Wiseacre
Retired USAF Chief
Obama's campaign is focusing on the issue of ending the Bush tax cuts for the top marginal rate, raising it from 35% to 39.6%. He talks about cutting the debt and deficits, as though raising traxes in tough economic times has no consequences. And yet both he and Bill Clinton have said it makes no sense to raise taxes in a bad economy, and yet here he is advocating just that.
Consider: our deficits are projected by the WH to be 1.2 trillion dollars this year, which is likely understated. It was 1.3 trillion in 2010 and 2011, and 1.4 trillion in 2009, and I see no reason to assume this year will be any better. Especially considering the major drought we're having, but nonetheless say it's 1.2 trillion. You know what you get if the top rate is not extended? Somewhere around 70-80 billion a year, and that is an optimisitc estimate givien the state of the world economy. So - 1.2 trillion minus 80 billion leaves you 1.12 trillion in deficits. And that's assuming there are no negative consequences to the tax hike, which most economists say would be the case.
What about the 1.12 trillion that's still there in deficits? That's it, problem solved, vote for me cuz I fixed the problem? How can you possibly make an issue out of what amounts to about 6-7% of the problem without addressing the other 93-94%?
When tax rates go up, so does tax evasion. That's why thousands of wealthy Frenchmen, Spaniards, Italians, and Greeks are leaving their countries for more financially favorable locales. And US rich people are already doing the same thing; especially if the tax hikes in the ACA bill on capital gains and dividends go into effect as they're supposed to.
I am always amazed at how liberal dems can assume all these tax increases can occur and still believe they will be no blowback. Fairness! More equality! Soak the rich! Sounds great; but it won't work. There's too many other places where it'll be easier to get rich and stray rich.
Consider: our deficits are projected by the WH to be 1.2 trillion dollars this year, which is likely understated. It was 1.3 trillion in 2010 and 2011, and 1.4 trillion in 2009, and I see no reason to assume this year will be any better. Especially considering the major drought we're having, but nonetheless say it's 1.2 trillion. You know what you get if the top rate is not extended? Somewhere around 70-80 billion a year, and that is an optimisitc estimate givien the state of the world economy. So - 1.2 trillion minus 80 billion leaves you 1.12 trillion in deficits. And that's assuming there are no negative consequences to the tax hike, which most economists say would be the case.
What about the 1.12 trillion that's still there in deficits? That's it, problem solved, vote for me cuz I fixed the problem? How can you possibly make an issue out of what amounts to about 6-7% of the problem without addressing the other 93-94%?
When tax rates go up, so does tax evasion. That's why thousands of wealthy Frenchmen, Spaniards, Italians, and Greeks are leaving their countries for more financially favorable locales. And US rich people are already doing the same thing; especially if the tax hikes in the ACA bill on capital gains and dividends go into effect as they're supposed to.
I am always amazed at how liberal dems can assume all these tax increases can occur and still believe they will be no blowback. Fairness! More equality! Soak the rich! Sounds great; but it won't work. There's too many other places where it'll be easier to get rich and stray rich.