Dec 29 2012

Please, Let’s Try Out The Clinton Tax Rates

Published by at 11:42 am under 2013 Fiscal Cliff,All General Discussions

Finally, someone has articulated the sanity behind embracing the so-called fiscal cliff:

Don’t get me wrong: It would be better not to raise taxes on anyone, pursue pro-growth tax reform and cut the size of government instead. But that’s not what the American people voted to do last month. Americans cast their ballots for big government.

Now it’s time to pay for it.

Until now, the growth of government under President Obama has not hit the pocketbooks of most Americans. During Obama’s first term, federal spending grew to more than 24 percent of GDP — the highest it has been since 1946. Yet almost no one in the country (except smokers and those who frequent indoor tanning salons) saw their taxes rise. Quite the opposite: 160 million Americans saw their payroll taxes reduced from 6.2 to 4.2 percent.

How can we expect people to care about the growth of government if it doesn’t cost them anything?

Ideally, we would stop the spending binge and live within our means. But if the nation is not up to that, then we should all pitch in and pay for it — all of us.

Extending the tax cuts also shielded Americans from the costs of Obama’s spending spree. Shopping on a credit card is fun until the bill comes due. But if the bill never arrives, what incentive do people have to stop the spending?

And if it does not cost ‘us’ the 2012 voters, then we know who it will cost – and dearly:

More here at National Review

3 responses so far

3 Responses to “Please, Let’s Try Out The Clinton Tax Rates”

  1. kathie says:

    I totally agree!
    It is total crap that the successful are not paying their fair share!

  2. […] As I noted over the weekend, the best medicine right now for an electorate addicted to ‘big-government for free’ is a healthy dose of fiscal responsibility. Here is a quote from an excellent piece that captures the madness of a GOP compromise: Ideally, we would stop the spending binge and live within our means. But if the nation is not up to that, then we should all pitch in and pay for it — all of us. […]

  3. […] It is time to “Serve The Check”: Until now, the growth of government under President Obama has not hit the pocketbooks of most Americans. During Obama’s first term, federal spending grew to more than 24 percent of GDP — the highest it has been since 1946. Yet almost no one in the country (except smokers and those who frequent indoor tanning salons) saw their taxes rise. Quite the opposite: 160 million Americans saw their payroll taxes reduced from 6.2 to 4.2 percent. […]