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Gallegly's tax policy simplistic
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More from OpinionRe: Elton Gallegly's March 16 essay, "Raising taxes just a bad idea":
The congressman plays a numbers game with the people's money, while distorting history and facts. He feigns compassion for the nation's middle class and poor while protecting tax loopholes for megamillionaires and the well-connected few.
Gallegly's tax policy is inconsistent and unsound because it is too simplistic and relies upon the discredited notion of supply-side economics. The only thing that trickles down is massive debt to those least able to pay.
The historical evidence suggests that sometimes it's a good idea to cut taxes to stimulate the economy. Presidents Kennedy and Reagan demonstrated the usefulness of such an approach. However, cutting taxes or maintaining tax cuts for the rich does not guarantee economic recovery. Tax cuts only work for the country when the foundation for investment is sound and the nation's infrastructure is primed and readied to meet the demand of the nation's business.
Raising taxes to invest in securing our future or to pay off debt is sometimes a wiser and a more fiscally responsible move. President Clinton demonstrated that possibility as tax revenue incredibly began to exceed federal outlays. We actually experienced a surplus and began paying down the national debt.
The Democrats are doing the right thing in allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire. The tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 clearly favored those at the highest rungs on the economic ladder. The rising tide of President Bush's economy managed to lift the yachts, but failed to lift other boats in the harbor. His claim that the tax hike would result in an average increase of $3,331 per California taxpayer is correct, but fails to point out that there is no increase in taxes for anyone in California earning less than $200,000 a year under this same proposal.
Instead of playing on people's fears and painting a false picture of how the current budget proposal would raise taxes on the poor and elderly, Gallegly would better serve this district if he started telling the whole truth and started looking out for the other 91 percent of his constituents.
While the economic pain wrought by the Bush/Gallegly tax cuts are very real to those facing foreclosure, job layoffs, or loss of health insurance, it is amusing to watch "free" market advocates and "fiscal" conservatives like Gallegly defend government intervention in the economy.
The president and Congress have green-lighted the distribution of more than $100 billion, in borrowed funds, to the American people without having a plan to pay it back. A $600 refund will do little to help return a foreclosed home to its owner, replace a salary that has been lost due to a layoff or pay a hospital bill for a procedure not covered by insurance.
The Democrats, to their credit, have a plan and prudently want to raise taxes on those who have benefited the most from the largess of the fiscally irresponsible policies of the Bush administration.
If elected as your next congresswoman, I pledge to help bring our fiscal house back in order and return the tax code to reflect the sensibilities of the American people who desire real reform and a more progressive tax code based on progressive principles of fairness, balance and equity.
— Mary Pallant of Oak Park is a Democratic candidate for the 24th Congressional District seat, held by incumbent representative, Elton Gallegly, R- Simi Valley.
Posted by mikeb6804 on March 25, 2008 at 12:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The typical Democrat tax baloney. Mary doesn't explain how tax revenues have increased under tax cut policy and she doesn't mention how the Democrats also plan to raise taxes on the middle class. Democrats do not understand economics.
Posted by jw1000 on March 25, 2008 at 5:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Mike: Pull your stupid head out of the sand. We have the largest deficits in history. And the middle class is not someone earning over 200,000 a year contrary to what the right wing nutjobs say.
Posted by Jurnei on March 25, 2008 at 6:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Democrats do not understand economics" - interesting concept Mike... you certainly make that an inclusive statement as if it were a group specific genetic defect. Sounds more like blind bashing to me. The way I understand it, we are actually borrowing money from the Chinese to fund the war in Iraq. Last I saw, each American owes each Chinese citizen about $4000, probably much more at this point. We are currently under the biggest government yet in U.S. history and bleeding money like a severed artery. The Bush-Gallegy team has driven us on a steady economic decline over the past 7 years. I wouldn't exactly say their economics is a reflection of sound judgment.
Posted by mikeb6804 on March 25, 2008 at 7:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Jurnei---you think this is bad, wait until Hillary or Obama gets into the White House, if it happens.
jw---you get to be as old as I am, maybe you'll get to be a little smarter, but I doubt it. Until then keep your big mouth to yourself. Thanks.
Posted by shaver_one on March 25, 2008 at 8:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Mike. You make a negative statement about the Democratic tax plan, but offer no examples other than the already announced plan to raise taxes on the wealthiest 1% of society.
Where are your facts? What are your facts?
In your ranting diatribe, you are as bad as jw.
Posted by mikeb6804 on March 25, 2008 at 8:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Shaver---I'm not saying the money has been well spent, but the fact is revenues have increased considerably with lower taxes. The Dems scream about the wealthiest being favored; they were already footing most of the bill. At the time the cuts started, savings to middle class people like myself were called out. And sure enough, my bill went down. And people who pay no taxes should not expect money back.
