Now that
the tax bill has passed both houses and has been signed by President Trump, I
figured that I’d make a few comments…
First: a couple
notes.
- Do not allow the media,
or anyone else, to tell you that tax cuts cost the government ANYTHING. They
don’t. Tax cuts allow Americans to keep a higher percentage of the money THEY
work hard to earn.
- Tax cuts don’t
necessarily mean that employees (private side) get a pay raise. Although this
is often cited as an example of how “Trickle down” economics DOESN’T work, it
is far from the truth, as it doesn’t consider the whole picture. Two pieces of
that whole picture:
o
If
a person making $50k/year, for example, is taxed at, say, 25% (net), their
effective operating capital is $37,500/year. If that person’s tax rate (net) is
cut to, say, 20%, their new effective operating capital becomes $40,000, an
INCREASE of $2,500/year (an effective pay raise to around $53.5k/year, taxed at
the old…25%...rate).
o
If
the price of goods and services REDUCES (because of tax cuts to businesses),
the buying power of the dollar INCREASES which, in effect, is also a pay raise.
- The notion of “tax cuts
for the rich” is another lie, intended to mask the truth of how tax cuts
improve the economy. The simple truth is that when taxes on businesses
increases, they pass those increases directly to consumers. So, increasing
taxes of “the rich” and businesses actually ends up increasing the taxes of
consumers and make their (consumers’) dollars less powerful.
- The notion that “tax cuts
to the rich” DOESN’T help the poor and middle class……is a lie. Unless those
“rich” folks are stuffing mattresses with money, their money is being invested
(which finances companies, who invest in equipment and employees). And, with
decreases in goods and services, the buying power of the dollar increases, irrespective
of income level.
The vote
It’s VERY important to note that no
Democrats…..not a single one…..voted for to approve this tax package. It is
important for the very same reason that it continues to be important that ZERO
Republicans voted to approve Obamacare; it draws a CLEAR line in the sand,
between how Democrats and Republicans view the Federal Government’s role in our
lives. Democrats want to consolidate power at the Federal level, Republicans
want power consolidated in the citizenry (in private hands, in keeping with the
Constitution).
In addition to the ZERO Democrats,
TWELVE Republicans voted NOT to pass the tax package (these gutless pols should
be remembered when next they are in campaign mode…):
- Dana Rohrbacher (CA-48)
- Darrell Issa (CA-49)
- Walter Jones (NC-3)
- Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2)
- Christopher Smith NJ-4)
- Leonard Lance (NJ-7)
- Rodney Freylinghuysen
(NJ-11)
- Lee Zeldin (NY-1)
- Peter King (NY-2)
- Dan Donovan (NY-11)
- John Faso (NY-19)
- Elise Stefanik (NY-21)
So…….the
abject failure of Obamacare is 100% OWNED by Democrats. How the tax bill
affects the economy will be 100% owned by those Republicans who voted to
approve it.
It CAN’T be
clearer than that!
Deficit
- The first thing that the
media and Democrats will point to, as this tax bill goes to work, will be the
inevitable increase in the deficit. And, yes, it WILL increase. But, a couple
things must be considered:
o
If
Congress does nothing about the automatic increases to entitlement spending,
and does nothing to spending, in general, the debt will continue to increase in
the long term.
o
After
an initial increase in deficit, there will follow a decrease (assuming no
changes in spending). Why? Because with more money in private hands, revenues
will INCREASE (more manufacturing, more employment).
We have some VERY tough fights coming up, because
we…..YOU AND ME…..must DEMAND that spending MUST be cut, and cut SEVERELY. And,
while that is being done, other tax proposals must be put in place
o
A
dollar-for-dollar direct tax reduction on charitable organizations that
directly replace entitlements.
o
A
near dollar-for-dollar direct tax reduction on ALL charitable giving.
o
A
dollar-for-dollar direct tax reduction on foundations established that address
health insurance, schooling, etc.
The objective here is to
VASTLY increase the effectiveness of money spent on entitlements; specifically,
by moving those entitlements from public hands to private hands.
Employment
- Anyone who pays attention
to ONLY U-3 Unemployment Rate misses the bigger picture. That bigger picture
MUST include Labor Force Participation Rate. What this tax package will do, in
the long term, will be to REDUCE the U-3 Unemployment number while INCREASING
the Labor Force Participation Rate (under the last administration, while the
media and Democrats touted the overall increase in employment, they failed to
take into account the Labor Force Participation Rate which, taken into account,
proved to be a net LOSS in employment over eight years).
Buying
power (Addressed above).
Bottom line? When you DECREASE prices
of retail goods and services, you INCREASE the buying power of the dollar. So
the SAME wage becomes an INCREASE in effective wage.
This tax
bill reveals the fundamental difference between Liberal and Conservative philosophies.
Liberals
believe that Government should be in control of power, money and the citizenry.
Conservatives
believe that THE PEOPLE should be in control of power and money (as is
contemplated in the Founding Documents)….and the government.