December 4, 2012
Republican “Car-Crashing” Logic On Economic Growth And Increased Revenue
Republican logic on how to grow the economy and increase federal tax revenue, in three simple steps:
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December 3, 2012
Tax Revenue, Post-WWII, Averages 17.7 Percent Of GDP
In the years since World War II (1946-2011), federal tax receipts have averaged 17.7% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This is probably the best way to gauge the federal tax burden because it compares it to economic output. Since there are many arguments in and out of Washington D.C. about the effects of taxation on economic growth, it makes sense to directly compare the measure of taxation (total federal tax receipts) with the measure of economic output (GDP).
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November 20, 2012
2012: The Year Grover Norquist’s ‘Tax Pledge’ Died
It appears the Grover Norquist “tax pledge” is losing it’s grip on the Republican Party.
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November 20, 2012
Marginal Tax Rates 101
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November 16, 2012
What Happens When You Propose Sensible Ideas To Solve The Deficit?
Raising the top tax rate 4.6 points to 39.6% is a radical idea that will mean the end of capitalism and will fundamentally change America forever.
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November 4, 2012
What’s More Important, The Economy Or The Deficit?
I know some will say this is a false choice, but I ask, what is more important, the economy or the deficit? The economy has steadily improved since the Great Recession but it has a long way to go to get back to a more historical norm for unemployment of around five percent. Since we know the economy is not yet booming, why are we so fixated on reducing the deficit and cutting spending? Many of the same people calling for spending cuts say we cannot increase taxes because it would harm the economy, but why do they think spending cuts will have no effect on the economy? In fact, many so-called deficit hawks say the deficit itself is harming the economy, which really makes no sense at all.
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October 21, 2012
Demonizing Wealth? Have You Paid Attention To Who Is Prospering Lately?
I’ve written about this topic before in response to an article comment, and I’m going to write about it again in response to another comment. — There are a number of average Americans willing to step up to the plate and defend the wealthy. They believe there is a class war against the rich. They believe President Obama is against wealth. They believe Democrats and liberals are against success. But where does this belief come from? I have serious doubts that so many average Americans simultaneously came to this conclusion. No, they believe wealth is being demonized because wealthy powerful people are saying just that, and they choose to believe it. And I don’t know why.
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October 10, 2012
Romney and Ryan: Higher Military Spending, Lower Taxes — Fiscal Hawks?
Can you be called a “fiscal hawk” or a “deficit hawk” if you are pushing for higher military spending along with a built-in floor that stipulates “core defense spending” must be maintained at 4% of GDP? Can you be called a fiscal or deficit hawk if you advocate for lower, across-the-board tax cuts at a time when the federal government is running trillion-dollar-plus deficits?
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October 4, 2012
Mr. Romney, What Is Trickle-Down Government?
Mitt Romney used the term “trickle-down government” at least two times that I recall during Wednesday night’s first presidential debate. I know what trickle-down economics is, but what is trickle-down government?
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September 25, 2012
Do we shape the tax code based on our morals and values?
“It [tax code] is the single most important collective way that we measure what our values are.” – Melissa Harris-Perry
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