Serious question for Republicans...?

Question

Let's pretend the republicans get control of congress and the president for the forseable future. They promised to keep tax cuts for the rich. How long could this country survive without raising taxes? Or do you believe the silly theory that tax cuts raise revenue? It just seems like to me that the USA maxed out their credit card and are just paying the minimum balance every month.. How do you dig out of this 10 trillion dollar hole without gigantic cuts in govt and/or tax increase.

Serious answers only, I want to know what republicans think will happen..

Answer 1

I think we need to go through a massive recession to cut inflation.

Answer 2

i completely agree with reagan '08, that's exactly what i would do!

Answer 3

I honestly don't see how we cannot raise taxes, and that goes for either party.  We are in debt to China of all countries and we have GOT to get that taken care of, the sooner the better.  There will have to be a balance of higher taxes, cuts in programs and a end to all the pork barrel spending (which costs us billions in meaningless nonsense).  We need business-minded people on Capitol Hill and in the White House that know how to live on a budget.  I'm not a Republican but am a conservative and I also believe that it's high time that the mega-corporations pay their far share of taxes.  Don't misunderstand, I'm not in favor of keeping the tax rate higher, only until the mess is straightened out and we have some more responsible officials in Washington taking care of it.  Unfortunately,  Joe Taxpayer may have to pay a little more for Washington's mistakes.

Answer 4

If cutting taxes raises revenue, let's cut them to zero and have infinite revenue.

Answer 5

We're in the same position as the Democrats.  Individually we know what we would like to see happen, but it is our leaders who don't do what we want them to do - in both parties.

Personally, I'd love to see a massive cut and slash of wasteful, unproductive government funded entities.  Too many of these programs aren't helping anyone and they're just lining the pockets of everyone associated with them.  If we got rid of the government waste and the pork from our politicians, we would be much better off.

I don't think raising taxes and throwing that money into government programs that historically have proven to be failures is the answer to anything other than reducing the amount of income everyone has to spend.  You can't go on forever taxing people and using that money as a social patch, the economy will not thrive.

Answer 6

The Country survives in not raising taxes by doing away with our HUGE GOVERNMENT.  Shrink the size of Government and you won't need those taxes!!!!!!!  Period.  Our Government increasing in its size is unbelievable.  Do you realize that it is our Government that is the LARGEST EMPLOYER IN THIS COUNTRY???

Answer 7

That would depend on whether or not Congress would control spending. Unfortunately, the only way most people tell if their reps are doing anything good for them is to see government spending in their area.

As for tax cuts raising revenues, it does happen to a point. Low tax rates increases economic activity, which in turn grows the base upon which taxes are assessed. A review of the Internal Revenus Services statistics at IRS.gov will confirm this. However, there is a point, the Equilibrium Point, where lower taxes will not produce enough economic activity to grow the base enough to compensate for lost revenue. In our dynamic economy, that point is constantly changing, but I think we can get pretty close.

As for the charge of "tax cuts for the rich", please remember that the top 10% of taxpayers (based on adjusted gross income before any deductions) pay nearly half of all taxes. Those in the lowest 50% pay almost none of it. Thus, any tax cut will benefit the rich because proportionally, they pay more. You can't get much lower a tax rate then 0%, which many households can and do achieve currently.

As for the size of the debt, you can dig out from it and I think we should work towards it. First thing that would have to happen is we need to change the way the national budget is done. We need to start with projected revenues and set spending to no more than that projection. Currently, we start with what we want to spend and figure out how to tax or borrow up to that level. Next, I think transferring Social Security to more of a 401k type plan would relieve a lot of the current problems with spending. I did the numbers and I would be better off taking my payroll taxes and investing it in US Treasury notes then using the current system. Use the employer match to cover current spending and get everyone else off the system. Third, reduce the government burden on business in order to grow the economy. Both taxation and regulation need to be looked at. I am not saying we eliminate all regulation, some is good for society in general. But there are a lot of regulations that hinder businesses in a way that is unreasonable and hinder productivity.

granted, this is not an exhustive list and I am sure there are a lot of good ideas out there from the left as well as the right. But I think this would be a good start.

Answer 8

I am very serious about this answer.  The main thing that needs to happen is the government needs to lower spending.  Tax cuts presume controlled spending.  The problems we have now are not the result of tax cuts but runaway spending.  Spending even more on social programs is going to increase the problem, which is what the Democrats and many Republicans want to do.  Americans should demand cuts in spending from every elected official.  The fact that 10% of the population is paying 70% of the tax burden is not a good argument for your premise that taxes need to increase.  Ask yourself exactly how much "the rich" should be paying.  Is it 50% of their earnings?  70% of their earnings?  Should they pay 90% of their earnings so the government can skim 30% or 40% off the top and then redistribute the rest to people who make less money?  If this is what you believe, you need to understand the source document for your beliefs; it's the Communist Manifesto written in 1848 by Karl Marx.  I am not being trite.  This is a serious problem.  You can't expect the most productive people in our society to carry the rest.  One day, with the incentive taxed away from them, "the rich guy" who probably signs you paycheck may decide it's time to retire.   Then what will you do?  Poor people don't offer other poor people jobs; rich people do.

