Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Did the tax cut work or is this something else? Federal Deficit Smaller

Mondak · 05-05-2004, 06:00 AM

pan6467

You covered a lot there and some of that stuff may even deserve its own thread. That being said, there was a lot of "whats" in that and a lot less "how did we get here" or "why is that the case".

Cut the numbers in a lot of different ways, but we are by and large in better shape in a lot of areas.

Health: AIDS infection rates are down, healthcare is more advanced, teenage pregnancy rates are way down.

US Nation: Literacy rates are at an all time high, true poverty is low to non-existant, malnutrition has been wiped out in the US.

Is it ever enough? No. Should we ever be satisfied? No way!

"Bring back manufacturing jobs" is not the easiest task in the world. To close down trade to allow American made products to compete would have huge effects on other industries that do compete today. To have the governement speak for the gap - taxes would have to go up - a lot.

I believe in free markets and the efficiencies they bring. I think that the problems we are having are growing pains that are caused when our government does not allow the market to act on its own. They raise taxes to pay for programs to address things that are not really public goods.

My view of deficits is that they should be used in specific cases where an investment needs to be made that will pay far larger dividends in the future than our current tax base will support. If a spending program cannot promise that - cut it!

05-05-2004, 06:00 AM	#14 (permalink)
Mondak Industrialist Location: Southern California	pan6467 You covered a lot there and some of that stuff may even deserve its own thread. That being said, there was a lot of "whats" in that and a lot less "how did we get here" or "why is that the case". Cut the numbers in a lot of different ways, but we are by and large in better shape in a lot of areas. Health: AIDS infection rates are down, healthcare is more advanced, teenage pregnancy rates are way down. US Nation: Literacy rates are at an all time high, true poverty is low to non-existant, malnutrition has been wiped out in the US. Is it ever enough? No. Should we ever be satisfied? No way! "Bring back manufacturing jobs" is not the easiest task in the world. To close down trade to allow American made products to compete would have huge effects on other industries that do compete today. To have the governement speak for the gap - taxes would have to go up - a lot. I believe in free markets and the efficiencies they bring. I think that the problems we are having are growing pains that are caused when our government does not allow the market to act on its own. They raise taxes to pay for programs to address things that are not really public goods. My view of deficits is that they should be used in specific cases where an investment needs to be made that will pay far larger dividends in the future than our current tax base will support. If a spending program cannot promise that - cut it! __________________ All truth passes through three stages: First it is ridiculed Second, it is violently opposed and Third, it is accepted as self-evident. ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER (1788-1860)