Friday, November 11, 2005
Moderate Conservatives
OK. I think that I'll just talk about whatever I want from hear on out (although I will strive to stray towards financial issues as current events dictate, as I am slightly less incompetent on such subjects).
Today's gripe: NPR's characterization of those Republicans voting against further tax cuts as Moderate Republicans. Some of them undoubtedly were, such Senator Voinovich of OH, but the implication is that it is Liberals who are fighting for fiscal conservatism and conservatives who are free spending. While I haven't made a careful survey of the field, I suspect that many who voted against the lates tax cutting bill were some of the same folks who were castigating the choice of Miers as Supreme Court nominee.
Still, while my friends at the Wall Street Journal will remind me that tax cuts pay for themselves (true -- to a point) budget deficits collect a lot of that additional revenue. Assuming, for the minute, that the timing of the two are equal (I'm not sure that is true) the problem is that debt service is certain (we have to make payments on bonds) and the benefit of tax cuts are not certain (it depends on what the newly enriched do with their cash).
I think that even Al Gore was talking about some form of tax relief back in 2000; we all agreed that the record surplus wasn't necessarily a good goal. But it is nice to see the brakes being put on the tax relief program that has ensued. If there's anything worse than a tax-and-spend liberal, it has to be a don't-tax-and-spend cadger.
As always, thanks for reading.
Today's gripe: NPR's characterization of those Republicans voting against further tax cuts as Moderate Republicans. Some of them undoubtedly were, such Senator Voinovich of OH, but the implication is that it is Liberals who are fighting for fiscal conservatism and conservatives who are free spending. While I haven't made a careful survey of the field, I suspect that many who voted against the lates tax cutting bill were some of the same folks who were castigating the choice of Miers as Supreme Court nominee.
Still, while my friends at the Wall Street Journal will remind me that tax cuts pay for themselves (true -- to a point) budget deficits collect a lot of that additional revenue. Assuming, for the minute, that the timing of the two are equal (I'm not sure that is true) the problem is that debt service is certain (we have to make payments on bonds) and the benefit of tax cuts are not certain (it depends on what the newly enriched do with their cash).
I think that even Al Gore was talking about some form of tax relief back in 2000; we all agreed that the record surplus wasn't necessarily a good goal. But it is nice to see the brakes being put on the tax relief program that has ensued. If there's anything worse than a tax-and-spend liberal, it has to be a don't-tax-and-spend cadger.
As always, thanks for reading.
