I am on a panel on budget issues with Paul Ryan on June 9 in Madison. Needless to say, I am taking preparation for this very seriously. I would therefore welcome any thoughts, links, etc. from anyone inclined to send them. Don't worry if you think I have seen it before--I am looking for a dump of everything right now.
Data. Data. Data. Kiss up to his good ideas. But ask why he favors the investing classes over those who work for a living. Why does a surgeon pay taxes under his scheme, but a mutual fund investor pays none. Does fairness have no importance? How do we take federal g down to 15% and still function as a society. And how do we remain a world power. The fact is that we are the worlds policeman. If we surrender that; who fills the vacuum? China?
ReplyDeleteFor us investors it's good to know that were investing in the right company with good services.Specially in condo unit or in other real state investments.
ReplyDeleteProf Green:
ReplyDeleteI would toss some major conservative defectors at him. 1) David Stockman recently said he regretted the Reagan era tax cuts and deficit policy, 2) Cato's Niskanen published a paper in 2006 showing that 'Starve the Beast' is a failure, and 3) Bruce Bartlett's recent critiques of 'cut taxes all the time 'as the answer to everything.
Jeffrey Frankels 'Tax Cut Snake Oil' written in 2008 was a good logical argument that was not overly academic
If I were you I would suggest that his tax proposals are unrealistic - designed only for political support from the right. If he is serious about the deficit, you could say, eventually he will give on taxes in return for the Democrats giving on spending.
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting to see whether he admits any possibility of supporting a "revenue positive" deal.
Go with the proposed budget of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
ReplyDeleteBudget here:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2011/04/debt_proposals
Review here: ["Mr Ryan's plan adds (by its own claims) $6 trillion to the national debt over the next decade, but promises to balance the budget by sometime in the 2030s by cutting programs for the poor and the elderly. The Progressive Caucus's plan would (by its own claims) balance the budget by 2021 by cutting defense spending and raising taxes, mainly on rich people. Mr Ryan has been fulsomely praised for his courage. The Progressive Caucus has not."]
http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2011/04/debt_proposals