Comments on: A Ride on the Escalator

By: Phil Bowermaster

Phil Bowermaster — Tue, 12 Oct 2004 15:42:46 +0000

Virginia —

You have a point. Tax cuts absolutely should be accompanied with spending cuts. It is scandalous that the Republicans control Congress and the White House and yet engage in domestic spending (I think spending on the war is a different matter) that would make a drunken sailor blush. I’m hoping that some real Republicans will show up after the Presidential election and insist that this change. Currently they’re all too worried about seeing their man get re-elected to rock the boat, and rightly so I guess. Kerry certainly won’t do anything to cut spending.

As for the “children and grandhcildren” thing, that’s what I kept hearing during the Reagan years. The deficits were insurmountable; they would never go away. In fact, with the kind of growth I described above along with — and this is very important — a little fiscal restraint, they were gone within a decade. It could happen again, but we need to cut spending soon.

By: Virginia Warren

Virginia Warren — Tue, 12 Oct 2004 13:15:17 +0000

I think it should be noted that, in the presence of runaway deficit spending, the Bush tax cut is a complete fraud. The taxes have simply been deferred from you to your children and grandchildren.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Thu, 07 Oct 2004 08:48:26 +0000

I think Democrats confuse the fact that some of the rich and powerful use their money and power to exploit the poor-- or they become indifferent to the needs of the poor-- with the fact that being rich and successful is not immoral. I have the freedom and opportunity to do whatever it takes to be successful, and I bear moral responsibility for my decisions as they affect other people. But the liberal "morality" is such a quagmire that it sucks people into a pit of false notions of equity and entitlement. As a conservative, I believe the government's role is to help people who have impediments and avoid creating obstacles. I think your progressive, futuristic views are a product of your maturity and experience, lifelong study of reason, and engaging intellect. Your daughter might catch up in about 25 years.

By: Stephen Gordon

Stephen Gordon — Wed, 06 Oct 2004 07:46:00 +0000

Phil:

People tend to become more conservative over the course of their lives. The fact that your daughter is uncomfortable with redistribution is enough for now.

Speaking of the company your daughter keeps, don’t forget Taranto’s “Roe Effect.”

http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/?id=110004780

People her age are becoming more conservative.

Another analogy I like is “a rising tide lifts all ships.” The fact that Bill Gates towers over me with his aircraft carrier doesn’t take away from the fact that my little canoe is being lifted quite nicely by the recovering tide.

Of course I’m going to use the opportunity of the high tide to attach some outriggers to my canoe and add a tall mast and a sail. By doing this I might attract the attention of redistributionists, but that’s a chance I’m willing to take for a taller boat.