Answer 9

Tax cuts are good for the economy (or do you ENJOY seeing so much of your pay check being stolen by the government). More money in my bank account means the prices at the pump wouldn't hurt AS much. It means I can afford to live more comfortably without as much worry... tax cuts are about putting more money into the hands of the people who EARNED that money so we, private citizens can invest it into the free market and help our economy thrive. More money means a stronger economy over all-more business for companies big and small, which overall brings in more tax revenue via sales tax...

There is nothing good in raising taxes. The rich should have tax cuts (why should any group be discriminated against and taxed differently simply because they fit a certain stereotype/criterea?)... it's their money and unless they acquire it illegally, it is theirs.

You are also a little off on your figures in terms of revenue. First, I don't even know where you are finding those numbers, second, the point of cutting taxes is to benefit the people, not increase what our government gets. In reality, why should the government have trillions of dollars in the coffer? And even though yes, realistically the government has no desire to downsize itself and spending, the fact is, raising taxes is NOT the answer to solve the problem. We have a right to overthrow the government when it gets too bloated and no longer fulfills it's duties to the people. We the people are the problem. We don't hold our elected officials accountable. Just going and voting in November is not going to solve anything, we need to daily hold our leaders accountable for their actions and spending. They can tax and tax and tax us to death and all we'll have is the need for more. It's like schools. They NEVER have less funding (funding cuts simply mean they didn't get more money in 2008 than in 2007, so the pay just didn't increase, but it did not decrease and NEVER does...) yet never are up to snuff and demand more and more money. Part of the problem is union made part is again, not holding our politicians accountable...

Simply stealing more money from private citizens will never solve any problems. If TRILLIONS of dollars isn't sufficient and we still find ourselves in debt (maybe stop sending money we don't have to Africa, giving our welfare, and perhaps stop paying for illegals to get medical care-for starters....) then no amount of money will be enough.

Answer 10

     Talk about making a rod for your own back!  You want higher taxes?  Lowering taxes was proved to work in  the Reagan years, after the Carter disaster.  This isn't just my opinion.  Look it up on the Web.  Of course lower taxes raise revenue.  If I can sell something to you and not pay so much tax on the sale, then I'll sell you two things, not one.  Dear God, do some research yourself.

Mike B

Answer 11

I'll take a stab at it.

I think the problem is the Liberals since Jimmy Carter, they have political power in key areas.

Without examining the big picture it's hard to find one solution.

But lets take oil for instance.

You had liberals fighting the oil companies for years, and they been winning.

So the oil companies said " You know what, you win", and stopped advancing where there's confrontation.

This was a smart move, why fight if you can't win, why go to court and pay out if you're only going to lose.

Well, they waited, they held onto their lands without developing, it was cheaper to hold on to these lands then to sell them and buy them back later, if it would possible.

Who knows, maybe the next plan for the liberals was to buy the property so the oil companies couldn't buy it back.

Now you have everyone begging them to drill, they seen this coming, why didn't they?

Now that is just one company being exploited by our system.

Tax cuts for the rich does work, what you fail to mention is that unemployment goes down, more people are working and the government needs less money for social programs for the poor.

I like how twist the truth like that.

Another thing is, if you don't fight the rich in the courts, they can make more money and jobs.

You know I really think liberals are the greed money hogs, they just don't want to work for it.

Answer 12

You are using republicans like it is synonomous with conservatives. Not all of us think that republicans are going in the right direction right now. If I were president, here is what I would do as a conservative.

1. Drill here drill now and start researching/implementing alternative fuels. Start development of more nuclear power plants for energy.

Why?

We have no choice unless we want to be spending $10/gallon within the next 2-3 years. We have the technology to go in, get the oil, and not harm the land. Natural resources are here for a reason. We might as well use them while we can or at least until we have alternative fuels. The land doesn't have to be destroyed to drill for oil, just managed. If we really have to, hire more people and environmentalists to make sure corners aren't being cut. While doing this we can research and implement alternative fuels. By relieving ourselves from the demand of having oil imported to us from non-haptic countries (or countries that do not touch the US physically) we can rely on just Canada, South America, and our own oil. This would not only allow us to have more control of the supply of oil, but how fast we can get it.

2. Deport illegal aliens and alien criminals with no amnesty. Then secure the border and hire more border patrol.

Why?

