Whattcha doin talkin' bout us high-brows?
Posted on 09/08/2011 12:49:10 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
In his continued effort to separate himself from the increasingly radical wing of the Republican Party, Presidential candidate Jon Huntsman continues to attack what he feels are extreme views from his own party. Recently, Huntsman took aim at Tea Party darling Sarah Palin's extreme view of the corporate income tax. The former Alaska governor, in an apparent attempt to remain relevant and in the news, argued this weekend that the United States should effectively lower the corporate tax burden to zero. Interestingly, her comments came at the same time that she attacked Rick Perry for his apparent connections to what she called "crony capitalism."
Huntsman accused Palin of an unrealistic approach to government revenue. While he noted that people would all love tax rates to go to zero, the adults in the room understand that there are basic functions of government that must be funded. Clearly, Huntsman has history and the Constitution on his side, as he can note the first power the Founding Father's gave to the United States Congress was the authority to tax. Huntsman, who has credibility as a fiscal conservative who led the state of Utah in prosperity and progress, acknowledges as Burkean conservatives do that "the revenue of the state is the state."
Huntsman certainly has ample reason to criticize the former governor on the idea of corporate taxations, as Palin's ideology has seemed to erase her memory of funding the government of Alaska with royalties from the oil industry. And, while he argues for lower taxes overall as a way to encourage prosperity, he is not naïvely portraying corporations as victims of burdensome regulation. While many in the GOP like Palin lament the 35 percent corporate tax rate, Huntsman acknowledges that the effective rate is below 17 percent because of corporate accounting skills, and he knows many Americans are aware of companies like GE who paid zero taxes despite more than a $100 billion dollars in revenue. Huntsman also acknowledges how corporations benefit from a strong infrastructure and safe society that allows them to do business.
Thus, despite the extreme swings in the GOP primary race, Huntsman remains the one pragmatic and rational conservative who understands the government still needs revenue to function. He argues that corporations have a responsibility to pay a fair share of taxes in exchange for the tremendous benefits they receive from functioning government. Corporations use the infrastructure that is maintained by the government. If he wanted, Huntsman could remind Palin that in the 1950s - during America's second greatest economic expansion - corporations provided as much as 30 percent of government revenues. Now, that percentage is down to 11 percent and inching toward single digits. In fact, many corporations already pay zero income taxes as a result of the generous deductions that riddle the tax code.
Thus, Sarah Palin continues to draw media coverage in anticipation of her announcing a presidential bid even as polls show 75 percent of American Republicans don't want her to run, and two-thirds of all Americans say they would never vote for her. So, while Huntsman is still only polling around 1 percent in the primaries, he's got nothing to lose in taking shots at truly naïve statements from Republican firebrands like the former Alaska governor.
Keep an eye on Huntsman.
To me, that was indicative of him being in politics to serve his self.
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I have to disagree with you there. I think looking into the camera is a good thing—like looking someone in the eye—as it telegraphs one’s sincerity. I don’t trust Perry, but I thought he looked very good last night.
AGW Jon should be sent packing. First of all it is not “anti-science” to question science and secondly AGW is sh-t science which sh-t for brains Huntsman can’t seem to wrap his arms around.
As for corporate income taxes, they are just another way that the government takes money from individuals unknowingly and redistributes it to the politicians favorite gimmee folk. Taxes are a cost of doing business to corporations that are passed along to their customers.
Hidden taxes on the citizenry suck and that’s what corporate taxes are.
At least, Romney comes off as a man; Huntsman is so unmanly, IMO.
LOL!
Apparently Huntsmans mom writes for this publication.
Whattcha doin talkin' bout us high-brows?
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