Tax Cuts May Prove Better for Politicians Than for Economy
By DAVID KOCIENIEWSKI, The New York Times
Published: September 10, 2010
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office this year analyzed the short-term effects of 11 policy options and found that extending the tax cuts would be the least effective way to spur the economy and reduce unemployment. The report added that tax cuts for high earners would have the smallest “bang for the buck,” because wealthy Americans were more likely to save their money than spend it.
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“It may have some small impact along the margins, but firms don’t hire based on tax breaks; they hire based on demand,” said Roberton Williams, a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. “So a lot of the tax breaks are likely to be rewarding people and companies for that they were going to do anyway.”
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Edward D. Kleinbard, former chief of staff of the bipartisan Joint Committee on Taxation, said the reliance on tax expenditures had distorted the budget process because it induced the public to overlook the fact that – unless they are accompanied by spending reductions – tax cuts have the same effect on the deficit as additional spending. It also allows politicians to make unsubstantiated claims about the power of tax-cutting to accomplish other economic goals, he said.“The thought that tax cuts pay for themselves or that tax cuts alone can turn around this economy is magical thinking,” said Mr. Kleinbard, now a law professor at the University of Southern California. “The debate has become so unrealistic it makes you want to scream.”
My emphasis, because the Gray Lady doesn’t do that.
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Has not said if he would veto a bill that extended the top tier Bush tax cuts. The Republican leadership has stated that it wants them made permanent. At least one Republican, Voinovich, has stated he would vote to repeal the top tier cts and extend the cuts for the middle class which, BTW, benefit the top tier more than the middle class. He is also for the stalled bill that would cut taxes for small busineses breaking the Republican filibuster of that bill. He can take thiose risks since he is retiring. Hell, he should run again as an independent.