A Dime's Worth Of Difference? (Liberal Republicans Say "NON!" To Tax Cuts)

OpinionJournal.com ^ | 7/11/04 | Pete Du Pont

[goldstategop]

An important and serious argument is going on in Washington about whether taxes on Americans' incomes should stay where they are or dramatically rise, and whether government spending should continue its accelerating growth. We know what Democrats think. They despise tax cuts and believe government spending should be higher. Washington Republicans, on the other hand, are unsure of themselves. They used to be for lower taxes and smaller government; now they seem to want bigger spending even if it means higher taxes, abandoning Reagan conservatism for '60s liberalism. In other words, this is a battle for the heart of the Republican Party; the outcome matters, and it seems to be in doubt. With the help of three liberal Republicans (Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine and Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island), and one who should know better (John McCain of Arizona), the Senate, with 51 votes, adopted a rule that if passed in the House will end all the Bush tax cuts and ensure that no new ones are enacted.

[jnarcus]

The 1986 Tax Reform bill RAISED taxes...or don't you remember that? Sure Reagan agreed to raise taxes because ccongress promised to cut spending but Reagan was ROLLED...they spent more than they cut and the taxes were still higher than after the first cuts...

[Petronski]

Hey, who needs a ping list? You've got the
"Posse-matic 5000 Series" beeper from Motorola:

...you know, for calling the posse...

;O)

[exnavy]

Someone in DC had better figure real soon how to eliminate income taxes, or face the very real posibility of revolution.

[Tamzee]

Oh, you are SO right :-)

All the flak we've been seeing about Arnold speaking at the convention will be well worth it... for the tushes it will tweak LOL

[Tax Government]

Look. I will turn off my light saber if you turn off yours.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

So that's what I felt vibrating in my pocket.

[goldstategop]

I think he meant decrease. I don't know if Du Pont goofed or if the editors did.

[Petronski]

Yeah, that's what it was. Of course.

[b9]

Well Howdy!
Yes, I'm definately leaning toward going. Will know for sure in a couple days.
Thanks for asking.

[onyx]

Posse heck!
If we're called all at once,
we are the calvary!

Nite yall.

[onyx]

:)

[Petronski]

Er, cavalry (horses), not calvary (crosses), right?


;O)

[Tamzee]

A great column on the Patriot Act :-)

Patriot Act's bum rap - by Edwin Meese II

[jnarcus]

And where did you get your master's degree and what was it in? Yeah that's what I thought...

[Reagan Man]

>>>The 1986 Tax Reform bill RAISED taxes...or don't you remember that?

Reagan lowered income taxes in both 1981 and 1986. That was my point.

Let's not forget, PresReagan's first priority in 1981 was to get the economy moving again and start to rebuild America's military. America was in the midst of the worse economic times since the Great Depression and the Cold War was still raging strong. Reagan worked together with Tip O'Neill and Bob Dole to give American workers some real tax reform. The first round of tax cuts that Reagan signed into law, were of critical importance to reducing interest rates, inflation and unemployment. Reagan's early tax cuts totaled a 25% marginal tax rate reduction, (Reagan wanted 30%) across the board. Those tax cuts stimulated spending, investment and savings, and fueled an economic recovery that lasted until 2000! The highest tax rates went from 70% to 50%. Reagan's 1986 Tax Reform Act would bring that 50% top rate, down to 28%.

[jnarcus]

Hey your nasty comments are totally uncalled for.

[nopardons]

Oh gee...........a damned goldbug,who has absolutely no comprehension of economics.

Look,I know,I know,next comes all that codswallop about "fiat" money,but the fact of the matter is,anything and just about everything has been used for and as a backing of money.Heck,at one time and it wasn't all that long ago,China and some countries in Europe used salt, SALT,not gold, because salt,common,everyday salt,was worth far more than gold.

Gold is NOT the be all and end all.Our money was in more flux,when we were on a gold standard than it is today.And actual gold coins,have ALWAYS been easier to play around with/devalue than paper money is to replicate.

[jnarcus]

Ain't that the truth...wiser words have never been spoken ( or written)

[Tamzee]

Posse-matic! ROFL

And looks like it would fit right into my holster ;-)

[Steel Wolf]

With Bush, the democrats propose a 20% increase...he asks for 10%, and considers it a "victory" when we "only" get a 12.5% annual increase in government. He is no conservative.

Okay, this is what I fail to understand.

Imagine you are in an airplane that is about to crash. You have enough time before it does to grab one item and jump out. Which would you take?

A ratty old parachute (Bush)
A fine French bedsheet that sorta looks like a parachute (Kerry)
A sales brochure for the perfect parachute (third party)

Because, brother, those are your options.

I'm not thrilled with Bush's mile wide spendaholic streak. There are social issues I wish he was stronger on. I wish our rules of engagement in fighting terrorism weren't so PC. In fact, there are a number of things that I don't agree with him on.

But to sit around and focus on what I don't like misses the big picture just the same as sitting around pointing out flaws in the ratty parachute. We shouldn't let the perfect become the enemy of the good. There are real consequences to face if we fail.