Italian Government OKs Income Tax Cuts (pushed by Berlusconi)

ROME - The Italian government approved $8.6 billion in tax cuts for 2005 Saturday, state radio reported, ending partisan debate that at one point had prompted Premier Silvio Berlusconi to threaten to resign.

Opposition parties slammed the cuts approved by Berlusconi's Cabinet in the early hours Saturday, arguing they will unfairly favor the rich and will be canceled out by tax hikes in other areas.

Berlusconi, who had pleged to cut income taxes before the next election, had reportedly resolved rifts over the plan earlier in the week. But he threatened to step down amid continuing disagreements over the package.

Many of Berlusconi's political allies had argued that the cuts should be postponed until 2006, saying that Italy's huge debt would not allow for them sooner.

Sources of funding for the tax cuts include a public sector hiring freeze and an increase in cigarette taxess, the financial daily Il Sole-24 Ore reported.

Italy is trying to contain its budget deficit and keep it within the limit of 3 percent of gross domestic product set by the European Union (news - web sites).

Though sharply critical of what he has called "rigid" EU rules, Berlusconi has said he will stick by them.

Though sharply critical of what he has called "rigid" EU rules, Berlusconi has said he will stick by them

THe Euro is inflated and is in the Crapper. Frnace and Germany's economy is headed for the Crapper too. Burlusconi is the only sensible one in the government. He cut taxes just like Bush ( OUR STUPID PRESIDENT) did, now watch the Italian economy jump. Berlusconi said he was considering having another vote to remove Italy from the EU, because of the RIGID rules of the EU.

He's the real thing. He is the West's greatest defender against the depredations and encroachments of Islamofascism, he is a militant expounder of western civilization and its values, he wants Christianity in the EU constitution, he wants all alqaida stomped out. He loves and defends Israel and he absolutely viscerally despises the eurocrats of Brussels, openly calling them 'slugs.' He's Italy's Reagan and now he's got tax cuts to prove it, too. That man is going to transform the face of Europe.

I like Berlusconi. He's a rare true conservative in a land of far-leftists (Europe), and he's seemingly trying with all of his might to save Italy from the Islamo-Fascism and socialist economic corruption currently pulling the rest of Europe under water.

He Cuts the people's taxes, fights Terror and Muslim extremism, promotes business interests for economic expansion, and has a backbone with which to fight for these things against his imbecilic opponents--a man to admire for sure.

If Silvio weren't an Italian, I'd run him for the Republican nomination in '08.

Berlusconi is a true conservative and capitalist -- with a lot of courage of his convictions too.

Here is a genaral bio:

http://www.governo.it/Presidente/Biografia/biografiaen.html

He is a self made billionaire -- but don't confuse him with Soros.

http://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/10/2002/LIR.jhtml?passListId=10&passYear=2002&passListType=Person&uniqueId=EEPT&datatype=Person

Here is a good article about Berlusconi, in the National Review. This will help you get a better idea of him.

July 2, 2003, 9:30 a.m.
Berlusconi, che Bello!
A freedom fighter takes the EU helm.

http://www.nationalreview.com/ledeen/ledeen070203.asp

Along with Spanish President Aznar, Berlusconi has led the "Coalition of the willing," broken with the anti-American Franco-German axis, and established a special relationship with George W. Bush (and Tony Blair) that leaves other European leaders surprised and envious. Later this month, he will fly to Crawford, Texas, to deepen his already strong personal friendship with the Bushes, and further annoy those who consider themselves the only legitimate European factotums.

I think the biggest reason for the near-unanimous attack on Berlusconi is that he's often had the courage to speak the truth when the rest of the Eurocrats were cowering behind the conventional wisdom. Two examples stand out. The first was at a European conference shortly after 9/11, when Berlusconi said that Western civilization was clearly superior to the Islamic version. We had freedoms that they did not, we were tolerant and they were not, and we were more creative and more wealthy and more productive. The roof fell in, he was written off as a hopeless paleolith, and he even backed off somewhat.

The second example took place a couple of weeks ago, when he went to Israel and, faced with the usual choice, opted to meet with Sharon instead of Arafat. Not only, but he signed a defense agreement with the Israelis, and then permitted himself a bon mot at the expense of Chirac. Berlusconi had nothing good to say about Palestinian terrorism, and noted that Chirac, by siding with the Palestinians, had "missed a good occasion to remain silent." It will be recalled that Chirac had blasted the "new" European countries for supporting the United States before Operation Iraqi Freedom, and had tried to intimidate the Central Europeans by saying they had missed the opportunity to shut up.

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