Posted on 01/06/2015 3:25:46 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to incorporate macroeconomic projections into cost estimates for major legislation, a move that critics say could hide the true budgetary effects of tax cuts.
The move toward "dynamic scoring" is part of a package of new rules that passed on a 234-172 party-line vote as the new Republican-controlled Congress started its work.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
If implemented correctly you are right. Under Dynamic Scoring the 'Death Tax" makes no sense whatsoever. A classic example of the effect of "Static Scoring" was the 'Luxury Tax" which George Mitchell the Senator from Maine implemented and which subsequently killed the Maine boat building industry.
Ours was a 20 or so person working group drawn FRom many influential conservative groups Inside the Evil Beltway (ITEB).
Ah, those were heady days! We really thought we'd be able, what with the Republican takeover of Congress and all, to make a difference. Didn't work out that way -- though we had the ear of many Members, we were not influential enough to upset the old order, and the DS attempt failed.
Dynamic Scoring (DS) has never been used but it’s been tested against actual results.
And, invariably, as you note below, DS rings the bell! I used to be able to quote studies that clearly showed the benefits of DS as opposed to static scoring. Been too long ago, and the info is no longer in my head or my files.
I cannot remember the economist's name, either. But, back in the day, I had a couple of sit-downs with Arthur Laffer, the author of the Laffer Curve. The Laffer Curve discussion got the DS ball rolling.
One of the things I was busy with was HR 25, the FairTax microeconomic model as it applied to the MacDonald’s corporation supply chain when replacing the federal income tax with a consumption ‘with floor’ (rebate) tax at the consumer end (retail endpoint). The results showed vast superiority of the FairTax application across every metric.
When and where were you when you were working on HR 25? I was heavily involved with the FairTax FRom the get-go. I was an ITEB lobbyist for it until I moved to Flori-Duh in 2004.
By the time you got to WDC in 2006, I was out of the game, except for being a FairTax activist. HST, I gave testimony before the House Committee on Ways and Means on April 12, 2000. Leo was there, and testified, of course! What a day that was; Good Lord Willing and the Creeks don't rise, we'll have some more of those hearings in the near future!
. . . Upon returning to DC for meetings my JCT contact told me “things have changed in Washington”. He told me “people no longer care so much about what can be done for the nation as much as they care about what’s in it for them”. And it was true.
Your FRiend is absoFReepinglutely correct! The ITEB crowd care only for themselves. The game is about "Who Wins," and the guaranteed outcome is that We the People lose!
Please don't get me wrong -- I am not really that cynical, but after 9 years ITEB, and having observed WDC FRom Flori-Duh for 10 years, it appears to me that neither the Democrats nor the Republicans care a whit about We the People or the USA!
There are some good Congressmen and Senators, and my hope and prayer is that this Congress will realize that the most important thing for them to do is obey their oath to the US Constitution!
I'm not holding my breath!
The JCT and CBO political masters were more interested in closing in on the 300 Billion tax gap left by the underground economy to bring in more revenue to the federal government so that federal committees could have a bigger pie to grow their fiefdoms. It’s all about them; “Good of the Country” is not really a genuine consideration as much as it’s a marketing line for more budget inside committees. My JCT contact coached me that receptiveness of HR 25 could best be gained by angling on the underground economy effect. Of course I was advocating beneficial effects for consumers but found deaf ears.
Their rejection of FairTax ensures a vigorous and growing underground economy! Dumbasses!
When I addressed how the FairTax captured the underground economy, I was a hot commodity until Nancy Pelosi told Leo Linbeck Jr. that the FairTax would never pass no matter how good it was for the country.
Nancy is not the only CongressCritter to have that view!
I found in 2006 the republicans to be supportive of improvements and new efficiencies in government whereas democrats were intransigent. Today both parties are intransigent.
“What’s in it for me?” defines Washington DC today for both parties. The political parties truly act like what people call the ‘Uniparty’.
Well said!
That’s why you’ll see me writing here on FR about Article V and the Convention of States (COS) Project. More people are warming to COS especially given votes like yesterday’s Speaker vote.
I must confess to having mixed emotions about Article V and the Convention of States Project. HST, I have an open mind; I am most concerned about excessive LIEberal input. Do what you can to limit or eliminate LIEberal influence, please?
> “When and where were you when you were working on HR 25? I was heavily involved with the FairTax FRom the get-go. I was an ITEB lobbyist for it until I moved to Flori-Duh in 2004.”
With the legislation architects Mastromarco and Burton.
I will never give up on the FairTax for many reasons. One reason is that once someone ‘gets it’, it doesn’t leave them. It’s like lifting the smog in Pasadena and seeing the beautiful mountains for the first time. The impression never goes away. Another reason is that these kinds of movements can take decades. I tell people it took 51 years for the Federal Income Tax to become legal and constitutional (as bad a mistake as that was).
With respect to COS Project activities I would appreciate your feedback on the following two links of mine, thanks:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3244067/posts?page=38#38
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3240552/posts?page=122#122
At one time, I knew Dan and David very well. We (and many other, of course) worked on the NRST and the FairTax FRom 1995 until I left WDC in 2004. Smart guys — I hope they are doing well.
I fully concur with your smog analogy and the FairTax. I use the “51 years to get an income tax” argument often, myself, but I sure hope it doesn’t take us 51 years to get FairTax into law!
Obviously, you have put a lot of thought, time and effort into your COS Project.
The idea of term limits for Congressmen and Senators and of holding politicians accountable while they are in office as opposed to waiting for the next election cycle has much appeal to me. If you have a COS ping list, please put me on it.
> “If you have a COS ping list, please put me on it.”
My pleasure and welcome aboard. Publius please include Taxman on the ping list.
Taxman, when you get a chance I would strongly recommend you watch and study Mark Levin’s speech at the COS Project before ALEC:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdZuV8JnvvA
OKEYDOKEY!
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