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CNN: TRY A TAX PLANT
November 29, 2007
It looks like CNN's YouTube Republican debate did a good job of raising the questons on the minds of the average Democratic activist. Planting questions is fine, as long as they're the ones I want planted. The Tax Policy Blog has an excellent set of tax questions (here and here) that should have been planted, but weren't.* I like this one:
The top 1% of taxpayers now pays a larger share of the income tax burden than the bottom 90% combined - that is, more than the share of income taxes paid by every American earning under $100,000 combined. Is there a danger in having so few Americans shouldering the cost of government? Is it possible that the majority will demand more from government because they bear so little of the cost? Does this constitute a Madisonian "tyranny of the majority?"
* I just assume that they weren't asked. I'd rather be waterboarded than actually watch one of these things. Maybe the debate pushed this guy over the edge.
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Comments
Does your question consider only income tax and ignore payroll tax?
If so, it seems a bit unfair for you to also be critical of those who say social security is sound. After all, the payroll tax will fund social security for decades, right?
So, the payroll tax is either a dedicated funding source or it should be considered an income tax. Even if it is considered part of the general slush fund, health care represents a much more immediate threat, which is what most of the darn liberals are saying.
This mention of payroll tax as a factor in tax distribution does not even address the many other taxes and fees people pay, such as property tax and sales tax. Perhaps this is where the adage about statistics lying comes into play.
The reason tax policy may not get much attention is because it is complicated if a person tries to have an honest discussion of tax policy instead of a snarky sound bite.
Remember when Bush forgot he was a small business owner, per his own administration's interpretation of small business owners during a debate with Kerry? He got the sound bite, but was still wrong. http://www.factcheck.org/distortions_galore_at_second_presidential_debate.html
It would be great if there were people discussing tax policy honestly, but when talk of an inheritance tax turns into a pity slogan about the mythical ruined small family farms, it seems unlikely.
Of course, your question does not even begin to be relevant without including a discussion of the distribution of income. :-)
Posted by: Erich Riesenberg | November 29, 2007 2:38 PM