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You are here: MacNN Forums > Community > MacNN Lounge > Political/War Lounge > Tom Coburn finally says something smart

Tom Coburn finally says something smart
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OldManMac
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Dec 4, 2011, 10:19 AM
 
End welfare for the wealthy. What a concept!

"The debate in Congress this week about whether to pay for extending the payroll tax cut by imposing a new tax on millionaires will have nothing to do with solving our nation's economic challenges and everything to do with election-year politics. Senate Democratic leaders have already signaled they will use the debate as a purely partisan exercise designed to embarrass Republicans into opposing tax cuts for the poor while defending tax cuts for the rich.
I intend to offer an alternative. Instead of punishing the rich with higher taxes, I will give Congress the option of helping pay for extending the payroll tax cut by ending welfare to the wealthy."


End welfare for the wealthy - CNN.com
Why is there always money for war, but none for education?
     
ebuddy
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Dec 4, 2011, 11:21 AM
 
Originally Posted by OldManMac View Post
End welfare for the wealthy. What a concept!

"The debate in Congress this week about whether to pay for extending the payroll tax cut by imposing a new tax on millionaires will have nothing to do with solving our nation's economic challenges and everything to do with election-year politics. Senate Democratic leaders have already signaled they will use the debate as a purely partisan exercise designed to embarrass Republicans into opposing tax cuts for the poor while defending tax cuts for the rich.
I intend to offer an alternative. Instead of punishing the rich with higher taxes, I will give Congress the option of helping pay for extending the payroll tax cut by ending welfare to the wealthy."

End welfare for the wealthy - CNN.com


Even though the super committee failed to reach an agreement on broad deficit reduction, there is no reason why the other super committee -- Congress -- should drag its feet. Change in Washington tends to start with small steps. There is no better place to start than scaling back ludicrous handouts to millionaires that expose an entitlement system and tax code that desperately need to be reformed.
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Dork.
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Dec 4, 2011, 12:52 PM
 
Defending spending in the tax code is not conservative.
That's interesting language he chose there, since when Obama called for the same thing earlier this year the Grover Norquist folks rejected it as a stealth tax increase. Here's one take on it from back then, and there are plenty of others:

Obama’s ‘Spending Reductions in the Tax Code’ is Code for Tax Hikes for All… � UrbanGrounds

Maybe I'm exaggerating, but I view this op-ed as a declaration of war on Grover Norquist's pledge, and the notion in the Republican Party that all things that increase revenue are, by definition, bad. I like what Coburn is doing here: there are plenty of good ideas on the Right that run up against the arbitrary pledges and dogma that get mistaken for political positions these days. Maybe Coburn realizes that there is no way out of this mess without increasing revenue, so if he wants the choice over where that revenue is increased to reflect Conservative principles, there need to be Conservatives honestly cooperating in that process.
     
ebuddy
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Dec 4, 2011, 06:30 PM
 
Originally Posted by Dork. View Post
That's interesting language he chose there, since when Obama called for the same thing earlier this year the Grover Norquist folks rejected it as a stealth tax increase. Here's one take on it from back then, and there are plenty of others:

Obama’s ‘Spending Reductions in the Tax Code’ is Code for Tax Hikes for All… � UrbanGrounds

Maybe I'm exaggerating, but I view this op-ed as a declaration of war on Grover Norquist's pledge, and the notion in the Republican Party that all things that increase revenue are, by definition, bad. I like what Coburn is doing here: there are plenty of good ideas on the Right that run up against the arbitrary pledges and dogma that get mistaken for political positions these days. Maybe Coburn realizes that there is no way out of this mess without increasing revenue, so if he wants the choice over where that revenue is increased to reflect Conservative principles, there need to be Conservatives honestly cooperating in that process.
I think you're exaggerating. Grover Norquist has become a popular whipping boy for the left because he's ratcheted up the type of gridlock we absolutely needed in Washington, but the crux of Coburn's post can be summed up in the following;
"The only way we will enact real tax reform, and grow the economy, is by lowering tax rates and broadening the base by scaling back these egregious handouts. This is precisely what President Ronald Reagan did in 1986."

Grover Norquist doesn't have a problem with this as he has not asked that anyone pledge to support non means-tested welfare or higher tax rates in lieu of simplifying the code and ending subsidies and corporate bailouts. What will be interesting to watch is how many Democrats will join Coburn.
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Dork.
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Dec 4, 2011, 09:56 PM
 
Yeah, maybe I am reading too much into it. I just think it's interesting that he would use that phrasing, since Obama's been using the same phrase for the past year or so.
     
Shaddim
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Dec 5, 2011, 12:50 AM
 
Where's my welfare check? I never received any of that, I'm upset.
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
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el chupacabra
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Dec 6, 2011, 02:45 PM
 
The article isn't loading for me. In any case payroll tax is like getting fined for each employee you hire. It needs to be abolished if they really want to create jobs.

Originally Posted by Shaddim View Post
Where's my welfare check? I never received any of that, I'm upset.
you just need to be more like these people, they got their check.
Seattle welfare recipient lives in million-dollar home | The Sideshow - Yahoo! News
     
Shaddim
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Dec 6, 2011, 06:29 PM
 
Well, when the gov't is that stupid, I suppose they're just asking for people to screw the system. Thankfully, my integrity isn't for sale to anyone*.



*but it can be rented at a fair hourly rate.
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
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olePigeon
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Dec 6, 2011, 06:37 PM
 
I'm willing to bet the loophole was intended for house and yard workers (legal or otherwise.) A well-to-do family could set up guest quarters on their property (or rent a room), still pay minimum wage, but allow the workers to collect wellfare.
"…I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than
you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods,
you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F. Roberts
     
   
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