America: Beware of More Stealth Tax Increases!

Democracy and Power 103: Government money

In general, the art of government consists in taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other. – Voltaire (1764)

America: Beware of More Stealth Tax Increases!

In a recent speech, Paul Krugman proclaimed tax increases must be placed on the middle-class.  Inferring that in order to maintain Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and ObamaCare a VAT tax  (which impacts everyone), middle-class tax increases would be necessary: 

“We won’t be able to pay for the kind of society we want without some increases in taxes,” he said, “and surely in the end it will require some middle-class taxes as well, maybe a value added tax.”

Wow, Professor Krugman!  Did you know every American worker has just experienced a tax increase?  Congress very quietly increased the payroll tax by 2%.  Why?  Because Congress and the President needed the money to fractionally reduce the enormous amount of money being borrowed by our government, which is mostly being used to pay for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and ObamaCare. 

Surely, the political elites knew the 2% tax increase would impact the lives of every worker – especially low-income families.  As predicted, the sharp increase in taxes has jolted the lives of low-income Americans. The New York Times documents the direct impact of these increases and predicts  repercussions on businesses – especially small businesses. 

Again, why did Congress and the President collude to raise the payroll tax?  Government needs the money.  The tax increase will raise approximately $1.4 trillion in 10 years.   Bluntly, Congress and the President weighed the political and financial impacts – letting people have more of their money versus expanding a dangerous debt burden.  A stealth tax increase was the easy political decision.  Additionally, in accordance with irresponsible governance, Congress and the President mutely ignored the great drivers of government debt – Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and ObamaCare.  The actions of Congress and the President should alarm every American – beware of more stealth tax increases!  As Krugman, Congress and the President know, “…and surely in the end it will require some middle-class taxes as well, maybe a value added tax.”

Alas, the quest for political power and domination is ever present – human nature.  In the era of absolute monarchs, Voltaire observed: 

In general, the art of government consists in taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.  

Presently,  western civilization has rid itself of absolute monarchs, but regrettably is now ruled by arrogant and deceitful elected elites.