CaliValleyGirl's newest post lays a lot of foundation on her position and then asks a meaty question of Democrats at the end. I think I only have like three Democrat readers, but I would be interested in hearing your take on her question.
Posted by Sarah at November 11, 2008 04:50 PM | TrackBackDemocrat reader 2 of 3 here :D
Actually, I don't label myself a Dem, but I did vote hopechangeyeswecan so I'l chime in.
I'm a business owner, and I don't give a rip how much they tax me. I believe pretty strongly that taxes don't have a whole lot to do with business savvy. The intial blog post talked a bit about home builders and the impact of the economy. One of my best clients is the highest of high-end home builders in our area. His company is doing incredibly well at the moment, because he doesn't carry nearly the debt that other builders carry. Amongst other things, he has run his business very responsibly while others leaned on the bubble and got burned.
We were talking business the other day and I asked him bout taxes. He voted McCain, but he also didn't think the taxation issue was going to affect him at all. few percentage here or there wasn't going to make or break him.
My wife's uncle is a wealthy cat, as are all his friends. They voted M, but they still aren't crying about the tazes as they'll never notice the difference.
The Obama argument (whether you buy it or not - I don't think I do) is that the extra few percent from the folks at the top doesn't impact them like the monet does out of the pockets of the folks at the bottom. Not necessarily my opinion, but I think that's the general argument.
Having said that, sometimes perception matters more than reality. I don't believe that the little tax credit to the folks at the bottom or the middle will make that big of an actual difference to there lives. But if they believe it makes a difference, then money spent goes up and consumer confidence (whatever that is) goes up and the perception of the health of the economy goes up. So I might agree in broad strokes that if the low-to-middle of the income spectrum believe that the tax cuts make things better for them then that will translate into a stronger economy. I'm not sure how that actually shakes out - whether the bottom-to-middle have the economic stroke to make an influence.
In a smaller society, I don't have a problem explaining to the guy making more that his percentage has gone up. The more confilcts we fight and companies we bail out the more we have to pay for it. I don't necessarly like it but the money has to come from somewhere.
The better question from where I'm sitting is whether or not this government, which I agree is supposed to be serving the people, is spending money to serve the will of the people or not.
Posted by: Sarah's pinko commie friend at November 11, 2008 07:13 PMPinko -- But the will of *which* people? That to me is an important distinction. I have blogged recently that we are approaching a tipping point where people who don't pay into the system will be able to make decisions for everyone. The will of this majority, the non-taxpayer, will be funded by others. That is a dangerous point to be at.
Posted by: Sarah at November 11, 2008 09:55 PMYeah, but whattaya gonna do? :D
Aren't we all the same people after all?\
I don;t disagree with the sentiment at all.
Posted by: Sarah's pinko commie friend at November 11, 2008 11:14 PM"rural Arkansas is no more real than Manhattan."
Then I doubt she's ever been to Manhattan.
Posted by: tim at November 12, 2008 10:18 AM