commentaries

Jason's column doesnt really break any new ground from past views, but his initial JFK quote reminds all of us that JFK wouldnt want anything to do with the Dem Party of the 21st century. Of course, JFK was both a 1%'er and a man who knew firsthand the perils of war, unlike the current President who seems to love being in his Afghan quagmire.

"It is a paradoxical truth that tax rates are too high and tax revenues are too low and the soundest way to raise the revenues in the long run is to cut the rates now," said President Kennedy in 1962 when the top marginal tax rate was 91%. Would he say the same thing in 2012 when the top marginal rate is 37.9%?

There is little or no evidence that taxation, even at the Federal level, has an impact on the number of jobs over the long run. Increasing taxes (and spending) increases government jobs and reduces private sector jobs, but over time the total number of jobs is determined by global economic forces that are pretty much beyond the control of government. It's more sensible to argue that wage levels are impacted by government policies of all types, and especially the impact of those policies on people's incentives to get educated, and start new forms of economic activity. The big question that has to be answered is whether the entitlement programs we have developed will systematically destroy the American sense of self-reliance. There is a fundamental disagreement between Republicans and Democrats on this point. Only the passage of time will resolve this disagreement.

alanson: "Increasing taxes (and spending) increases government jobs and reduces private sector jobs..." There is zero evidence to prove that statement. Bush reduced taxes and increased government jobs more than the two (and maybe more) prior administrations. Private sector jobs also stagnated under Bush. Yet under Clinton, as tax rates went up, so did private sector jobs. So much for your little canard.

"It is a paradoxical truth that tax rates are too high and tax revenues are too low and the soundest way to raise the revenues in the long run is to cut the rates now." -- President John F. Kennedy, 1962.___________ JFK would be consided a conservative by today's democrat socialist party and rejected much like former VP candidate Joe Leiberman was. The problem is that too many voters are misinformed and continue to elect leftist economy killers. Since 2006 when the economy started going bad, the democrat party has had 7 of 9 leadership positions (Presidency/Senate/House), soon to be 9 of 11. How can voters be so ignorant?

Here's a another idea, Jason. Stop giving companies tax deductions for building facilities overseas and for employing workers in foreign countries. Then those expenditures are subject to US and Minnesota taxes while domestic expenditures would be completely deductible and, therefore, tax-free. Creates jobs here and tax revenues from facilities and salaries abroad.

To bolster his argument that Minnesota's taxes hurts business, Lewis quotes a former 3M CEO who cites low tax rates in Korea, Ireland, etc., and concludes rhetorically, "why would I want to invest in Minnesota or the United States?" This is powerful stuff to Lewis, who believes business growth depends on only two elements: (1) high taxes and (2 excessive regulation. In fact, 3M does not base a decision on where to build a new mfg. plant solely on the basis of the low level of local taxes. Other and more important considerations are: 1) the demand for the company's products in this region; 2) whether transportation (airport) near by; 3) is the local workforce educated, and is there a university near the proposed plant; 4) is there an adequate water supply, electricity, clean air; 5) is the political situation stable; 6) what are competitors doing, and so on. The list is long, very long, and yes, taxes is one item on it. But it is far from the top, contrary to Lewis. Corporate decision-making is a very complex process. It's high time we --- and that includes all of us---realize that corporate decisions are motivated by far more than tax rates.

goferfanz: "unlike the current President who seems to love being in his Afghan quagmire."

Obama started the war in Afghanistan?

dahdah: "It's high time we --- and that includes all of us---realize that corporate decisions are motivated by far more than tax rates."

Indeed. Corporate taxes are based on net income, after expenses. A very small percent of sales to tax. Those other expenses are far more a consideration than taxes. Throw in that 75% of US Corporations pay no federal taxes anyway, corporate tax rates really don't matter much at all.

"""Obama started the war in Afghanistan?"""" No, but libs forget W didnt start the Iraq war (he just finished what Bush1 and Clinton wouldnt). Obama campaigned that this was the war worth fighting and then "surged" it. Now, Obama has 1600 dead soldiers (triple the deaths from 2001-8) on his watch, and for what? An unstable Afghanistan, and unstable Middle East....... On thread, what would 1%'er JFK think of today's Dem party aka massive debt, senseless war, tax increases, etc?