ESR spotlight on tax & budget issues

Recent articles about tax and budget issues that have run in Enter Stage Right

Another big budget blow-out: Would it surprise Americans to find out that the Democrats intend on raising their taxes in the near future? Nathan Tabor reports on their plans

In praise of investing money gained from tax cuts: Remarkably, some people are opposed to tax cuts for the wealthy because the money would be used for investments. Gennady Stolyarov II answers those objections

Taxpayers find an unlikely advocate: The Ontario premier: Canadians will doubtless be surprised to learn that a liberal tax-hiking premier is the one fighting hardest for taxpayers at the moment, says John Williamson

Name the date – Fastest rise in federal spending since FDR: What has George W. Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress done that not even Lyndon Johnson, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton could equal? Paul Weyrich says it's spend like few have spent before

Tax returns: Confidentiality, not an open door: Stephen M. Lilienthal reports that America's IRS should be working to insure that your sensitive data remains a secret, rather than contrary to that goal

Taxation without frustration: In a few short weeks it will be time to pay the piper but Thomas Lindaman has a tax plan which should make it less painful

Harvard tells the truth on taxes: Harvard University finally admits that Americans are earning less and paying more in taxes but their justification rings false, says James Atticus Bowden

A realistic budget from a realistic steering committee: Paul M. Weyrich says the proposed budget produced by the Republican Study Committee is among he has ever seen and deserves to be passed in toto

The AMT must be destroyed: Delenda est AMT. The Alternative Minimum Tax harms both Americans and the businesses they own and it's time for its death, argues Rod D. Martin

The original intent behind good government: Nancy Salvato believes that the "Fair Tax" would promote much better government, both at the state and federal level

The unwritten Sousa march – "Bankruptcy Forever": If only John Philip Sousa were alive today. Marion Edwyn Harrison writes that the great American composer could have written quite a stirring march documenting the spendthrift nature of those in Washington, D.C.

Georgia on my mind – on Tax Day, at least: Whether you support the notion of a flat tax or not, argues W. James Antle III, the fact that former Soviet republics have easy to understand tax systems should be a prompt for tax reform in the United States

An incredible opportunity for Congress and America: Frank Salvato argues that the FAIR Tax Bill is a wonderful opportunity to replace America's regressive tax structure with a consumption based tax

The soaring debt: Sam Brownback's proposed Commission on the Accountability and Review of Federal Agencies wouldn't solve all problems but it would be a step in reforming government and cutting spending, argues Paul M. Weyrich

What a state we're in!: Towns and cities all across the United States are failing as businesses and residents flee tax-loving, high-spending municipal governments. Lady Liberty got a first hand taste of why this is happening after attending her community's recent State of the City speech

Small government conservatism in big government America: Why is America's government growing? Even Republicans and some conservatives are promoting their proposals with statist rhetoric. Changing that will take a lot of work, argues W. James Antle III

Scrap the cap? The Social Security debate gets taxing: Read my lips! Is George W. Bush serious when he says he won't raise the payroll tax rate as part of his Social Security reforms? W. James Antle III wonders if the era of tax hikes is about to begin in an effort to get everyone on board

To cut or not to cut -- the fiscal conservative's question: Tax code reform and the fate of Social Security promise to force economic conservatives to answer some difficult questions this year, says W. James Antle III

Getting a grip on runaway squealing pork: These days it might seem like Republicans are as free spending as their Democratic counterparts but some in the GOP still subscribe to the notion of fiscal restraint, says Paul M. Weyrich

GOP borrowing paves the way for Democrat tax hikes: The spending spree that George W. Bush and the Republicans are engaging in will sooner or later result in tax hikes, argues W. James Antle III

Conservatives should hit the ceiling: The federal government's love of debt, argues Jill S. Farrell, has to be ended. Failure to act will have serious ramifications for the future of the American economy

Want lasting tax reform? Shrink government: Think it's possible to ditch the IRS and income tax in favour of a national sales tax? Think again. W. James Antle III reminds you to remember the other side of the equation: spending

Is it time for a flat tax?: There are plenty of people floating reforms to America's tax code, including the introduction of a VAT, but Paul M. Weyrich says Americans should consider a flat tax system instead

Short leash on discretionary grants: Paul M. Weyrich thinks it's a good idea to monitor the spending of organizations like the EPA but he wonders why few are targeting the executive branch to make sure taxpayer dollars are spent properly

Tax and spend vs. borrow and spend: McCain and the GOP's false choices: W. James Antle III argues that today's Republicans seem to believe you can either tax and spend or borrow and spend. No one is interested in cutting taxes and spending

The courage to raise taxes: In Virginia the battle doesn't seem to be over whether to raise taxes, says Peter J. Lynch, but rather how much to raise them. The higher taxation you advocate, the more courage you apparently possess

A tale of two budgets: Colorado and Virginia are two contrasting examples of how states can handle the budget process. Keith D. Cummings says Virginia could learn a lot from its western counterpart

