Profound irresponsibility redux

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 3/5/9 | Debra J. Saunders

[SmithL]

Twenty-five years after 1984, Doublespeak lives. Last week, President Obama released "A New Era of Responsibility, Renewing America's Promise" - a 10-year $3.55 trillion spending plan that represented anything but fiscal maturity. The plan lamented the World Before Obama as "an era of profound irresponsibility" - with deficit spending and unfunded tax cuts. Then it offered more deficit spending and unfunded tax cuts.

Oh yes, and after years of Democrats trashing President George W. Bush for cutting taxes while America is at war - the New Responsibility Democrat wants his proposed tax cut for 95 percent of working families - while America is at war in Iraq and Afghanistan - to be permanent.

It's not that cutting taxes in itself is bad, but it is hardly responsible to tell Americans that they can benefit from more than $1 trillion in new government spending (when you add his stimulus and recent budgets) - and the best part is, only other people will pay for it.

Last year, Tax Foundation president Scott A. Hodge estimated that under current law, 47 million federal tax filers, or 33 percent of filing households would owe zero on their federal income taxes in 2009. Under Plan Obama, he calculated, 63 million filers - or 44 percent - would pay zero in federal income taxes - although they would contribute to Social Security and may pay sales tax. (Republican John McCain's plan was not substantially different: Hodge estimated that under Plan McCain, 43 percent of filers would pay no income tax.)

The 44 percent estimate did not include the 15 million individuals and families that simply did not file returns in 2006. Add them with the zero-income-tax filers and the ratio of American households paying no federal income taxes is about half.

[mnehring]

We got yo money! Woo Hoo.. who needs responsibility?

[Blood of Tyrants]

The Rats’ plan is to get more people riding on the gravy train than pulling it. Once that happens, they can jam anything they want down the throats of the few people still paying the taxes.

[Thrownatbirth]

"Who said that? Did I say that?"

[Sgt_Schultze]

The likely reality is that Zero's realized deficit will be substantially larger than his proposed one. One has to suppose that tax receipts from many millions of newly unemployed will diminish. We will likewise see much lower tax receipts from no longer profitable companies. Capital gains taxes? Who has a gain? Raising spending at this time is risky stupid. Republicans should be preparing to attack Zero's underestimated deficit. They should raise the spectre of a $2.5 - $2.9 trillion deficit instead of the $1.9 promised. Relying on the untested agitator is a recipe for disaster.

[Bobalu]

[Bobalu]

Now that’s a great animated gif! :-)