RYAN: Focus on Spending, not Taxes
In his "Path to Prosperity," Ryan argues that Washington has a spending problem, rather than a tax revenue problem. He writes:
The President’s budget would drive both spending and revenues to historic highs as a share of the total U.S. economy. The trend is clear: Chasing ever-higher spending with ever-higher tax rates would leave the U.S. economy at a severe disadvantage compared to the rest of the world, to say nothing of the pain felt by American families deprived of the chance to save for a better future. ...
The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has concluded that the tax rates needed to sustain the nation’s current fiscal trajectory into the future would end up sinking the economy. That is one reason that the Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform proposed, as part of an overall effort to fix the nation’s unsustainable deficits, a fundamental tax reform plan that actually lowered income tax rates to promote growth, while eliminating tax loopholes to broaden the tax base.
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Jun '10
Re: RYAN: Focus on Spending, not Taxes
Unfortunately, some Americans--too many--will look at that graph and say, "the system is failing...so, it's time to nationalize all major industries...we thought it might come to this...but thank God, government can come to the rescue once again...."
May '10
Re: RYAN: Focus on Spending, not Taxes
...and Paul Krugman will dust off his "Michael Moore without the hat" routine to insist the red line merely needs to climb faster while The Rich are shaken upside down for the change in their pockets.
Assuming he hasn't already! The New York Times doesn't make it into my lunch break reading.
Nov '10
Re: RYAN: Focus on Spending, not Taxes
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
It might not even be possible to get enough tax revenue to sustain the Democrat’s spending. Data collected by Kurt Hauser of Stanford University shows that Government revenue from the income tax has hovered around 19% of GDP no matter what the tax rates happen to be. Raising the rates, especially the highest marginal rate, does not increase revenue but actually reduces it. That’s because GDP shrinks when taxes on the highest earners are raised. Nineteen percent of a smaller pie is simply less than 19% of a larger pie.
Edited on Apr 5, 2011 at 8:53amAug '10
Re: RYAN: Focus on Spending, not Taxes
I don't see that the admirable Paul Ryan has a chance in hell of succeeding. The GOP isn't really behind it, and long ago threw in the towel on spending. We will come to understand that Democrats want a breakdown - even economic collapse - so they can profit from it. Too many Americans stand clueless and immobile as our nation is catching fire.
Oct '10
Re: RYAN: Focus on Spending, not Taxes
We have to follow the money. Every dollar from Washington, D.C. eventually gets into circulation. Increasing supply of dollars diminishes the purchasing power of those dollars, resulting in inflation...pumping up the bubble. The only way to stop the viscious cycle is to deflate the currency by decreasing the number of dollars in circulation. What is the most controllable source of those dollars? Federal spending. Spend less, borrow less, save more.
The challenge is getting the majority of Americans to see that, until such time as entreprenuerial innovation facilitates a new wave of productivity, "growing the pie" and "floating all boats", we all need to tighten our belts, do more with what we have, share more of what we have with those nearest and dearest who will be hurnting, invest our available time and resources we may be able to give into our local communities.
We also need to renegotiate the social welfare contract for future generations to set them on a road out of bondage to debt ($50,000/person and counting).
I am willing. I hope you are too.
May '10
Re: RYAN: Focus on Spending, not Taxes
River, your post raises several questions for me:
So do you think Ryan & Co. are just planning to shrug their shoulders and walk away when the Dems say "no" to this? You think they may have thought beyond that point?
So the GOP really doesn't care about this, yet the House GOP leadership gave Paul Ryan the keys to their signature legislative initiative following the crucial 2010 elections, put him out this weekend as the face of the budget proposal, and put significant production effort into an effective web video one day after Obama announced his reelection campaign via a similar medium?
Do you plan to be immobile?
Aug '10
Re: RYAN: Focus on Spending, not Taxes
Bravo Mr Ryan...
... but I'm wondering how many GOP pols are going to do their customary surrender monkey collapse into the fetal position with the first Democrat sponsored photo of a crying baby.
Nov '10
Re: RYAN: Focus on Spending, not Taxes
His proposal is already making Democrats say a lot of silly things in public. That’s a level of success in itself. The more Democrats embarrass themselves with their own idiotic statements the more people catch on to it. It’s always politically smart to reposition the center to your direction and to goad Democrats into defending the indefensible. The Dems actually make that part easy.
Aug '10
Re: RYAN: Focus on Spending, not Taxes
Matthew,
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to explain. First, Paul Ryan and our true conservative allies are doing the principled thing according to their conscience. As Paul said today,"I think Americans deserve a choice... between our plan... and the predictable disaster that the Democrats are allowing to happen." He's a man who couldn't live with himself if he didn't act. We'll know within 48 hours if Americans are on board with this.
Secondly, forces in the GOP have been actively working to destroy Palin, Bachmann, and other Tea Party candidates. But I sense a real change of heart now, at least within certain members of the leadership. Boehner finally has become convinced of what we've known for a long time, that our nation is in dire peril and the Democrats are not the least bit serious about avoiding bankruptcy. Many of them - and their mouthpieces in the Regime Media - are saying "We're not really in danger."
Thirdly, I won't ever be silenced or inactive in the face of these dark forces. I was working in the Tea Party movement from the beginning, giving both my time and money.
May '10
Re: RYAN: Focus on Spending, not Taxes
Exactly what I wanted to hear.