At first, I wanted to respond to the facts in the Aug. 1 Toledo Free Press column by Don Burnard, “The Right’s tax scam,” but after three minutes of research, I realized there were none. It was just the same progressive playbook, the hyperbole and name-calling progressives always use.

Mr. Burnard, why do you oppose tax cuts?  Do you not want economic recovery? Do you not want hard-working Americans to keep more of their money?

The facts: The last three across-the-board tax cuts have led to economic growth — Kennedy tax cuts (1964), Reagan tax cuts (1981) and the Bush tax cuts (2001 and 2002).

According to the National Center for Policy Analysis, the Kennedy tax cuts had the following effects: Between 1962 and 1969, investment grew at an annual rate of 6.1 percent, far higher than the 3 percent annual rate for 1959-1962, and the 2.3 percent rate for 1969-1972, after the JFK tax reforms had been repealed. Real gross national product grew 4.5 percent during the 1960s, higher than the 2.4 percent growth rate seen from 1952-1960. From 1962-1969, government revenue increased 6.4 percent a year, compared with 1.2 percent a year between 1952-1959.

And the Reagan tax cuts? Real economic growth averaged 3.2 percent during the Reagan years, compared with 2.8 percent during the Ford-Carter years and 2.1 percent during the Bush-Clinton years.

Real median family income grew by $4,000 during the Reagan period after experiencing no growth in the pre-Reagan years; it experienced a loss of almost $1,500 in the post-Reagan years. The amount of time the median worker stayed unemployed fell drastically.

The “evil” Bush tax cuts? President Bush’s 2003 tax cuts lowered the rate to 35 percent and created the economic growth that has increased tax revenues each year — by 5.5 percent in 2004 and 14.5 percent — the largest in 25 years — in 2005.

So what effect will letting the Bush tax cuts expire have? According to the U.S. Tax Code. If you:

• make $34,550, taxes will increase from 10 percent to 15 percent.
• make up to $82,000, taxes will increase from 25 percent to 28 percent.
• make up to $171,850, taxes will increase from 28 percent to 31 percent.
• make over $373,650, taxes will increase from 35 percent to 36.6 percent.

So the Bush tax cuts only benefit the wealthy? The tax rate on the wealthy only decreased by 1.6 percent, but the middle-class decrease was

3 percent. And, the tax rate for the poor went down 5 percent. So the tired argument called “tax cuts for the rich” doesn’t work.

The nonpartisan Concord Coalition that Burnard cites as a pillar for his argument that keeping the tax cuts would add to the deficit says only this: Myth: We just need to raise taxes starting with rolling back all of Bush tax cuts. Reality: Even restoring tax rates to pre-2001 levels will not close the gap between spending and revenue. If the wedge between spending and revenue continues to grow, taxes would have to be raised continuously and would eventually cripple the economy.” — Concord Coalition: Taking back our fiscal future.

Finally, let me address Burnard’s name-calling tactic referring to our group as “the Children of Lividity.” First, you think that the Children of Liberty is an extension of the Republican Party? Most of our members are more “livid” at Republicans than Democrats. If you’ll recall, the Lucas County Republican Party tried to get us kicked out of the Toledo Public Libraries last winter (TFP Jan. 24 issue: “Officials: Stainbrook files complaint against conservative group”). But I would not expect anything different from progressives in either party; you resort to name calling because we are challenging the status quo.

As for us being the Children of Lividity? Are we angry? Yes! Are we livid? We leave “lividity” for the progressives at G-20 Summits and the pro illegal alien rallies. You see, that kind of destruction, thuggery and hateful rhetoric is true lividity. The Children of Liberty are just angry that the ruling class doesn’t wish to represent us. We do not take to the streets and burn cars!  We debate and educate. The Children of Liberty choose to awaken Americans to the fact the progressives wish to limit our liberty and freedom.

Scott Allegrini is a co-founder of the Children of Liberty. E-mail him at thechildrenofliberty@yahoo.com.

Tags: Children of Liberty, Hot Corner

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 5th, 2010 at 1:53 pm and is filed under Children of Liberty, Opinion, The Hot Corner.
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