I have several pet peeves, and one of them is the idea that when Americans get to keep their own money, it somehow “costs” the government. This notion is on display today in a story about fiscal-cliff negotiations, in the Washington Post:
…the generations-old mortgage-interest deduction — which costs the government roughly $100 billion a year… [emphasis added]
Perhaps it makes sense to get rid of the mortgage-interest deduction, provided that it’s a part of a broad and healthy tax reform. That’s a debate worth having. And I also understand how deductions look on a balance sheet. But that’s not the point. The point is that personal property — mine, yours, and that of reporters at the Post – doesn’t cost the government. We shouldn’t use words and phrases that suggest otherwise.
Alas, the idea that our money is our own, not something the government gives us the privilege of keeping, when it so desires, is not the prevaling one today. The bigger government gets, the more it depends on envy and greed to keep it fueled. ("What's mine is mine, and what's yours is mine.")
So this isn't exactly a big shock:
Sixty percent in this ABC News/Washington Post poll support raising taxes on incomes more than $250,000 a year, long a popular option overall, but also a divisive one: While 73 percent of Democrats and 63 percent of independents are in favor, far fewer Republicans, 39 percent, agree.
Additionally, Democrats have roughly similar reactions to capitalism (55% positive) and socialism (53%), while Republicans are much more positive about the former than the latter, by 72% to 23%, respectively.
Wow. Capitalism over socialism by 2 points with Democrats. It's a landslide!
Comments
Democrats firmly believe now (via years of twisted and convoluted new definitions created for old words) that there is no correllation between what the government spends and their own personal money. They honestly don't understand it's their money being flushed down the commode, it's a disconnect that won't be rectified...ever..well, until we default anyway (which we will)
If you asked a democrat/progressive/etal to physically write a check from their personal bank account for say $5,000 every year (in April) and hand it to a neighbor to pay his mortgage or buy a car or buy a new Iphone, the enthusiasm and participation rate would plummet immensely, but because the average person is now simply accustomed to taking home about half of their paycheck (for decades) there is no "pain" involved...
Well said...by you BOTH!
:)
What if they dropped the income tax entirely, and instituted a biblical tithe?
That wasn't a tax on your income, but a 10% tax on your assets. They had two tithes annually, and another tithe every third year.
It really wouldn't matter whether you bought that new car or leased it; either the leasing company could pay the tax or you would, but not both or neither.
I don't know if that would be higher or lower than out current income tax rates, but it certainly could be applied to rich man, poor man, and corporations at the same rate.