The politics of s'im-c'ity....

[BigV]

Originally Posted by classicman

The Buffett Rule solves nothing. It significantly addresses no economic problem.
At best it'll cover the interest on the debt for a month. At worst, a couple days.

Ibs, what exactly do you think is so great about it?

Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Just because we can't do one big thing that will solve the problem doesn't mean we shouldn't do many small things that will make the problem smaller. OF COURSE there isn't one thing, one magic wand wave that will make the deficit disappear. So the only positive choice is to take what steps we can, like a rule like this, and let them all add up.

***

On a related note, I think a far better solution would be to treat income from wages and income from capital gains the same. It still wouldn't solve the whole deficit problem, but it would be a step in the right direction, a GIANT STEP.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by BigV

I think a far better solution would be to treat income from wages and income from capital gains the same. It still wouldn't solve the whole deficit (debt) problem, but it would be a step in the right direction, a GIANT STEP.

I completely agree. In fact I believe I even said so in a discussion with you and Lamp, I think.
Of course, I can't find it...

ETA - here is one thing sorta.

[infinite monkey]

Originally Posted by BigV

Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Just because we can't do one big thing that will solve the problem doesn't mean we shouldn't do many small things that will make the problem smaller. OF COURSE there isn't one thing, one magic wand wave that will make the deficit disappear. So the only positive choice is to take what steps we can, like a rule like this, and let them all add up.

~snip~

I agree with BigV. Steps in the right direction add up.

There is no fix-all. Baby steps? Fine. Better than backwards steps.

[tw]

We had this discussion in early 2000s. Stated back then with numerous examples - a tax cut creates a short term economic boom followed by economic downturns. What happened? We got the usual and predictable recession since the rich got tax breaks.

All we need do is restore the fair and economically healthy taxes once paid in the 1990s. That is only difficult when a political agenda hype government welfare to the richest.

What happened when the rich stopped paying their fair share? We have the recession as predicted by history and predicted when tax cuts were being advocated in The Cellar in the early 2000s.

How to create jobs? Stop heavily taxing those who create jobs. Tax the people who do not create the jobs - the richest. We know that is when an economy is prosperous. We know from a decade of history that welfare to the rich only makes bigger deficits and economics downturns. As demonstrated by history. As predicted. And as it happened. Simply restore what works by ignoring the political agenda. An agenda that pays word games and Limbaugh logic by relabeling no welfare as a tax increase.