They are costing us $338 billion each year for housing, food, education, and health care. They should have to follow the legal process just like I would if I went to their country. Securing the border and hiring more border patrol would create a lot of jobs.

3. Economy: Cut government spending. Stop sending jobs to China and India. Encourage tax cuts to U.S. companies who hire efficiency officers who will help improve quality and quantity of the manufacturing of US goods.

Why?

We are spending too much and relying too much on other countries for goods and jobs. The tax break would be an incentive for companies so our economy could rely more on US goods (ie automobiles, clothes, other basic necessities). Also, more goods from the US would eliminate shipping costs being sent overseas and it would help our trucking industry. Supply and demand works when given the chance, it's all about making sure the open market/free trade is able to work without any road blocks.

4. Develop a plan with Iraqi officials for a safe and proper withdrawal making sure the Iraqi government/military can defend itself and govern properly.

Why?

We are nearing the end of a welcomed stay and too much longer will prevent the Iraqi government from developing into a compitent defense and order for Iraq and its people. As long as we do it safely and properly, there can't be a scheduled timetable because in war, you can only be so proactive. Typically being proactive instead of reactive is the best case senario, but you never know what the enemy will do or when.

5. Withdraw from the UN.

Why?

World government will never work and the UN is just a bigger money maker than each individual country who is part of it. Its almost like a government for a government and they want world order and tell each country what to do with its money and people.

Answer 13

Well we do need reform/reduction in a lot of our programs, where we are absolutely wasteful.  A large portion of that coming from cutting the red tape.  To give you an example where I have personally been affected.. I do gov't contracting work.  About 4 months ago we began the process of relocating into a gov't facility.  What the move entailed was (in short) moving about 10 servers and 12 people.  Our servers traveled about 12 miles and the staff about 16 from where we were previously located.  I asked my boss how much this cost the gov't, and he showed me the bill.  It was $500,000.  The math doesn't make since to me, considering that a truck rental costs about $80/day plus labor costs.  I could conceviably see (high end) of $10K to get everything re-set up.  So there is an example of OUR hardearned money at work.  Simply rediculous.  

Cut that c**p out and we'd all be able to enjoy our lower taxes...

Answer 14

"Or do you believe the silly theory that tax cuts raise revenue?"

It's not a silly theory, it's been demonstrated many times.  It's not tax cuts that raise revenue, but rather the cuts create an environment where it is more possible to invest, and if the corporate base increases, revenues will increase because even though the rate of taxation is lower, the number of entities paying taxes is higher.

Keynesian economics (which the Democrats prefer) and supply-side economics both propose taking on debt as a way to combat inflation and recession.  I'm not aware of an economic model that prefers staying away from debt (except maybe common sense).

If Bush's tax cut plan works, then American enterprise will expand, and even though they pay less in taxes, total revenues will increase due to expansion.  As long as this pattern repeats, revenues will start to increase exponentially beyond what a tax increase could do.  Tax increases will always cause a short term increase in revenues, but it peaks when businesses can't expand as fast.  The result is a linear growth in revenues, and to combat the debt we are in, we need exponential growth.  Or we could tax the c**p out of this and the next several generations just to pay off the deficit, and getting the deficit to 0 really does very little for us other than allowing us to borrow more (and I promise you the government would borrow more).

Answer 15

Raising taxes isn't the answer.  Cutting back on government spending is.  When you are deep in debt, you cut back on anything you don't absolutely need.

Let's start out with things like making members of Congress pay for their own gas. Implement a simplified tax system and get rid of most of the IRS. Ideally they'd cut the size of Congress in half, since they don't seem to be working for the people they represent anyway so why do we need all of them?  Also, no more raises for Congress until the budget is under control.    I somehow doubt that I'd get a raise at work if I had a 9% approval rating.  I'd probably not even have a job anymore, so why is Congress allowed to keep voting on their own salary increases each year when they obviously have very poor job performance.

There are endless things to look into, but I don't know enough of the numbers to know how much is spent where and how much needs to be cut. I just know that it has come time to do the dirty work and hack apart the budget until it's back in line.

Answer 16

The "silly therory" that tax cuts raise revenue has been proven true over and over again.  The problem is it needs to be coupled with spending control to really cut the debt and boost the economy.

Answer 17

I generally lean towards the republican side of things and I have absolutely no problem with higher taxes- if they go to help decrease the national debt, or to the military to protect the country.

However, most of the tax raises I see from Democrats go towards new spending programs for the poor, disadvantaged, poverty-stricken, jobless, etc.  Some of them rightfully deserve the government's help- many don't and just wait for the next handout.  While I agree that some of the increase can go towards programs to help the needy, some of it HAS to be alloted to pay down this national trillion+ debt.