The Obama storyline that we need higher tax rates is complete and utter bullshit. The reason tax receipts are at all-time low as a percentage of GDP is due to the Obama economy. When you encourage and incentivize people to stay on unemployment for 99 weeks and to sign up for food stamps, they choose to not work and not pay taxes. When you layer on regulations and healthcare requirements on the backs of small businesses, they don’t hire new employees who would pay taxes. When you let mega-corporations design the tax system, buy off the politicians, and control the media, they set up operations in Asia employing slave labor who don’t pay taxes in the U.S. These mega-corporations then use their propaganda machines to contend that corporate taxes are too high, even though corporate tax revenue as a percentage of GDP is at all-time lows. The hubris and gall of these corporate titans is breathtaking to behold.
Scraping the existing tax system and substituting consumption based taxes for income based taxes could generate more revenue and bring fairness and visibility to how we fund our country. Politicians, mega-corporations and the banking cabal do not want simplicity and fairness. They want complexity and a system that benefits them. The grand compromise that will be reached before January 1 will not simplify or improve anything. Its purpose will be to maintain the status quo. So it goes.
Tax Facts
By: Bruce Krasting
I took a look at the history of taxes in the USA. A few interesting (to me) factoids. The data comes from the Tax Policy Center (Link); the graphs are mine.
I’ve never been convinced that comparisons of the Depression, to today’s economic conditions, are valid. It was a different economy back then, with a much smaller government. Consider the following that plots taxation as a percent of GDP during the 1930s and 2008-12.
It took a world war to end the Depression, and that period was marked with very low taxes. People argue that taxes are too low today, maybe, but they are already 6Xs what they were the last time the SHTF.
I think the “modern economy” started around 1950. By then, the distortions from the Depression and WWII were unwinding. In addition, Social Security taxation became a meaningful percent of total individual taxation. The following charts look at the components of taxation from 1950 – 2012; the information is presented by President, the tax rates are the average for the respective tenure:
Some observations looking at this:
- I’ve read the arguments that tax rates in the 50’s were very high and the economy did just fine. Not true at all.
- The Clinton years are also pointed to as a period where income tax rates were high, and the economy did very well. This is appears to be correct. Marginal tax rates were higher; this contributed to the increase in total tax revenues. In addition, the capital gains that were generated in the late stages of the DotCom boom supported revenues. The bump in income taxes in 2000 was attributable to a hot stock market.
- The Obama years are marked with low tax receipts as a percent of GDP. The reasons for the drop include: (1) The recession and the drop in payrolls. (2) Losses from investments (houses and stocks) (3) The 2% reduction in Payroll taxes.
Corporate tax rates are at historically low levels today. The persistent argument from corporate America is that tax rates are a too high, and must be lowered if America is to compete in the global economy. There is some truth to this argument. The statutory corporate rate is 35%, but very few companies pay this rate.
Federal excise taxes, as a percent of the economy, are at historical low levels today. This is, primarily, the gas tax.
I don’t “like” any taxes, but some tax revenue is necessary. I particularly hate all income taxes. I favor taxes on consumption, not wages. If the excise taxes the government collects were doubled to equal 1% of GDP (still historically low), it would generate $1T+ over the next ten-years. Much more than either of the Bush tax cuts that are now up for discussion.
After looking at these charts I conclude:
- Social Security taxes impose a very heavy burden on the economy.
- Income tax revenues are low today because of the economy, not the marginal tax rates. Consider the fall off during the past four years versus the Bush era. Marginal tax rates were the same, but tax revenue, as a percent of the economy, fell. It’s the economy, not the tax rates that are the problem. D.C. is focused on the wrong issue.
- It’s well past time that a redo of corporate taxation is made. The system is busted. The end result should be a much lower marginal tax rate to insure competitiveness, but also a minimum tax rate that also insures some fairness, and higher net tax receipts.
- Excise taxes have to go up. Sorry.
posted by Bruce Krasting
Eddie says:
My man Dan Amerman says that the enormous growth inthe government sector since 2008 basically means it would take a permanent 40% tax increase on every American to return the budget to pre 2007 levels. I strongly recommend this particular new article of his to everyone here. It takes a really good in-depth look at the so-called Fiscal Cliff.
http://danielamerman.com/articles/2012/FiscalC.html
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25th November 2012 at 8:49 am
ThePessimisticChemist says:
@Eddie – Great article. Too bad there isn’t a news outlet thats actually getting this story out.
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25th November 2012 at 9:54 am
Ron says:
Most of the cuts seemed ok.Except the cuts to the doctors,medicare payments.
The sky is falling talk about cuts to the military is dam near silly on most networks.Whenever i see McCain,my senator talk.All i can think is we need term limits.
I look forward to the coming circus.
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25th November 2012 at 10:44 am
Mark says:
I think part of the resistance must come from the Tea Party.
Much like the Green Movement on left, the Tea Party could collesce around abstaining from using credit to purchase consumer items.
What would this do to the governments desire to expand credit?
Since the movement could be seen as a movement it could over ride individual impulses. If the government won’t stop emitting credit into the system the people will.
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25th November 2012 at 11:41 am
AWD says:
If they cut doctors reimbursements, which are already so low doctors cannot break even seeing just Medicare patients, they will quit seeing Medicare patients. The same for Medicaid. Tens of millions will have “health entitlements” but won’t be able to see a doctor or a specialist. Makes sense right?
As far as I can see, the Tea Party is dead. The Republicans are on life-support. The tax and spend democrats are going to raise taxes to levels that will wipe our the economy. Millions more small businesses will go bankrupt, as will millions of individuals. The blood-sucking parasitic government will then start confiscating 401k’s, then savings, then everything. Socialism never ends well, ever.
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25th November 2012 at 12:38 pm
Eddie says:
I dream of not accepting insurance of any kind…I’m not there yet, but they are sure pushing me in that direction.
In Texas we are stuck between a federal government that wants to give “free” healthcare to everyone, and a state government that wants to finace it on the backs of the providers. It’s a rock and a hard place.
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25th November 2012 at 12:48 pm
Llpoh says:
AWD – I expect they will pass a law forcing doctors to accept medicare patients. No kidding – that will come.
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25th November 2012 at 3:44 pm