Posted on 01/11/2012 5:19:02 PM PST by marktwain
Continuing his full frontal assault on Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich (looking thoroughly befuddled by that thing he’s holding, above) lit into the a-little-too-perfectly coiffed former Massachusetts governor for raising taxes on guns by 400% when he was the Bay State executive. Sticklers for the truth that they are, guardian.co.uk points out that, “the ‘tax’ Gingrich refers to was in fact a fee on gun licenses that Romney raised in 2003 as part of his administration’s effort that year to scour the tax code for loopholes it could close and fees it could hike to close a budget deficit.” Thanks for that distinction without a difference. Tax or fee, the dollars still come out of gun owners’ pockets every time they buy a new boomstick or renew an existing license. And as we learned in Econ 101, that which is taxed is discouraged. . .
Imagine that – a Massachusetts governor raising taxes. Say it ain’t so, Joe. That’s almost as newsworthy as a politician lying. But the next primary’s coming up fast and Gingrich sees an opportunity.
“He raised taxes on owning a gun, a topic we will talk about a great deal in South Carolina, where they think registering a gun and having it taxed by the government is not a very clever idea,” Gingrich said yesterday in Manchester, N.H.
Meanwhile, Romney’s trying to be just as pedantic as the Guardian.
Romney has long argued that fees are not taxes because they are charged for specific services. But others, including gun owners in Massachusetts – who number about 200,000 – have rejected that distinction.“It’s a tax on our rights. Period,” (executive director of the Gun Owners Action League, James) Wallace said today.
Good luck making that case, Mitt.
This ain’t New Hampshire anymore ping!
Many politicians raise taxes under the guise of fees.
GO NEWT! Stop Mitt.
Newt should hit him on this BIG in the south. Southerners love their shotguns. Also, RIP him on Romneycare in Mass.
He will do what he can get away with and has no limiting principles.
” Southerners love their shotguns”
Yes Maam.
“Romney has long argued that fees are not taxes”
Liar
He’s just doing what Obama would have done...
Dont like Newt anymore. He is sleezy, awful greasy politician. I used to like him, but know he is vile.
What a creepy politician he has become.
Dont like Newt anymore. He is sleezy, awful greasy politician. I used to like him, but now he is vile.
What a creepy politician he has become.
Newt needs to start hammering Obama right now. He needs to give people a reason to vote for him, as opposed to not voting for Mitt. If he continues to come off so negative in everything he does, it’s not going to help him outside of a few folks.
And then crowed about it in the press.
Romney signs off on permanent assault weapons ban"Deadly assault weapons have no place in Massachusetts," Romney said, at a bill signing ceremony on July 1... "These guns are not made for recreation or self-defense. They are instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people."
And that statement right there should permanently disqualify him for any elected or appointed office in the US, regardless of his “electability”.
You betcha.
Guns should be tax exempt under the 2nd amendment. It is like taxing speech.
I can prove you're exactly right, constitutionally-speaking:
"No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any state, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof." -- Fourteenth Amendment, Section 3"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." -- Second Amendment
Good call Newt.
Keep em coming.
They are instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people.”
He says that like it’s a bad thing...
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