I’ve already bragged that the Cato Institute is America’s best think tank, highlighting the fact that we took the lead in battling against Obama’s faux stimulus at a time when many were dispirited and reluctant to fight big government.

I’m biased, of course, so I’ll understand if you discount what I say. But I hope you’ll agree that my colleagues have put together an excellent video response to the President’s state-of-the-union speech.

As part of my contribution to the video, beginning around 6:35, I debunk the President’s class-warfare tax agenda by citing IRS data from the 1980s to explain that higher tax rates don’t necessarily mean higher tax revenue.

1
Daniel J. Mitchell

Daniel J. Mitchell

Daniel J. Mitchell is a top expert on tax reform and supply-side tax policy at the Cato Institute.

Be the first to read Daniel J. Mitchell’s column. Sign up today and receive Townhall.com delivered each morning to your inbox.

Most Recent Articles

Join the Debate
30 Comments So Far
« Previous1Next »
TheGoldenHelmut Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 4:44 PM
A card-carrying Republican says, "What if I prefer the Founders ideal of self reliance & believe everyone should be self reliant?"

Hmmmmm....is this Republican talking about the Bush bank bailouts, the insurance company bailouts, the ethanol mandates, the Wall Street bailouts, the auto bailout, the airline bailout, the Big Pharma handout, agricultural subsidies, pork barrel spending and the Republican party's 'Faith-Based Initiatives,' to name just a few of the Republican wealth redistribution schemes.

Are these card-carrying Republicans talking about self-reliance for the poor but ENDLESS HANDOUTS for corporations with political connections and contributions to the Republican party?
MatthewlovesAyn Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 7:23 PM
If you think the majority of us CCR's aren't just as sick about Bush 43 as we are about BO44, you would be sorely mistaken.
Kenyan_Colonialist Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 7:56 PM
SYBIL... Go geta real job having now been terminated from IRS two weeks ago... Walmart is hiring... K-Mart and McDonalds too !!!

HUFFINGTON BLOAST... it appears one of your NAZI minded caged animals has again chewed through his heavy restraints.

No... it was not Hal Donahue or Allison this time ** checking monitor **. They remain heavily restrained and medicated. The men in black are guarding them so they do not escape.

The third stretcher is empty with restraining straps chewed through and pacifier rolloing around on floor.

PLEASE.... Huffington Post... locate and return your escapee to the sanitarium where a nice pre-warmed stretcher awaits... or we will have to send the Men in Black to go get him. Lure him in by making sweet...
mrcommiekiller Wrote: Jan 27, 2012 7:52 PM
Jim3645 Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 1:16 PM
The market will correct all that the government has interferred with, it's only a matter of time, and time is running out!
ConcealedCarry Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 2:53 PM
"The market" we should be concerned about is the financial market. Have QE I and QE II created a bubble on Wall Street? If we don't turn things around, we will soon find out.
Jeff_Georgia Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 12:37 PM
Don't forget that to this POTUS, revenues to the gov. aren't the important thing - "fairness" is. A crock, I agree, but there it is.
morgy Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 12:36 PM
Well done.The problem is that this will not be widely circulated. The economy is showing signs of improving in spite of this administrations failures. The normal cycle would have been a much more dramatic jump but the public does not realize that. They will cite the stock market rise (which will continue this year), better unemployment figures and better business activities. This will give many people a warm feeling and they will credit Obama and the administration with this..
MatthewlovesAyn Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 12:42 PM
Morgy,
You can do your own small part in this. Recommend it on your facebook page, copy and paste the address and send it to your email friends (especially the libs). I did.
morgy Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 12:54 PM
Already sent to my e-mail list and will take your advice re facebook. Interesting that I have converted some of my Lib friends but some are irreparable.

