by the Left Coast Rebel
Hat-tip to Les Carpenter over at Rational Nation USA for finding this video. Les started his blog just a few months back with a clear driving-intention. From his blogger profile, his mission statement -
My passions? Philosophy, politics and the quaint notion that we all deserve to be free of oppressive government. My strongest belief? That government should be limited, that individuals are more important than the collective, that capitalism is the only effective way to motivate people and create wealth, and liberty carries with it a great responsibility.
Now that is my kind of guy. Please support his site, he exhibits a strong voice and seems like on all-around great individual.
On to the video -
"Those who do work are denied a fair return for their labor by a tax system which penalizes successful achievement..."
Ronald Reagan
Just to focus on this quote here, this little quote spoken 20 years ago by our president. Imagine applying this metric, this philosopical theme, to everything in our government; the totality of everything that Washington is trying to do and that which they stand for.
Imagine if Obama were sitting at his desk in the Oval Office, as myriad bills grace his desk, veto-pen ready in hand; to strike down any bill that penalized successful achievement.
That dear reader, is truly the crux of the matter. Everything that is being floated at our point in history, everything that Washington stands for; simply the totality of the US State, penalizes successful achievement.
Truly the only difference between the Obamanation and Big-Spending Bush is that the Obamanation stands for an ethos that penalizes the successful achievement of future generations.
I agree completely with the first quote about individualism.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the stuff saying our tax system "penalizes successful achievement". I suspect Obama would like to veto any bill that penalizes successful achievement.
Beyond the way any tax penalizes those with money to pay it, what specific things make a tax system anti-achievement? Is it just progressivity? In other words, if the poor paid the same percentage of income as the rich, would that be not penalizing? Does that mean taxes like registration fees that are the same regardless of income are then penalizing of the poor? I am not asking rhetorically. I’m asking how you know this tax penalizes the successful and some other tax penalizes the struggling.
It's stilly to say President Obama is different from President Bush b/c Obama supports deficit spending. They both support it. It's way too early to say who is worse about it.
@ CJ - The first is probably more paramount to what we are talking about here, it the essence of what I believe. Hmm, let me see if I can clear up what I am thinking and saying here.
ReplyDeleteI believe that taxes should fund the proper limited functions of our government. Many would agree on this.I think that where we have ended up in this country, and a huge part of that is the progressive nature of our tax code; is a system that inherently penalizes weatlh-creation. This is especially the case for those near the bottom that are trying to make their way up - economic mobility if you will.
Many of the programs that Obama is pushing for now, many of the programs that Bush presided over,(and approved of) have huge price-tags to even middle-class earners. Many earners will soon be in a position where the majority of their earnings will go to the State/Federal/Local government. I know because I have been there. As a sole propietor I had a good year, being a single guy I made quite a tidy sum - I forked over 45% or so of my earnings.
I'll never forget looking at my tax return and thinking to myself 'if only I hadn't hit that higher tax bracket', or 'why did I work 100+ hour weeks and sacrifice my personal life to fork over this much to the government?
That is a personal example of the essence of punishing achievement to me.
By the way, Obama has already beat Bush on the deficit spending side, he is astronomically worse, and if not stopped; an utter disaster for our entire country, (fiscally).
LCR - It sounds like you're saying you don't like how much money they spend, which I agree with.
ReplyDeleteHitting the next bracket isn't so bad b/c all the previous income is taxed at the lower rate.
I agree about the amount of spending. We have to set aside almost half of what our businesses earn for federal and state taxes. (A quarterly is due Sept 15, so this is a good time to criticize taxes.) I don’t mind paying it if it’s going to a good cause. Half the money, though, goes to things related to war. I really wish spending could be cut to a fraction of what it is and/or that the money could go to those with the greatest need.
@ CJ - I agree, that is the essence of why I oppose this admin so much - it's like they have taken every bad idea re: taxation, added steroids; gas to the fire and are just running with it. Business, (and I personally) are already overtaxed to the max, we should be doing the opposite of what Obama is doing - in essence cutting the size and scope of govt.
ReplyDelete