Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Politics / Woods Democrats Play Politics, Duck Real Issues
Posted by Jeff Woods on Tue, Oct 28, 2008 at 2:45 PM
“This is yet another example of candidates like Dolores Gresham, Ken Yager and Vance Dennis saying one thing on the campaign trail and then doing another in real life,” said Democratic Party Chairman Gray Sasser. “They run around their districts claiming they’re against the income tax. Then they turn around and pad their pockets with Don Sundquist’s leftover campaign cash.” Sasser added: “We can draw either one of two conclusions: Either they support the income tax, or they’re hypocrites. Either way, Tennessee voters deserve to know the truth.”By raising the income tax issue, Democrats are giving Republicans a taste of their own medicine, and I’m sure that makes them feel really good. But just for the record, let’s note that the income tax—preferably a progressive one—is the smart, fair way to fund state government. Everyone ought to favor it, that is unless they don’t care whether Tennessee remains 48th or 49th in education and health care and just about everything else. What’s more, Democrats at the party headquarters know this to be true. Yet cynically, they put out press releases like today’s and make it even harder, if that’s possible, for lawmakers to pass an income tax in the future. I'm sure Sasser thinks there's zero chance of enacting an income tax anyway, so who cares? But that begs the question, how is the state supposed to fund the government? Does anyone favor raising the sales tax again? Those are the issues the party ought to be discussing. But, a week before the election, I guess that's too much to ask.
Comments (10)
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"But just for the record, let’s note that the income tax—preferably a progressive one—is the smart, fair way to fund state government."
Prove it.
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Gilbert, guess you missed all those hearings at the Legislative Plaza over the years with all those charts and graphs and economists testifying.
Seems like the Demos aren't trying to argue the merits of the income tax but are just highlighting classic Republican hypocrisy.
"Gilbert, guess you missed all those hearings at the Legislative Plaza over the years with all those charts and graphs and economists testifying."
No chart or graph or testifying economist can prove that all the activities that the state government is collecting money for are things that it should be doing and collecting money for. Nor can any of them prove that their opinion on a subjective concept of "fairness" is in any way superior to anyone else's.
And neither can you.
I say fairness in paying for government provided goods and services is no different than it is in the private sector - on a user fee basis. Income levels have nothing to do with it. The state government didn't create anyone's income for them.
And neither you nor anyone else alive on this planet is the least bit capable of proving that any other concept of "fairness" is in any way superior to mine.
Listening to my party attack the idea of a state income tax turns my stomach. Do they suggest we continue giving massive tax cuts to retail developers so we can encourage glutonous consumer spending and rake in outrageous sales tax revenues? And when times are bad, what do we do?
Most Tennessee families would pay LESS under a progressive state income tax than they currently pay under a nearly 10% sales tax, higher gas taxes, property taxes, wheel taxes, cigarette taxes, and a slew of higher fees and fines to make up for no state income tax.
Government services, including police and fire protection, education and basic infrastructure comes from steady sources of revenue. It doesn't come from cutting taxes and prayers, folks. Ask Cumberland and Wilson counties whose children recently went days without classes and cuts in cirriculum because a minority of wealthy land owners duped an uneducated public that they'd go bankrupt paying a few pennies more in property taxes. The same thing is happening in the deabte over a state income tax, and both parties are now complicit in perpetrating this fraud.
It is time Tennesseans stand up and demand their parties and their elected officials stand up for them and look at a state income tax. Smart Tennesseans that want to get that process started can begin by no longer funding any party through fundraisers, dinner or solicitations. Instead, direct your contribution to candidates who are willing to stand up for you. You move party ideology by moving money toward the ideology you want, and it's time to defund this anti-tax nonesense.
What sickens me is to see a hypocrite like Mike Niederhauser claim he's against an income tax and then rake in all that Sundquist cash. I'm glad to see the people at Democratic Party headquarters get a brain. I vote Democrat and I oppose a state income tax, regardless of what you Nashville media types think.
What sickens me is to see a hypocrite like Mike Niederhauser claim he's against an income tax and then rake in all that Sundquist cash. I'm glad to see the people at Democratic Party headquarters get a brain. I vote Democrat and I oppose a state income tax, regardless of what you Nashville media types think.
Charles Allen Woodman, since when did you ever hop in the truck and go grocery shopping with me? Do you know I spend about $45 every month in taxes just on groceries? That's about $500 a year right there. You could probably buy me something pretty from Walmart if sales taxes were 6%.
Don't even get me started on what we give to the state during Christmas and every time we eat at the Cracker Barrel. Since I'm the one that manages our finances, I can tell you were spend about $1900 in taxes to the state every year. Between you and me both, under a state income tax we'd pay little to nothing plus pay less for your stupid personalized license plate, gun permit and hunting licenses. If you actually registered the boat and farm truck, we'd owe more.
And you know you're sick and damn tired of driving Debby all over the neighborhood selling her damn cookie dough so her class can afford books. So shut up about not wanting an income tax. It's time them rich elite make the some sort of sacrifice we've made for years. Lord knows we've given a lot, including worrying to no end about your nephew in Iraq. Don't get me started on that.
Well, I suppose we could be like Alabama. 5-6% income tax, poor education and broke. No, let's not, let's be like California; great benefits for all the poor at the expense of those who earn their living, high income tax and otherwise, and uh, broke. No matter how much money a government steals from its people it will always spend beyond its means. They all do, and always will. It's easy to make promises about all the great things one will do when he has his hands on another's wallet.
Whoever votes for an income tax loses my vote. You'll take my money and waste it on things that don't benefit me.