Democrats solution to anything is raise taxes. Sorry, but I don't agree.
Posted by AS on March 25, 2008 at 11:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If anyone thought the Republicans were fiscally responsible, these last 8 years will blow that theory out the water. Federal deficit - $9 trillion and climbing daily. Gallegly is the worst of the lot. "Conservative" means spend, spend, spend, and borrow from other countries. Oh and be responsible, except if you're a corporate CEO and fat cat. Then you can do whatever you wish cause ol' Uncle Sam will never punish you for your misappropriations. Bears Stearns CEO closed on a $25 million condo in NYC while his company was going down in flames. Profit or loss, these guys don't feel the pinch. Tax cuts means tax cuts for those making over $200K. But if you're a Veteran coming back from the war, don't expect healthcare or a job. You're not entitled to that. You don't belong to the club.
Posted by mikeb6804 on March 25, 2008 at 11:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
AS---I certainly can't argue with you; your points are well taken. But before anyone even considers raising taxes, I would like to see an end to earmarks, waste, fraud, and abuse. Otherwise, we are just throwing money down the same hole. Both parties are at fault.
Posted by H8War on March 25, 2008 at 12:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
MikeB--I think you should be required to pay much more in taxes--you and every lame-brained conservative who've been rooting for this travesty of a war since 2003. Were you the old guy in the cheer-leader's outfit? Really ugly.
Unfortunately, all of us will have to pay through the you-know-what for Bush's big ego trip. We had a nicely balanced budget before the Reichstag fire--I mean 9/11. Al Quaeda is just a useful idiot in the neocon grand plan.
Posted by sslocal on March 25, 2008 at 3:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's been 5 years H8War. Yes we should not have gone but can't you find something else to complain about?
Tell me how you would extract our troops without leaving Iraq to Al Quaeda?
Tell me how much cheaper our oil is now that we have spilled all this blood for the oil.
You tell me how a Dem would have reacted to having over 3K of our people killed outright.
Would he have fired on a bunch of empty tents like Clinton did? Or spend his time in the oval office "enjoying a good cigar"?
You tell me how wonderful the reaction would have been.
Posted by jw1000 on March 25, 2008 at 4:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mike: Those extra years sure haven't made you smarter. In fact with your ignorant support of the Iraq War and borrowing 332 million a day from the Chinese to pay for it you prove you are dumber than a 12 year old.
Posted by H8War on March 25, 2008 at 6:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
sslocal. your questions and comments are so off the point and irrelevant, I won't follow your weak bait out there into the void. Bush's administation and this war are, and have always been about lies and failures, and it will be so far into the future. I weep for all those lost in the past and future of this conflict, and for their unrealized lives. It will be for nothing. I'm sorry if that's harsh but that's how the truth is.
Posted by H8War on March 25, 2008 at 6:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So, now instead of one Islamic fundamentalist failed state (Afghanistan), now we can add Iraq to the list (please don't bother me with our puppet government in Iraq--they won't last any longer than Russia's puppets lasted in Afghanistan), complete with car bombs, Al Quaeda recruitment, and IEDs. Not to mention trillions of borrowing from China and elsewher, turning us even more fully into a debtor nation. George W Bush has led us into a perfect storm of disaster, and I pity our next president trying to clean up this neocon idiot's mess.
Posted by H8War on March 25, 2008 at 6:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's too bad Barbara W, Tuchman isn't still alive. She could add another chapter to "The March of Folly".
Posted by mikeb6804 on March 25, 2008 at 6:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It has occurred to me that following the daily comments in the Opinion is pretty useless. I feel like I know all the respondents who comment day after day (like I have) pretty well. One knows everything about everything and is a genius in her own mind. Shaver and I don't agree on much (I do agree with him on some things), but he makes his points well and has my respect. SS and I agree on most things. Then there is jw, a proven halfwit. He never makes a worthwhile contribution because he isn't smart enough to understand any concept.
So with that I am bowing out. Sorry folks if you don't agree with many of my points. I am a decorated Viet Nam veteran and have little use for the likes of H8War; I also worked my behind off for whatever gains I made over the years; didn't need government to spoon feed me. Unless you wish to preach to other readers, don't bother responding. I'm done.
Posted by jw1000 on March 25, 2008 at 8:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Don't let the door hit you on the way out Mike, you ignoramus!.
Posted by sslocal on March 25, 2008 at 9:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Concur Mike, thanks for your service. Now go enjoy a beer.
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