Ways to make April 15 just another day: That most painful of events is just a few days away. W. James Antle III has five simple suggestions that will take the sting out of April 15...though we don't expect the federal government will seriously consider any of them

A tax cut for all Canadians: Walter Robinson argues that a Bush-style tax cut is hardly an impossibility for Canadians. The money is there...all the federal government needs is the will to proceed

Economic conservatives think small, declaring victory and going home: Economic conservatives are hailing the tax cut passed by Congress last Friday but W. James Antle III wonders if they are perhaps being a little too enthusiastic

The pharaohs and kings are gone: but their taxes remain: Walter Robinson says that Canadians have had it with property taxes that don't seem to have any connection to reality

A modest tax cut: Doing away with withholding: If you want to see real tax cuts, says Kevin Gabriel, you should change how people pay their taxes

Deficits and high spending can frustrate tax cuts: W. James Antle III reports that the Bush budget makes some of the same mistakes that previous ones did and could cause the administration some problems

Tax cuts: The only thing government can't afford: New cabinet level departments, entitlements galore and so much more! W. James Antle III wants to know why government can afford everything except for tax cuts?

Bush looks to individuals to grow economy: Sean Hackbarth says George W. Bush's massive tax cuts will allow Americans to pull their nation out of its current economic funk

Is supply-side economics returning?: Regardless of whether supply-side economics are making a comeback, as some believe, W. James Antle III says George W. Bush should continue to promote tax cuts to strengthen the economy

Does raising taxes and increasing spending aid economic recovery?: Politicians who claim that it is necessary to raise taxes and increase spending in order to hasten economic recovery never bother to explain how their macroeconomic plan works, and maybe it's because even they don't fully understand it, argues Rachel Alexander

Many governors not making the grade on taxes and spending: According to the Cato Institute when it comes to responsible spending there doesn't seem to be much difference between most Republican and Democrat governors. W. James Antle III says that means tax hikes to cover up their mistakes

Create another Hoover Commission: If you want to hold the line on federal spending during the upcoming budget wrangling, Bruce Walker says you should look to the past with the Hoover Commission. He even has some suggestions as to who should sit on its sequel

Just taxation: An early American primer: The theory behind "compassionate conservativism" is as weak today as it was in 1769 when a Presbyterian pastor named John Joachim Zubly addressed taxation in a sermon

Keep the tax cut: It's been one year since George W. Bush's tax cut was signed into law but people are still trying to kill it. W. James Antle III believes that's remarkably foolish

On Tax Day thank the rich and support lifting the tax yoke off them: Lowering taxes on the rich is a just step toward letting the productive keep what they earn rather than forcing them to support the nonproductive, argues Edwin A. Locke

Economic voodoo liberals do so well: W. James Antle III reports that traditional Keynesian economics is giving way to another form of voodoo economics on the left

Surplus shrinks, attacks on tax cut grow: W. James Antle III tells Dubya to stay the course: you promised tax cuts and you'd better deliver

Smaller surplus projections no reason to abandon tax cut: A whole lot of people who have never spoke the words "balanced budget" are suddenly very concerned about having one, says W. James Antle III

How to shut down the federal government properly: The annual budget dance will begin soon and Bruce Walker has advice for George W. Bush how to effectively shut down the federal government

Tax cut nullification: Regulations rob taxpayers of any gains: Feeling good because that $1.35 trillion, ten-year tax cut finally passed? Alan Caruba says you shouldn't even expect a thin dime in savings

Let the Pork Wars begin: In announcing why he would try to punish Democrats who voted for George W. Bush's budget, Sen. Robert Byrd was at least honest about his agenda, writes Vin Suprynowicz

Both taxes and spending must be cut: A $1.6 trillion tax cut over ten years, albeit small, is nice, but a $1.96 trillion budget for the next fiscal year isn't. W. James Antle III argues that both taxes and spending must be cut

Compassion for spending addicts: Talk of triggers to stop tax relief tells Roger Banks that spendaholics are still in control of the Senate regardless of what party they belong to

Double trigger for tax cuts: Bruce Walker will go Democrats one better...he'll give them a double trigger to reverse tax cuts

Sorry Ted: JFK cut taxes: So Ted Kennedy is angry because Republicans are quoting John F. Kennedy in the debate over cutting taxes? W. James Antle III asks who really cares

Death tax should be laid to rest: Nicholas Sanchez calls on Republicans to kill the death tax, not because it's easy, but because it's hard...that and other reasons

Rich, the rich, and respect for natural and political law: Pardoning Marc Rich while insisting on an unfair and incomprehensible tax system undermines the moral authority essential to good government, says Bruce Walker

Pass the Bush tax cut now: Only readers of the New York Times would be opposed to a tax cut, says W. James Antle III

Budget, budget, we want a budget: Walter Robinson slams the Canadian government's decision not to table a budget this month

The Bush mandate: Save the economy!: If the headline didn't clue you in, Alan Caruba says George W. Bush's immediate priority is to ensure the economy doesn't go through another slow quarter

Loose money no way out: W. James Antle III explores what's behind the slowing economy what's the best way to avoid a recession

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