Bush's tax policy fails the average American (College Campus Brainwashing Alert)

The Daily Campus (UCONN Student Newspaper) ^ | 11-07-03 | Kevin Saucer

[TaxRelief]

Letter to the Editor

After reading Greg Ehrhardt's letter to the editor titled, "Note to Democrats: The rich are here to stay," I was delighted someone finally pointed out many college students are deficient in their knowledge of economic issues.

My hope was that maybe Ehrhardt would have bothered to read a history book, or at least an economics book, before he wrote this response. As I read his letter, I felt a nauseous feeling in the pit of my stomach, and an overwhelming sense of impending doom that could only be caused by one thing: Republican rhetoric.

It seems the best defense for the Bush tax refund, according to Ehrhardt, is the theory of trickle down economics, or in its more familiar and offensive form: Reaganomics. The fundamental idea of Reaganomics is that, since the upper class pays more taxes, they should be given the larger percentage of the tax refund. The idea is that the rich will reinvest the money into their various business ventures and provide more jobs and wealth to the lower classes. However, Ronald Regan's economic policy not only failed in achieving its overall goal, but also caused a recession that hurt the American people for the better part of six years.

Now before the Ronald Reagan Fan Club pays me an unpleasant visit at 3 a.m., I would like to say that Reaganomics was not a complete and utter failure. Under Ronald Reagan, America saw millions of new jobs created for the unemployed. However, an estimated 90 percent of these jobs were minimum wage and nonliving wage jobs. After eight years of Ronald Reagan, America had more jobs than before, but the gap between the rich and the poor was the largest since the Depression.

This "class war" Ehrhardt is convinced Democrats are trying to start is nothing but hogwash. What Democrats, and most of America, are worried about is that Bush's tax refund is going to bleed billions of dollars out of the economy that could be better used in other areas. When the government gives back billions of dollars of the budget to the American people, it has to make up the difference somewhere, which means that many programs that people depend on are going to be reduced or eliminated all together.

Programs like Social Security, Medicare and Federal education grants are all going to feel the effect of Bush's "economic stimulus package."

In case any of the readers were wondering, when they look at their financial aid awards for next year, will they wonder where their Pell Grants went? Well they can thank President Bush, because one of the first programs slated for major reductions was the Federal Pell Grant Program.

If you think that is the only way the tax refund affects the average college student, think again. With Bush's tax plan, state aid is also going to be reduced, which means more state taxes and a tighter budget for you and your parents.

It means we are going to be paying more for fewer services here in Connecticut and that has many detrimental effects on campus. There is a reason why UConn's tuition rose $1,014 last year, and why it is going to rise again this year.

There is a reason why more than 80 members of the faculty retired or quit because of a statewide budget crunch. There is a reason why when students register for classes, they have fewer classes to choose from and have to stalk professors to get permission numbers for required classes. These problems can all be attributed to President Bush's tax plan.

The President felt it was more important my parents received a check for $400 than preserving federal aid programs, aid that would continue to keep tuition costs down and faculty employed. That $400 dollars does a lot of good when I have to pay an extra $1,000 to continue my education.

Much to Ehrhardt's disappointment, Democrats do not want to start a "class war." They want what every American family wants: An America where the government will provide the economic and social support that fosters personal, cultural and societal growth and a President who will not sell out the poor so a rich man can have another Lexus.

[TaxRelief]

There is one burning question that I could not get answered: Who are you, Kevin Saucer? Student? Faculty? Friend?

Well, Kevin, there are many reasons why UConn's tuition rose $1,014 last year, and why it is going to rise again this year.

Teacher's salaries cost is one of those reasons. In the real world, we all know that salaries in private business can only rise if productivity also rises. In the academic world, teachers can only increase productivity if they increase the number of student/class hours that they teach. But, because of unions, instead of increasing hours, they have decreased the number of student/class hours that they teach. Yet they still expect annual raises and increased benefit packages.

Well they can thank President Bush, because one of the first programs slated for major reductions was the Federal Pell Grant Program.

Federal 'cutbacks' are not one of the reasons. Pell Grants are distributed to more people every year, including imprisoned sex offenders as evidenced in the the St. Petersburg Times. There has been a rash of drastic increases in lateral subsidies from some students (and taxpayers) to others. YOU may now qualify less than someone else does.

Mr. Saucer erroneously states states that Federal funds have been reduced, but according to President Bush's radio address yesterday morning, "We boosted our request for Pell grants, which help adults of all ages pay for college, by 45 percent since I took office. And I've asked Congress to establish personal reemployment accounts for out-of-work Americans, to help them in their job search."

Another burning question might be: How many of these "letters" have there been sent to student publications across the country? It would be great if Freepers could keep watch on their Alma Maters or local campus papers for similar DNC propaganda.

More info the economics of tuition costs.

[TaxRelief]

Yahoo directory of Campus publications:

http://dir.yahoo.com/News_and_Media/College_and_University/Newspapers/By_Region/U_S__States/

[weegee]

Much to Ehrhardt's disappointment, Democrats do not want to start a "class war."

Too late. The Rats have already used class envy and race baiting to divide the nation.

[Thoro]

The fundamental idea of Reaganomics is that, since the upper class pays more taxes, they should be given the larger percentage of the tax refund.

But they weren't really. It's all in percentages, and in looking at what the percentages were before, and are now, if anything, the cut's been pretty even throughout the annual income scale. From 39 to 35 percent for the highest, and from 15 to 10 for the lowest.

[nothingnew]

The fundamental idea of Reaganomics is that, since the upper class pays more taxes, they should be given the larger percentage of the tax refund.

Wow! What a concept! Wow! What a socialist pig you are Saucer!

However, Ronald Regan's economic policy not only failed in achieving its overall goal, but also caused a recession that hurt the American people for the better part of six years.

Wow! What an ignorant A-Hole you are Saucer! Wow! How much money did your parents waste on your useless college education?

That $400 dollars does a lot of good when I have to pay an extra $1,000 to continue my education.

Wow! That's not an education sonny, that's $$$$ thrown down a RAT hole!

Much to Ehrhardt's disappointment, Democrats do not want to start a "class war."

Wow! They don't want to start a "class war" now...they started it years ago, you sniveling selfish sh*t-for-brains little socialist!......Wow!, did I just that?!

FMCDH

[TaxRelief]

President who will not sell out the poor so a rich man can have another Lexus.Class envy, then? Or was that an SUV jab?

My real concern is that college students may be eating this nonsense up.

[Brilliant]

I think the middle class needs a bigger tax cut. Too bad we can't get the Dems to support it. They roll out their middle class tax cut only when it's needed to offer a competing plan to what the Republicans might be proposing at the time, and once the Republican plan passes, the Dems put their "middle class tax cut" back in their bag of tricks and it doesn't see the light of day until the next time the Republicans propose a tax cut.

[TaxRelief]

Why don't we just go with a flat tax?

[stylin19a]

Someone needs to tell the author that:

It is not a "cut" in aid, when a propsed 8% increase is reduced to a 4% increase.

[TaxRelief]

It's this whole entitlement mentality. "Last year the government gave me X, so this year I'm entitled to it, too." So when the government passes him over and gives some of his grant to displaced workers or an ever increasing number of students with $0 income, he is a little bit put out and goes on a Reagonomics bashing rant.