Tennessean: Pro-tax crowd gains in number

The Tennessean ^ | June 20, 2002 | CHRISTIAN BOTTORFF and EDITH WRIGHT

[tdadams]

The crowd of pro-income tax demonstrators grew yesterday from last month's protests and the size of the crowd protesting against an income tax shrunk, but tax opponents predicted a larger turnout today when lawmakers return for floor sessions at 10 and 11 a.m.

[tdadams]

The Tennessean is such a joke. The anti-tax protesters have numbered in the hundreds consistently, and in the thousands on occassion, and the Tennessean apparently failed to notice at the time.

Now, the pro income tax crowd manages to round up about 10 or so protesters (mostly students and retirees who don't have an income to tax) and the Tennessean writes it up as if the tide is turning in favor of an income tax.

But then anyone who expects unbiased reporting from the Tennessean probably still believes in the Easter Bunny.

[steve-b]

About 40 tax supporters congregated, many in lawn chairs

"If they raise taxes high enough, the gummit can buy me one of them Sedgeway things and I'll never have to move under my own power again...."

[mewzilla]

Someone in Tennessee should take a page from Gov. Huckabee in Arkansas and start a Tax Me More Fund. I suspect the results would be both entertaining and enlightening.

[MrB]

''We want a fair tax,'' said Judith Ruskin of Nashville. ''It should be based on income instead of consumption.''

Pure ignorance. These people need to get a handle on Basic Economics.

Easy concept - Punish (tax) something, you get less of it.
Reward / subsidize something (welfare), you get more of it.

Tax income (success) - you get fewer achievers.
Subsidize laziness, ignorance, and out of wedlock births - wow, you get more of them.

[xzins]

''We want a fair tax,'' said Judith Ruskin of Nashville. ''It should be based on income instead of consumption.''

It is sheer idiocy to believe that an income tax is more fair than a consumption tax. Under a consumption tax everyone can desire what and how much they wish to consume. When they consume they are all taxed at the same FAIR rate.

Under an income tax many incomes will be excluded which isn't fair. Also, individuals will have their gross income taxed while businesses will have their net income taxed. Then there will be incentives introduced, deductions introduced, and changes introduced.

AND, they will keep a consumption tax and all other taxes in place IN ADDITION TO an income tax.

The sheer idiocy of the above statement is mind-boggling.

[tdadams]

ping

[Blood of Tyrants]

Where are the pro-taxers today? There are ZERO pro-taxers out there.

[tdadams]

Absolutely. The pro income tax people want to deny what is economic reality... a consumption tax is the fairest of all. Wealthier people with more disposable income spend more and so pay more tax. The sales tax a wealthy person pays on his car is more than a lower income person might pay for their whole car.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Yesterday some communist nitwit was debating with Steve Gill about the income tax as it being "fairer" way to tax. When Gill asked her why it was fair for half of the people to pay ALL of the federal income tax and half of the people to pay NONE, she tried to claim that they weren't talking about the federal income tax. As if the people paying federal income tax were from some other planet.

[TheBigB]

What about the Easter Bunny? ;)

NO INCOME TAX!!!

[Kermit]

"Jason Bell, spokesman for Tennesseans for Fair Taxation"

Let's tell it like it is: Tennesseans for MORE Taxation. There is nothing FAIR about any taxes, it is the forced taking of property, ie theft.

[Lancey Howard]

Also basic politics:

Unproductive failures on welfare tend to vote Democrat.
Successful, hard-working achievers tend to vote Republican.

Which kind of people do Democrats want more of?
Which kind of people do Republicans want more of?
This is not rocket science.

[skeeter]

The crowd of pro-income tax demonstrators grew yesterday from last month's protests and the size of the crowd protesting against an income tax shrunk

Without a doubt the crudest example of 'bandwagon' reporting I've ever seen. Does the Tennessean really think this kind of reporting will sway people?

[MrB]

Unproductive failures on welfare tend to vote Democrat

I also noticed in the article that the pro-tax folks sat around in lawn chairs, taking up space. The anti-tax people were active.
What an apt representation of the two sides.

[Dialup Llama]

The number of pro-taxers will soon be reduced by one because of that state legislator who was arrested for exposing himself at a hotel pool.

[TennTuxedo]

Steve Gill reported that it will take at least 30 days for the Sullivan County Commission to name a successor to Westmoreland's seat. The budget must be in place well before that time. So, yes, the pro-IT side lost a vote.

[Indrid Cold]

They used to do this in Minnesota all the time, after the people had resoundingly (and repeatedly) voted "NO" on public funding for a new stadium. The legislature just kept voting on it until the opposed got tired and went home. "Would you like it in a box? Would you like it with a fox? Would you like it on a train? Would you like it in the rain?"

[GailA]

Sen Jeff Miller tired it...no takers.