What Was the Most Tragic Policy Development of 2012?

Daniel J. Mitchell

I’m not sure I could pick out a significant victory for human freedom in 2012.

Maybe I’m missing something, but the only good policy that’s even worth mentioning was the decision in Wisconsin to rein in the special privileges and excessive compensation for government workers.

But there definitely have been lots of sad developments.

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.

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Michael160 Wrote: Jan 03, 2013 4:17 AM

The only victory for human freedom was forbidding Wisconsin workers to collectively bargain for compensation. That's dark.

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James T.2 Wrote: Jan 03, 2013 2:04 AM

The basic problem of this country is illustrated, sort of, in these comments. Most Americans know more about the scores, teams, who did what last in sports than anything else. Many of the dolts cannot even identify the clown we have had as Vice President for the past 4 years, much less what the native criminal class (Congress) is doing.

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Bob210 Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 11:17 PM

I think your "flat tax" is not "fair". Why should taxes be tied to income? I think a more "fair" way is for everyone to pay the same AMOUNT of taxes.

That would also be much simpler. Let's say the annual cost of government is $X.00. Divide that by the number of citizens and we each get the same bill. What could be more fair?

You can define "citizen" any way you want. We all benefit from the government, so we should all pay the same amount for "government services". Why should the cost of government be any more or less than the cost of a mechanic's services, a lawn maintenance service, or any other service? Here's what it costs. Here's your bill.

Simple. Fair.

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drrisk2 Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 9:46 PM

"just as I enjoy have California as a negative role model"

You obviously were mis-educated by a union/government school.

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Chris from Kalifornia Wrote: Jan 03, 2013 5:58 AM

He obviously made a typo. Are you so perfect that you've never typed a word similar to the actual word you intended to use but not quite the intended word?

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America is Over Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 5:18 PM

John Roberts betrayed the America.
America re-elected Obama.

They used to work for us. Now we work for them.

America is over.

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Younger Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 4:32 PM

Oh, Mr. Mitchell, how could anyone think that Alabama's triumph over Georgia was a tragedy? Don't you know that the West is superior to the East? (I wish we had "smilies" available.)

To be serious, it is truly sad that any governing body would believe that the solution to economic problems lies in the government's taking action and not allowing the people to work the problems out.

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Trude3 Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 7:32 PM

Thank you, Younger, for those last two lines which says it all so simply and true.

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Arley2 Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 2:28 PM

"P.S. The absolute worst thing that happened in 2012, if we look beyond public policy, was Georgia falling 4 yards short of beating Alabama in the Southeastern Conference Championship."
___________________________________________________________________

No, no Dan. I normally agree with you, but the worst thing that happened in 2012 was when the Kansas University basketball players missed a number of stone cold layups and six (at least) dunks in the NCAA Championship game. Had the boys made half of them Kentucky would have bee relegated to their proper place as the second best team in the country.

But then that why the games are played. You have to perform on the court or the field. Much in contrast to

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Arley2 Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 2:29 PM

contin.
our Duly Elected Inside the Beltway Dolts WHO DON'T have to perform in order to get re-elected year after year.

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Florida Jim2 Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 11:37 AM

The saddest development of 2012 was, Obama's reelection. Obama is an incompetent who can only campaign by teleprompter and he should thank god that Romney was too much of a gentleman to confront him on his union Obamacare waivers,his slimy birth certificate debacle, his Fast & Furious lies and , most of all, Benghazi! Obama would be impeached if Woodward and Bernstein were alive today.

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Trude3 Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 7:36 PM

Dear Florida Jim,
Agreed, except for Romney being too much of a gentleman... In my opinion he was not enough
of a gutsy American to confront a man hellbent on destroying our country.

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capitalust Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 9:29 PM

Well, to do so would have been RAACISSTTTTTT

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latebloomer Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 11:19 PM

True- but, since it's a political development not a policy one, it is not within the purview of the column.

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Notredamemom Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 10:57 AM

You're complaining about top tax rates of 25 percent and 22 percent? C'mon, Dan, even you should be willing to let governments take a reasonable slice to pay for a civilized society.

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William100 Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 10:37 AM

Obama's re-election!!

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poorgrandchildren.com2 Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 9:38 AM

Slovakia and the Czech Republic are only two more examples of failure of the flat tax to survive political pressure. The USA had only three brackets under Reagan, and that failed too.

The Fair Tax is is only answer to tax reform, and forcing our DC employees to obey the law (the Constitution) is the only answer to our-of-control spending.

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agitator Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 9:38 AM

A herd of Rinos.

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poorgrandchildren.com2 Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 9:30 AM

The absolute worst was the precedent set by the majority of the 5-4 DC Supremes concerning the Healthcare Control Act, “It is not our job to protect the people from the consequences of their political choices.” That disastrous precedent will justify all kinds of tyranny by the majority.

"Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide."-- John Adams The reelection of Obummer is just one of the symptoms of our national suicide.

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America is Over Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 5:20 PM

yep.

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Eleanor32 Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 9:30 AM

Not only all of what Mr. Mitchell says is logical, but I have had two run-ins with the IRS in the past five years where the IRS said that I didn't pay money that I had already paid -- and had copies of the checks to prove it. Some of the checks even had IRS stamping on the backs that proved that they had cashed the checks. And these are the people who will be in charge of the financial end of our health care.

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Younger Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 4:37 PM

I had an interesting run-in this past month. Wjile in the process of buying a house, the title company I was dealing with was told by the IRS that I had not filed a return for 2010, qand wanted to know why. When I visited the local IRS office, I was told that there was a record of my having filed, and it was closed. I had taken a copy of my 2010 return with me; it was the stamped as having been received and I was given a copy of it with the stamp on it, to be given to the title company..

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true liberal Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 8:19 AM

It is too bad that bad policy gets such great press from the MSM.

The MSM presents progressive taxes as fair and effective. They implicitly say that they are effective because they never investigate the folly of their policies.

Politicians rarely stay libertarian or conservative. It is the nature of government. That is why they need to be replaced periodically before they reach their expiration dates. Sure there are exceptions but for the most part politicians react to incentives and there is more incentive to being a corrupt big government politician that gives out goodies for favors and contributions

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poorgrandchildren.com2 Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 9:32 AM

Every politician within the beltway gets exposed to Potomac Fever.

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GWashington1775 Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 8:10 AM

Are you concerned about the debt, deficit, our currency, and rising taxes? Interested in solutions, which are founded in the Constitution.

Check out (see below):

www.constitutionliberty. com

Sign up for the Newsletter!

Thanks.

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Pistol Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 2:04 AM

Brian, you beat me to it.

Once again, its time to give pies a chance.

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BrianR.3 Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 1:43 AM

No, the VERY worst thing was the re-election of Commissar Oblame-O.

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Cambermeister Wrote: Jan 02, 2013 3:29 AM

We know where you live Brian.

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