What is more important: lower taxes or better USA?

Question

Tax cuts seem to be a goal in themselves, in Republican eyes.

Yet, the growing inequality between rich and poor has major downsides:
- slow economy
- increased social instability
- increasing number of people on welfare.

Shouldn't fixing the economy and making the US ready for another growth spurt be #1 for both Democrats and Republicans.

One would expect "fiscally responsible" Republicans to push policies that would put people back to work, such as increasing tax rates on the top 2% or 5%, and spending it on teachers, roads, schools, electrical grid, renewable energy research, pollution abatement, bridges, environmental agencies, and so on.

Instead, the emphasis on cutting taxes (and balancing the budget) cripples the economy and throws millions onto foodstamps.  We could call this Congress "The Food Stamp Congress."

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

A better USA is more important.  The USA has the highest levels of income inequality in the developed world.  Countries with a higher level of income inequality have:

- Higher poverty rates
- Higher levels of violence and homicide
- Higher prison population
- Lower life expectancy
- Higher obesity and lower overall health.

Source - The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/non-fiction/article5859108.ece

Republicans forget: 1/3 of the stimulus was tax cuts. 
Obama reduced taxes for 95% of working Americans, giving us the biggest tax cut package in history.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/016948.php

Food-insecurity in the US is at the highest number ever recorded, with 1 in 4 – 16 million -- American kids and 7.5 million seniors going to bed hungry.

The US poverty rate has risen to 46.9 million people, up for the fourth consecutive year. Moving out of poverty is nearly impossible without some form of government assistance.  And, unfortunately, among industrialized countries, the US has one of the highest poverty rates, while we are among those that spend the least to combat it.

https://www.charitysub.org/hunger-in-america

GOP to Hungry Americans: You Can Starve
http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/596136/gop_to_hungry_americans%3A_you_can_starve/

Republicans Block Child Nutrition Bill
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/02/republicans-block-child-nutrition-bill/

Republicans say no to healthy school lunches
http://grist.org/school-lunches/2011-06-01-down-with-healthy-school-lunches-says-house-gop/

Republicans slash Food Stamps just because
http://www.care2.com/causes/republicans-slash-food-stamps-just-because.html

GOP to Sick Americans: You Can Die
http://www.thomhartmann.com/blog/2012/02/why-do-republicans-let-sick-americans-die-just-avoid-legislative-victory-president-obam

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santana · Answer

1) that may be a no brainer 3) Low taxes keep the financial system going and the coffers full do to the expanded sales. Liberal hero JFK knew this, why is it a thriller to present day socialist. 6) Secret reply, cozy the border for crying out loud. No country can exist without sovereignty, it is the most elementary aspect having a nation. 5) although the President does not directly manipulate this he can support foster it with sound fiscal insurance policies and a constructive relationship with the Fed Chairman. 4) once more the President does now not push a button to manage inflation but sound fiscal policy must do the trick. 2) Low taxes and a excellent economic system will handle unemployment. The employment quandary appears good regardless of the gloom and doom spread by means of the media.

Mike W · Answer

I'll have to disagree.  I don't subscribe to the notion that increased government spending is always good for the economy, and that a fiscally responsible government is always bad for the economy.

Anonymous · Answer

Why can't we eliminate government.  It is proven to be less efficient over and over again, and burdens business, and things that WOULD NEVER happen in a business happen regularly in government, ex. GSA, and people are never fired, when we all know there is turn over in business as C and D players are cut, that exist everywhere.

Fiscally responsible anyone...would

fix entitlements
shrink government
simplify tax code
cut the pay to play game out of Washington
get the lawyers out of our lives
get the regulations out of our lives
and get competition in the schools

? · Answer

Not to mention that wealth trickels up from ahealthyy middle class. TheWrigley'ss bought Catalina Island off of California from the sale of one five cent pack of gum at at a time.

Anonymous · Answer

Better USA.

Anonymous · Answer

Both were more probable under the administration of Ron Paul.

Mitt Romney and Barack Obama are peas of a pod.

Anonymous · Answer

Another liberal with a plan to tax ourselves rich.

It is working very well in Europe.

Lawrence Fisher · Answer

Tax cuts = Happier people = Better USA.

Anonymous · Answer

Oh yes, the green energy black hole

How about this: if it was viable, would it need my tax dollars? What if its just a waste of money and the money pit i think it is?

So more government spending on things that are going to go bankrupt and destroy all of those temporary, expensive jobs you advocate.

What is more important: lower taxes or better USA?

14 Answers