As published at TownHall.com on 11/26/12
By Wayne Allyn Root
Can the GOP really be this stupid? It appears many in the GOP Congress are suddenly willing to raise taxes. What utter fools. As Forest Gump’s mother (played by Sally Field) said, “Stupid is, as stupid does.” And this is world-class stupid.
If GOP politicians can’t figure out any good arguments to oppose tax increases, I’ll give them a few.
First of all, Obama and the Democrats argue that the wealthy don’t pay their “fair share.” Really? The top 1% pay 40% of all the taxes. That’s not “fair?” They also account, according to the New York Times, for 33% of consumer spending and 30% of all charitable giving.
So if everyone agrees that allowing a tax increase on the middle class, in the middle of an economic crisis, is bad for business, why would it be okay to raise taxes on the group that makes 33% of all purchases in the economy? You mean high income taxpayers won’t cut down on spending, buying homes, starting businesses, and creating jobs? Wow, if that’s true, monkeys can fly, hell is freezing over, and Democrats can defy the forces of gravity.
Only those totally ignorant about the economy, those who have never actually created a job, believe the fairy tale that taking money away from the top spenders, investors and job creators isn’t going to further damage the economy.
Secondly, Obama claims that it’s “fair” to go back to “Clinton-era tax rates.” Well that’s just not true. Under Clinton, there was no Obamacare. The new healthcare law raises taxes dramatically on the highest income earners. So by combining income tax increases with Obamacare taxes, the highest earners will pay substantially more than under Clinton. So Obama’s claim is a lie.
More importantly, Obama is comparing apples to oranges. Economic growth is about more than taxes. It’s about regulations, mandates, entitlements, and spending. So next time Obama suggests it’s “fair” to go back to Clinton era tax rates, the GOP should say it’s only “fair” to go back to Clinton era spending, regulations, and welfare reform. Let’s agree to roll back all spending, entitlement increases, government programs, and regulations enacted since Clinton. That’s the only compromise the GOP should agree to.
Obama and the Democrats also love to point to Ronald Reagan as a man willing to raise taxes. Reagan was actually the greatest tax cutter in American history. He cut income tax rates from 70% to 28%. This massive tax cut saved the U.S. economy, directly created over 20 million jobs, and motivated record-setting economic growth.
But after all that massive tax cutting created the greatest economic expansion in history, only then did Reagan agree to compromise and raise a few taxes in return for serious spending reduction. Compromising after the economy has turned around, and a magnificent expansion is underway, is far different than raising taxes in the middle of an economic crisis. To compare the two is fraud.
Democrats have used Reagan’s “compromise” as an excuse to paint Republicans who refuse to raise taxes as “extreme.” Republicans should turn the tables. Whenever a Democrat like Obama wants to raise taxes, Republicans should point to Democratic hero John F. Kennedy as the ultimate tax cutter and call Democrats “extreme” for ignoring the success of JFK’s tax cuts.
I’m also sick of hearing Democrats call today’s tax rates “historically low.” That is once again a lie. There are many factors that determine your tax bill- like deductions and tax credits. Overall, we are all paying among the highest taxes ever. That is why “Tax Freedom Day” is now set at April 3rd. That means the average taxpayer has to give the government all his money until April 3rd, just to pay his tax burden.
Yet in 1900 “Tax Freedom Day” was January 22nd. Facts don’t lie folks. If taxes are low as Obama keeps claiming, then why does it take until April to pay our taxes, versus mid-January in 1900? Because Obama is lying. Our tax burden is today just about the highest in history.
Perhaps stupidest of all is the idea of raising “revenue” instead of taxes. GOP politicians spout this nonsense all day long. You can’t claim to be against tax increases, but then vote to “raise revenues” by eliminating deductions. How is that different? If my taxes go up, what difference does it make how it gets there. If I used to owe $10,000 to the IRS, but now I owe $15,000, didn’t I just lose $5000? Does it matter if tax rates went up, or my deductions were eliminated? You can disguise your words, but you can’t hide the truth.
Here’s some common sense for the economically ignorant in Congress. This entire Great Depression II was created by the collapse in residential real estate values. Reduce or eliminate the mortgage deduction for upper income taxpayers, you will automatically wipe out about one third of the value of every high-end home in America. Entire upscale suburban neighborhoods will be decimated overnight. Foreclosures will skyrocket. Residential real estate will take a final dive, causing a new bank crisis. Wealthy consumers will slow their spending. We are looking at a total collapse of the U.S. economy- caused by ignorant politicians. Unfortunately some of those ignorant politicians are Republicans.
Lastly, Republicans need to point to the EU as an example of high taxes damaging or destroying an economy. If higher taxes help an economy, why is the EU insolvent and on the verge of a Great Depression? Why aren’t Greece, Italy and Spain models of economic success?
The GOP’s role is not to assist Obama in crippling business owners and job creators…in destroying even more jobs…in damaging the U.S. economy even further. If Obama wants to do that, let him commit economic suicide alone- and accept all the blame.
Wayne Allyn Root is a Capitalist Evangelist, entrepreneur, and Tea Party Libertarian Republican. He is a former Libertarian vice presidential nominee. He is the best-selling author of “The Conscience of a Libertarian: Empowering the Citizen Revolution with God, Guns, Gold & Tax Cuts.” His web site: www.ROOTforAmerica.com
