Have you seen the movie 2012 starring John Cusack? Not me. I don’t need to see a movie that’ll further depress me until the 2012 presidential election… But here’s the thing: American is drowning in debt, and Americans will drown in taxes. Very soon. Like next year, if members of Congress do nothing. The Bush [...]
Chris Christie for president!
Citizens of New Jersey, you are blessed to have a governor like Chris Christie (R). You voted for change in the governor’s mansion and you sure got it. New Jersey is one of the states with the heaviest tax burdens and the state Democrats continue to tackle the economic problem with more taxes — the [...]
Why there won’t be an economic recovery under Obama
Sure, the latest unemployment stayed at 9.7% — something that the Obama administration considers positive news. Yes, this administration has gotten to the point where maintaining the status quo in the jobless rate is touted as recovery. But there’s a fine print: plenty of temporary hiring by the census and IRS buoyed that 9.7% number. [...]
Duh! Obama bank fee will get passed onto consumers
Oh it’s silly, really. Levying a tax — ahem, fee — on the 50 largest banks in the name of fairness to the American taxpayers. President Obama floated the idea of a bank fee to punish the financial institutions for getting us into so much financial trouble, and justifiably so, to get back TARP money [...]
IRS commissioner doesn’t understand tax code
Is it any surprise? IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman thinks the tax code is too complex so he doesn’t even do his own taxes: Shulman is far from the only American who needs professional help leading up to April 15. According to the IRS, 60 percent of Americans pay an accountant or a tax preparing service [...]
(The rich) Escape from New York
There’s a mass exodus from New York, especially from NYC. And those who are leaving are the well-to-do individuals, families, and corporations which have paid much of the state and city’s taxes in the past years. With them gone, New York’s tax revenues declined significantly: The average Manhattan taxpayer who left the state earned $93,264 [...]
Extending homebuyer tax credit: good politics, bad policy
First time homebuyers are eligible for an $8,000 tax credit thanks to the multibillion dollar stimulus package Congress passed this year. Where “cash for clunkers” aimed to give the auto industry a lifeline, the homebuyer tax credit hopes to boost sales of homes. But would it really work? If you ask politicians from states suffering [...]
Even Democrats are predicting higher taxes
No new taxes on the middle class, remember that? President Obama made that promise to voters during the campaign, and so far in all his rhetoric he’s repeated that promise. Too bad some of his Democrat colleagues like Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) thinks otherwise: The West Virginia Democrat worries, however, that a lot of middle [...]
Rep. Charles Rangel should resign as chairman
Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, should step down in light of his glaring dishonesty in reporting his assets and income for tax purposes. He’s currently under investigation by two House subcommittees. This is not just a mistake of a few thousand dollars, either: Among the dozen newly [...]
Middle class, get ready to bend over
During the presidential campaign, Obama promised not to raise taxes on the middle class, but that may soon change. His economic advisers aren’t ruling out a tax hike. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anybody considering the level of expansion and spending of President Obama’s federal government: Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner and White [...]
The rising deficit, double-dip recession, and expanded definition of wealthy
The White House Office of Management and Budget projects the federal deficit to be $9 trillion over the next 10 years. That’s pretty scary, but columnist Jill Lawrence, whom I suspect is an Obama supporter, couldn’t help but point fingers at President Bush: What they are not discussing is how we ended up in a hole [...]
Federal government funded by half of taxpaying population
Just how ridiculous and “fair” is the U.S. tax code? The latest IRS data is out, and it doesn’t look pretty for Americans who want to do well and accumulate wealth. Top 1% of income earners are paying 40% of all income taxes! And nearly all income tax revenues come from the top 50% of [...]
Soda tax, Botox tax, and more to pay for health care
Why is it that whenever there’s a perceived problem, Democrats want to solve it by taxation? Sugary beverages are not good for you, especially if you’re obese, so why not tax soda and raise money for health care reform: At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Weight of the Nation” conference today, CDC chief [...]
Lower taxes, less spending proposed in Maine by… Democrats?!
You read it right. The WSJ even calls it the “Maine Miracle“: This month the Democratic legislature and Governor John Baldacci broke with Obamanomics and enacted a sweeping tax reform that is almost, but not quite, a flat tax. The new law junks the state’s graduated income tax structure with a top rate of 8.5% [...]
Flat tax proposed for California
We all know California is in deep economic trouble. Its GDP surpasses even some nations, but lately the state is on a downward spiral of economic decline. It’s in so much trouble that the Governator Arnold Schwarzeneggar (R), considered by some to be a RINO, is proposing a flat tax. It’s a good idea: simple [...]