Bill
MatthewlovesAyn Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 11:59 AM
My mother-in-law is the widow of a GM Employee, with much of her retirement income was based on GM stock dividends. Ask her how she feels about the union getting the first bite out of the GM Carcass instead of the preferred stock holders.
George4059 Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 11:15 AM
GM was never forced to correct it's own management-Union- business mistakes.
If it was that poorly operated, managed and expensive ...they should have gone into bankruptcy and make the tough changes. now they don't have to..thankx to Obama dumping billions of our tax money ( much of it went to the unions). And now the Fed's are part owner in the same bloated, mismanaged company.
Free market Capitalism with it's inherent risk/reward reality? When are we going to see that again?
Colt6 Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 11:07 AM
E-X-C-E-L-L-E-N-T video. Thank you Mr. Mitchell for sharing it. It was spot on. The question now is, why won't our congress acknowledge this?
Charles SWVA Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 10:57 AM
Balance the budget and pay off the national debt. Stop Borrowing - Start Printing.
Robert97 Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 10:52 AM
The argument is stronger than Mitchell puts it. HIgher tax often mean LOWER tax revenues.
Jeff_Georgia Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 12:38 PM
That ain't important to this president - fairness is. Fairness. What a Marxist.
Resist, We Much!!! Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 10:29 AM
"Anyone may arrange his affairs so that his taxes shall be as low as
possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern which best pays the
treasury. There is not even a patriotic duty to increase one's taxes.
Over and over again the Courts have said that there is nothing sinister
in so arranging affairs as to keep taxes as low as possible. Everyone
does it, rich and poor alike and all do right, for nobody owes any
public duty to pay more than the law demands."

- Judge Learned Hand
Leb2 Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 10:03 AM
This needs to be put on every news station in the USA, let people learn the truth, not the lies of the President. For too long we have taken the word of the elected ones, please people open your eyes and ears and pay attention, this Nation depends on it.
Colt6 Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 11:10 AM
I agree Leb2. I've already started.
DirtyDaveyDownEast Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 9:57 AM
Who was that man jihadin' inta my livingroom Tues evenin'? He had so much lipstick on I didn't recognize him for a bit. O, that's who he was. Our terrorist-in-chief. He's always talkin' about what he wants ta do 'for' tha middle class & AMERICA, tha Greatest Nation Evah, but never tells us that he really wants ta do 'to' us.

But what does he want ta do 'to' us? As a Muslim O hates AMERICA & everythin' we stand for ie Judeo-Christian morals, ethics & values. As a Muslim he wants ta destroy tha middle class ta wage jihad, "... until they pay the jizya, (tax), with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued." Tha Qur'an
DirtyDaveyDownEast Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 10:15 AM
Sura 9:29.

Obama was born into a Muslim family & given a Muslim name & up bringin' in Muslim culture w/ Muslim schoolin'. This makes him a Muslim & as such sees himself as tha Rambo of jihadists. Therefore; if AMERICA is ta remain tha Greatest Nation Evah we must rise up & ovah throw him out @ tha ballot box in Nov.

Ayah!
Lloyd99 Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 9:53 AM
We are in the most serous and dangerous position that we have ever been in, and it will take hard work and sacrifice to get back on track. We need to bet back to our Constitution, with Congress doing what they are elected to do, and not allow the President to take power that the Consitution does not give him. Congress is wholly responsible for all legislative matters, and they have allowed and approved bills to be written by members of the Executive Branch staff. They pushed through the so called OBAMACARE without even knowing what was in it. The Speaker of the House stated "We have to pass it, so we will now what is in it". We The People must stand up and fight for our rights, and demand that Congress begin doing their job.
peggy149 Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 8:12 AM
Why wasn't the part about obummer saying "I will ask Congress to give me the authority to consolidate the branches of government under the exe BRANCH!!!!! GD THIS WOULD ENTER US INTO A FULL BLOWN DICTATORSHIP!!!
tibby2 Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 8:09 AM
Liberals want high tax rates not high tax revenues.
Blair31 Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 7:22 AM
Nice video. As for Iran, if the peaceful resolution fails, then in the immortal words of Bugs Bunny: "Of
course, you know, this means war!"
johnm h Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 7:12 AM
I didn't even notice muzak. It is a good video, watch it and send it around. Cato is one of the few non partisan serious think tanks around.
william3230 Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 6:21 AM
I gave up listening to the video after 1.43 because of the distracting muzak that was interfering with my concentration.
If the CATO fellows are allowed to speak without this distraction, it would work better for me. Obama highlights are followed by the CATO Fellows and music. Why?
What is the point of distracting from their message?
Colt6 Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 11:09 AM
I wasn't the least bit distracted. I was listening to the speakers though.
glenbo02 Wrote: Jan 26, 2012 2:29 AM
Show the text. I'm not going to watch a video.
« Previous1Next »