Posted on 09/07/2007 9:21:53 AM PDT by .cnI redruM
Senator Clinton’s favorite “Conservative” Bruce Bartlett has dug his way to the bottom. It seems he doesn’t like the idea of Candidate Fred Thompson’s National Sales Tax proposal and has no scruples about using it’s previous endorsement by The Church of Scientology as a bludgeon to attack Thompson’s start-up campaign.
Like Scott Thomas Beauchamp, Bartlett has authored a disingenuous piece of fiction for The New Republic. Like Scott Thomas Beauchamp’s Shock Troops diary, the piece reeks of being a cheap, unfair smear job.
Bartlett released his sewage in hopes of ruining Republican Candidate Fred Thompson’s entry into the GOP nomination battle. He missed and successfully trashed what little reputation he has left for being a fair-minded and intelligent observer. He titles his article Fred Thompson channels L. Ron Hubbard. Dianetics, the Tax Plan. His opening paragraph oozes obnoxious, self-satisfied contempt.
The basic theological tenets of the Church of Scientology are well known: a fanatical hatred for psychiatry coupled with a creation myth that involves an evil alien ruler named Xenu and his sundry galactic allies. The basic tenets of its tax policy are somewhat less familiar. But Scientologists promulgated and, at one point, heavily promoted a proposal that would replace all federal income taxes with a national retail sales tax (NRST). And the theology and tax policy aren't entirely unrelated: Xenu used phony tax inspections as a guise for destroying his enemies.
He then complains that he gets too much grief from other people for offering smear jobs. Like his new favorite presidential candidate, he insults his opposition and then complains that they are all too mean to him. Oh, and while he’s at it, he continues throwing mud by claiming that they are all ignorant. Poor, little Bruce Bartlett.
But, when you mention any hint of the nexus between Scientology and the NRST--as I did briefly in a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed--you'll be denounced by FairTax supporters as a smear artist. This retort, however, is simply evidence that these FairTax supporters don't know the history of their own proposal. That's too bad. Perhaps if they understood its origins in Scientology, they might have a greater appreciation for its inherent flaws.
Then, after complaining about being poor-mouthed by all those thin-skinned, sensitive people who don’t appreciate being compared to L. Ron Hoover and The First Church of Applientology, Bartlett denies he meant to give offense. He was just kidding, guys. The whole Scientology thing was just a gag.
The reason I brought up the Scientology connection in the first place was not to create guilt by association. Rather, it was to explain that cats had one very specific goal: the abolition of the Internal Revenue Service. Anything else that the NRST might accomplish was entirely secondary. And, in the rush to rid the world of the IRS, the plan's authors neglected some important details, not to mention some key facts.
He then goes on to offer up a dollop of economic reasoning as to why he’s no fan of The National Retail Sales Tax. He feels that it is deceptively calculated and it wouldn’t do what its authors claim it would. Fair enough, I personally haven’t decided whether I like the NRST either. I’d like to hear more about this idea before I agree that it truly is a Fair Tax Plan.
Making my mind up about Bruce Bartlett is nowhere near as difficult. I’ve got plenty of data regarding him, and none of it paints a pretty picture. The man has become embittered against the GOP and will climb into the gutter to smear any Republican that gets within range of his slime-chucking apparatus.
At one time, in the recent past, Bruce Bartlett was considered a credible authority in the field of economics. Regrettably, like Paul Krugman of the New York Times, he decided to become a liberal political partisan while still claiming to be a deeply intellectual economic thinker. Perhaps that’s why Bartlett now writes for The New Republic, instead of being considered a reputable intellect.
When did Thompson come out in favor of the “fair tax” aka national retail sales tax?
Yep. I’ll take Cletus over his kind of sophisticate.
Bruce Bartlett on the Value-Added Tax
After reading this article, the only possible conclusion is that Bartlett has suffered some sort of brain injury or he is seriously impaired by mind-altering chemicals. He makes the literally insane assertion that even if a VAT is added as a new tax, without replacing any existing tax, the total amount of taxes collected does not go up. You can't make that kind of thing up.
Based on a FRAUDULANT fairtax video which the Thompson campaign has denied. Thompson is for a Flat Tax as he has publicly stated.
Fairtaxers need to quite repeating this lie.
He most definitely did not, but Fairtaxers like to repeat lies until they believe them.
An honest person would fix their mistake. Oh well.
Dear Leo:
I've appreciated seeing the Fair Tax folks when I'm out on the road, as well as their enthusiasm when they've come to my events. Although I wish they'd get my good side when they roll their cameras!
My staff and I have been working with Americans for Fair Taxation for some time now. We share the same belief that the next President should enact a fundamental overhaul of the tax code that makes it fairer, simpler, and more pro-growth. There are a number of ways to do that, and over the years I've looked at many of them.
Congress must begin a serious consideration of real fundamental tax reform, rather than nibbling around the edges. I think the principles and ideas found in the Fair Tax are a good place to start, particularly given the grassroots support it enjoys across the country.
Good luck in Iowa this weekend!
Regards,
Fred Thompson
That is not an endorsement of the fairtax. Fred is in favor of comprehensive reform of the tax code, but has never came out and endorsed the fairtax specifically. Saying something is 'a good place to start' strongly implies you have some reservations about the proposal. To try to twist 'a good place to start' into being a fairtax supporter is a lie.
Also, the fairtax video where Fred supposedly endorsed the fairtax is a fraud. Watch it. The video is edited. The guy is standing alone and you can hear his question crystal clear. Then when they cut back, the same guy is sounded my numerous people on each side and a camera man behind him. In the real time video there is some kook screaming about CFR who had to be taken away by security and there was no way Fred even heard what the guy said. I've even seen a real time video of the different camera and it is completely different then what the fairtax organization fraudulently edited in.
To be straight up and honest with you, I am very disturbed and upset by what Bartlett said, especially since, I have talked to him, he was one of the very few people, that actually responded by e-mail to questions I asked, and never (I have not talked to him recently) dodged me, giving straight forward honest (thought I did disagree) answers.
I do not know how much he has changed, or if he changed his policies, but e-mail him, and ask him honest straight forward questions, I am curious, to see how he answers, he always gave me (whom he does NOT know, and NEVER met, straight answers).
Its part of why I respected him, he also was great at supporting supply side economics, and giving him opinion, and was never hostile, disrespectful, or nasty when disagreed with.
Though I have to note, he was wrong on who would be the president of the world bank.......but he did agree my choice was the better person.
Post #12 should be post #13.
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