Connecticut proves that income tax no cure-all

The Tennessean ^ | June 25, 2002 | Tim Chavez

[tdadams]

By what's going on at their state Capitol, Tennessee taxpayers like Charles Brandt of Hendersonville think that Tennessee and Connecticut are much closer politically these days.

As July 1 approaches, budget deliberations here flirt more with shutting down state government as a last-ditch way that legislative leaders can force passage of an income tax.

[tdadams]

This is an analysis by Tim Chavez, the Tennessean newspaper's resident self-described liberal who edits the section "Equal Time: Defining conservatism in Tennessee."

[tdadams]

ping!

A lot of these tactics will sound very familiar to the Tennesseans here.

[goldstategop]

A Tennessee income tax would mean a higher tax burden down the road for Tennesseans along with the joys of a bloated and expensive state government. If you over there like that kind of future by all means buy the model called Connecticut.

[TheBigB]

That kills me...a liberal describing conservatism in TN. Apparantly the editors of the TENNESSEAN are saying to themselves, "What is this strange phenomenon known as conservatism? We don't know anyone who actually believes this stuff! We'd better have someone write about it, but we should use a liberal, becasue God knows how tough it would be to actually find one of these people in Tennessee."

[Rodney King]

What happened in CT is what will happen in TN. Once the income tax is passed, the government will go on the biggest spending spree of all time.

[Redbob]

I find it absolutely incredible that the Tennessean (The Nashville Tennessean!) has published an article that does NOT firmly endorse a tax!

I didn't think the Tennessean had EVER seen a tax proposal they didn't favor.

[RaceBannon]

Ah, the TAX Rally on the lawn of the Capitol building in 91...I remember it well...60 thousand of us, some say 75 thousand...and the media reports 12, 000...

I was there when Wieker entered the crowd an hour before the rally started. He claimed he was spit on. That is a lie, at least where he was in front of me, not a single person spit on him.

The best single act of defiance I saw there, as Wieker walked into the crowd, a man just stood still. Wieker tried to walk straight, but the man would not move. Wieker had to stop, then walk around him to continue. It was cool, the guy didn't plan it, he was just there, and that person-most-responsible-for-lying-to-the-connecticut population, Wieker, had to move for him!

[Jim Scott]

As A Connecticut resident who lived through the income tax drama and discontent here I can tell you that Lowell Weicker is a hated man by many in the Nutmeg state.

That aside, the politicians in TN will probably get their precious and longed-for income tax, as the CT Democrats did. Then, they'll spend like drunken sailors until they find income has dropped, 'fixed' state expenses have soared and a deficit looms. Then they'll want to 'expand' the tax, and eventually raise it, and so the socialism goes.

Get rid of liberal Democrat politicians or be doomed to tax, tax and more tax, Tennessee. Look to Connecticut to see your future.

[nothingnew]

Ah, the TAX Rally on the lawn of the Capitol building in 91...I remember it well...60 thousand of us, some say 75 thousand...and the media reports 12, 000...

Ah, yes. I was there too...remember the roar of the motorcycles coming into Hartford?

I was born and raised in CT...North Haven...I had been in and out of Ct for years, and had decided to move back for good when weicker pulled his lie off. That's when I moved out of CT FOR GOOD!

I still hate that lying SOB as much as I hate that other lying SOB LIEberman.

FMCDH

[Stingray51]

BTTT

[Teacher317]

Okay, now we know their game plan... the CT model. How do we stop it? I'm not in TN, but I'd love to help out in any way that I can.

[camle]

I said it before, I'll say it again: All an income tax is, is another pocket for the political class to pick.

[Constantine XIII]

Hey East TN Freepers! We're starting a new FR chapter for our region. Please visit this post:

http://www.freerepublic.com/fo cus/news/705694/posts

[GailA]

btt

[Morgan's Raider]

IIRC, a couple of years ago a bunch of these rat bastards actually flew to Connecticut to confer with their resident thieves as to how best lie, deceive, cheat, bully, scare, and generally scare Tennesseans into accepting an income tax.

The one saving grace we have had is that the Weikert tactic of vetoing budgets isn't as effective here; it only takes a 50%+1 vote here to override a veto by the Gub'ner as opposed to a 60% or 66% or whatever in Connecticut.

[tdadams]

You are correct, although I think it was only about a year ago. The advantage we Tennesseans have that those in Connecticut didn't have is the internet. Today, in Tennessee, a little stroll over to google.com reveals the political strategies, demogougery, and the predictable scare tactics that statist tyrants employ to pass oppressive and unconstitutional income taxes on the people of Tennessee.

Unfortunately, in 1991 our compatriots in CT weren't so fortunate as to have the transparency of their legislative leaders' motives so easily exposed and many were either deceived or caught off guard.

In this way, TN has a big advantage in that in this big poker game of a state income tax, we've already seen the hand that Naifeh, Rochelle, and Sundquist are holding.

I'm not folding. I'll see you're bluff and raise you, Don.