How Today's Conservatism Lost Touch with Reality

Discussion in 'Politics' started by Free Thinker, Jun 17, 2011.

  1. Consider the debates over the economy. The Republican prescription is to cut taxes and slash government spending — then things will bounce back. Now, I would like to see lower rates in the context of tax simplification and reform, but what is the evidence that tax cuts are the best path to revive the U.S. economy? Taxes — federal and state combined — as a percentage of GDP are at their lowest level since 1950. The U.S. is among the lowest taxed of the big industrial economies. So the case that America is grinding to a halt because of high taxation is not based on facts but is simply a theoretical assertion. The rich countries that are in the best shape right now, with strong growth and low unemployment, are ones like Germany and Denmark, neither one characterized by low taxes.

    Many Republican businessmen have told me that the Obama Administration is the most hostile to business in 50 years. Really? More than that of Richard Nixon, who presided over tax rates that reached 70%, regulations that spanned whole industries, and who actually instituted price and wage controls?



    Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2077943,00.html#ixzz1PXiavfgY
     
  2. Lucrum

    Lucrum

    Yes, really. Or did you simply dismiss them out of hand because they're republican?
     
  3. Ricter

    Ricter

    Those are businessmen who can't or won't admit that the US consumer is broke, and no, they're not broke because of Obama.
     
  4. Lucrum

    Lucrum

    Our federal government is broke too, and THAT IS in part thanks to Obama.
     
  5. Mercor

    Mercor

    The conclusion from your reply is that you also agree Obama is hostile to business. But only in the last 30 years or only second to Nixon.

    What a pathetic defense of our Dear Leader.
     
  6. business profits are at all time highs and taxes are near 50 year lows two years into the obama administration. how hostile is that?
     
  7. This is all so tiresome and remnds me of the Clinton days, when he bragged about balancing hte budget. He did so because he had to deal with a republican House that blocked all his big spending measures and forced him to sign things like welfare reform.

    Similarly, obama wanted to impose huge tax hikes but was blocked by the republicans. He has imposed huge costs and uncertainties on business and the economy in countless ways, large and small. This is clearly the most anti-business and anti-free market administration in our lifetimes.
     
  8. Lucrum

    Lucrum

    Tinker Bell has no interest in facts or history. His MO hell is purpose in life is simply bash all things/people conservative, republican or religious.
     
  9. Ricter

    Ricter

    Aside from one "legendary" sale we made three years ago, things have never been better for us. If this is a "hostile" business environment, please give me more.

    Admittedly, I am neither in retail, nor an SME. They are in worse shape (mainly due to continuing tight credit and poor sales).
     
  10. Lucrum

    Lucrum

    I thought you said you were in Canada.
     
    #10     Jun 17, 2011