January 27, 2012
After watching the State of the Union address it was clear that a major theme was that things would be great if only those darned millionaires and billionaires would just pay their fair share. I have many problems with this, not the least of which being the President’s implied definition of “fairness” and his assertion that a higher tax rate is what we need to get our finances in order. For the life of me I can’t understand what brings them to this conclusion.
Our Federal government has run a deficit every year, for the past 50 years; Through Democrat controlled, Republican controlled and split governments! This includes eras of both high tax and low tax, with the highest income tax rate in this era being 91% (1946-1963) and the highest effective capital gains tax rate in this era being 25% (1996)! Through these periods of both extraordinarily high tax, and relatively low taxes, the deficits continued and the national debt grew!
Our congress has proven itself susceptible to Parkinson’s Second Law – expenditures rise with income – and are unable to spend within its means, no matter which party is in control, and what the tax rate is. Despite not being historically accurate liberals constantly fall back on the idea that if the “rich” paid more taxes all of our problems would be solved. But recent history makes it clear that the problem isn’t the tax rate; the problem is the system and the people spending the money.
It’s commonly said that “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” is the definition of insanity. Until we, as voters, hold politicians to a higher standard of fiscal restraint, raising taxes and expecting it to end deficits and reduce the national debt is insanity! But do I think liberals are actually “insane?” No, I think liberals are politically savvy.
It would be politically unpopular for them to come right out and say that their ultimate goal is to play the role of a political Robin Hood, taking from the rich and giving to the poor. To get around this they’re using a hollow, Trojan horse, argument by masquerading their idea of “fairness” as the silver bullet solution to our reoccurring deficit and sky rocketing debt.
The truth is that, to liberals, government enforced “fairness” takes precedent over historical facts, sound fiscal policy and the personal property rights of the “rich”. So, the next time you hear a liberal claiming that higher taxes will reduce the deficit make sure you don’t buy into the insanity. Their real goal is to impose their vision of “fairness,” facts be damned!
