Posted on 12/25/2010 3:56:38 PM PST by rabscuttle385
George Orwell warned us about the use of “meaningless words” in politics, words that are endlessly repeated by sloganeering politicians until they have no meaning at all. Meaningless words certainly were on display during last week’s congressional debate over the latest tax bill.
Over and over again we heard trite, empty phrases like “tax cuts for the wealthiest 2%,” “tax giveaways,” “tax earmarks,” and “borrowing money to give to millionaires.” Time and time again the same falsehoods were presented as fact, and reported as such by a credulous media.
But all of these clichés about taxes are based on the presumption that government has a right to all of your income, and so government “gives” you something when it allows you to keep a portion of that income. To this mindset, tax cuts represent a “cost” to government. After all, they argue, money that really ought to go to the most noble of purposes-- wealth redistribution via taxation--is being kept by greedy people and corporations who just don’t want to pay their fair share.
Far too many Americans truly believe that tax cuts represent a government giveaway, indistinguishable from an outright subsidy or entitlement payment. To combat this mindset, we need to be clear with our language.
A subsidy, properly understood, occurs when government takes tax dollars and gives them to favored individuals, companies, or industries. A tax cut, by contrast, simply means government takes less from an individual, company, or industry. When government takes less from you, it has not given you anything; it merely has harmed you less. This is the critical distinction that has been lost in the endless, tired debate about tax policy.
Of course the bill passed last week did contain some actual spending, mostly in the form of an extension of unemployment benefits for another 13 months. The total spending in the bill amounted to about $60 billion. But the tax savings in the bill, meaning the amount of money that will remain in the hands of taxpayers rather than being sent to Washington, is approximately $850 billion. So while a clean tax bill certainly would have been preferable, the tax relief it contains is significant. It means $850 billion will be spent, saved, or invested by American citizens rather than being sent into the black hole known as the federal treasury.
The media, however, dutifully reported that opposition to the bill came from concerned members of Congress who felt the $850 billion “cost” of the bill was too high, and would add too much to the deficit. As always, they could not distinguish between government giving and government taking away. The American people already pay plenty in federal taxes; the deficit is the result of a spending problem, not a revenue problem.
Had the bill not passed, millions of Americans would have seen their paychecks shrink in January due to increased tax withholding. That is the plain and simple truth, and that is why I voted for the bill.
Ron Paul? THE Ron Paul? In the freakin’ White House? THE Ron Paul????? No thank you.
I will fight evil and liberals, wherever I find them. Gee, I wonder why “Dr. Paul” can not even get 10% of the GOP vote let alone being handed the white house? CLUE: Most of us think he is NUTS!
As opposed to Obama being in the white house? I am not too certain that their political views are that far apart....
Wonder what they have in common?
Surrender monkeys?
911 “Truthers”?
A lot of years have passed since I was last in Houston, but things must have really changed there. I can not imagine that the people I knew in Houston back then would seriously vote for “Dr. Paul”. The people I met, way back then, were conservatives- Not Pretenders!
When “Dr. Paul” becomes a conservative, you be sure to come back and talk to us. Oh, and tell him next time he tries to run for the white house, Dennis is probably not the best running mate??
The GREAT “Dr. Paul”. And his ‘lil Nazi supporters. The story just goes on and on..................
Tax cuts are irrelevant. If anything, we need to RAISE taxes. The only thing that counts is CUTTING SPENDING!
How sad that Ron Paul, the most libertarian guy in Washington, doesn’t understand that. We’re DOOMED! :-(
SNIFF!
Your argument is unassailable.
Oh, wait, you didn’t bother to make one.
How is it rabs that you can despise RINOs and still buddy up with ron paul? That kook endorses code pinko fags and espouses all their flag burning traitor BS. He has a large following of scorched earth libertarian (liberal) dope, sodomy and abortion activists who march lockstep with the hard core leftists. And he would seek advise from Kookcinich on every move, wouldn’t surprise me the least bit if he picked dennis the menace for a running mate.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.