Capital Commerce

Polls, Obamanomics and Taxes

By James Pethokoukis

Posted: April 7, 2009

The NYTimes buried this interesting little facoid from their poll on people's current economic attitudes: "Mr. Obama’s push to increase income taxes on people making over $250,000 a year was supported by 74 percent of respondents. When presented with the possibility that taxing those in the higher income bracket might hurt the economy, 39 percent of those polled still backed the plan."

Me: This is why it is important that people understand the complex linkages between taxes and economic growth. Framing tax cuts merely as a way of giving consumers more dough to spend is self-defeating in the long run.

taxes

"We paid a lot more taxes in the Reagan, Bush I and Clinton years, and grew like mad." What??? Check your facts. Geesh. It's like people will just say whatever they feel like and not get their info straight. This is a dumb budget. It's stupid. Period. In this budget the U.S. is continuing to pay fo other countries' abortions--and this makes sense and is fiscally responsible??? Obama has the dumb nerve to suggest that we need not be the nanny state for other countries while using tax-payer money to fund overseas domestic issues.Goom golly!!!

Lisa D of MN @ Apr 08, 2009 13:07:26 PM

Last time I did the math

The current year deficit (the money Washington has spent that we do not have) is 1.9 trillion. This figure does not include the new 3.5 Trillion budget. 1.9 Trillion works out to approx $4000 for every man, woman and child in the US. WHAT EXACTLY HAVE WE GOTTEN FOR OUR MONEY?

It's going to take a LOT MORE than pennies to correct this. The 158% cigarette tax, the energy Cap-n-Trade tax, these are taxes on everyone including the poor and working middle class.

I would be willing to pay more tax just as soon as Washington stops wasting it and pigs fly out of my....

Chris Petty of GA @ Apr 07, 2009 14:37:08 PM

Dorfy:

"Taxing those earning over $250k is definitely not a hardship. "

Those earning over $250K already pay taxes. Likely a lot more than your 18% effective tax rate.

Phred of OR @ Apr 07, 2009 14:22:39 PM

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Capital Commerce

Capital Commerce

U.S. News business reporter Matthew Bandyk examines the issues, people, and debates that shape the nexus of political and economic life in the nation's capital.

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