plan to promote another round of tax cuts as their response to our economic difficulties - this time $300 billion over 10 years.

It is interesting to note that we could save $250 billion per YEAR in compliance costs by replacing the tax code, and none of that savings would come out of the federal treasury. Some analysts have forecast that compliance costs will rise to $350 billion per year over the next couple of years, and if President Bush gets his wish for another round of tax cuts which complicate the Code even more, then that number can be adjusted upward again.

Somehow, I find it difficult to get excited about a $300 billion tax cut when last year's $1.3 trillion tax cut has proven so ineffective in stimulating the economy, especially when there is a much more promising alternative that this administration isn't pursuing.