No new taxes. It’s all about personal responsibility. Ensign and Sanford for 2012!

I couldnt agree more. Now get all those lazy asses out there and get a job. Stop all the SSI payments to perfectly healthy people. When one part of the population sits on the butts and expects the other part to pay their way then there is something very wrong here.

However, I dont think you letter was meant as I answered.

So, I will answer this the way you meant the letter. Just how much do you think the producers should pay in taxes to pay for the lazy asses who refuse to work?

We are taxed beyond belief right now so I totally agree, NO NEW TAXES!

—Typical liberal perspective on economics. R.H. and others who think like him believe in the “zero-sum-gain” theory of economics. That in order for one person to make MORE money, somebody else has to do with less.

—This is flawed and typically liberal thinking. There is no determinedly
exact pot of money somewhere that folks derive income from, and pay off to others as needs be. The money supply is in constant flux. When the economy grows, there is more supply, when the economy contracts, there is less supply. Therefore it is incumbent on the “free-markets” to be allowed to run unencumbered by things that contract the economy.

—When Reagan lowered the nominal tax rates, dems said the tax-base would
be aversely effected. The opposite occurred. The economy expanded due to more money supply chasing product, and the revenues to the treasury doubled, despite lower tax rates.

—Business expanded, investors dumped a lot of their tax-sheltered holdings, and invested in new business. The economy grew even larger as more dollars chased more product. The tax base grew some more though people were paying less in taxes proportionate to previous economies.

—Simply, a smaller piece of a large pie feeds people more than a larger piece of a small pie.

—Libs have been trying to sell this tripe for decades. Is this because they are ignorant of economic theory, or perhaps something more sinister?

debunk,

If Reagan’s 1981 tax cuts were working so well why did he raise tax in 1982 and 1983? By the end of Reagan’s 2nd term marginal tax rates were higher than when he took office.

bunk!

debunk,

Are you saying that Reagan did not raise taxes in 1982 & 1983? Are you to stand on that position?

I have a slightly different perspective on this: In the name of “no new taxes”, “fees” of all kinds have been increased, some quite dramatically.

Here’s my statement: no matter what you call it, if money comes out of my pocket into the hands of a government agent, it is a TAX. Whether it’s for a driver’s license, admission to a park, a building permit, or feeding a parking meter, it is a TAX.

Personally, I’d rather see all those fees (and the administrative BS that goes with them) vanish and have a clearly stated and understood general tax instead. What we’ve done is create a system of targeted taxes and fees that are so narrowly focused and/or regressive to the max that we really don’t know WHAT our true tax burden is.

By the way, I remember the Reagan years as well: every time taxes were “cut”, within a year, my take home pay went down to below what it was before the round of cuts. They cut the income tax in ‘82, and I believe it was the next year they doubled the FICA tax, and my net pay went down. Again, a tax is a tax is a tax is a fee is a license.

Keyword…nominal.

The highest rates were over 70% under Carter. Semantic games are for subversives or children, Smith. Which are you?

Tell me again how Reagan raised the NOMINAL, or average rates.

“Personal responsibility extends beyond ourselves.” I think that’s called a contradiction. Altruism has brought this mess on us, our taxes that are supposed to cover the services you mention have been looted away into welfare.

No new taxes? How about no taxes at all?

We haven’t tried anarchy, yet. It could be fun.