Fool’s Gold: All Americans should pay some taxes (as if they don’t already)

by David Safier

The Goldwater Institute is at it again, mixing lies and half truths with conservative/libertarian theology to come up with a "nothing" that sounds like "something."

Take this statement in G.I.'s big, wet, sloppy kiss on the lips of the flat tax:

It is certainly true some people currently pay little or no taxes under the current system and they would pay at least something with a flat tax.

And this:

The requirement that all Americans pay at least something in taxes may not seem as onerous . . .

Some people pay no taxes? Wrong. Everyone pays sales tax in Arizona. Everyone. Anyone with a job, no matter how low the wage, pays Social Security taxes. Everyone who owns a home pays property taxes. Everyone who rents pays, as part of their rent, the taxes the owner pays on the property. Income tax is only one of many taxes people pay.

Then there's this:

Taxpayers in the middle and high income brackets – many of which are investors and small business owners – pay a progressively higher rate for each additional dollar they earn or invest. Economists generally agree that sort of tax system hinders income and job growth for all, and particularly for those at the lower end of the income ladder. [boldface added]

Economists generally agree? Um, no, they don't. A correct statement would be, "Economists who believe progressive taxes hinder job growth agree that progressive taxes hinder job growth." G.I.'s statement is a meaningless tautology. If you only accept the opinion of economists who agree with you, then it's true, economists agree with you.

The bottom line is, G.I. and the Arizona Republican political ideologues think higher taxes are just fine so long as the people paying them aren't the same people who, if they're politicians, fund their campaigns and are likely to pay them high salaries once they're out of office, and if they're the G.I. brain trust, fund the Institute to the tune of $5 million-plus a year and help them earn their $150,000-plus salaries.