How propaganda keeps us silenced.
A couple of pieces refuting the “historical evidence” that tax cuts increase revenues — “Do Tax Cuts Ever Increase Revenues” and “Wrong Wrong Wrong.”
Krugman touches on something that perpetually annoys the hell out of me, too — “Not-A Does Not Imply B.”
Tax rate changes on investments (up and down) often increase revenues for a short time, as investors readjust their portfolios to reflect the new tax environment, and thus pay taxes on transactions that would not occur without the tax rate change.
Rates increase: investors sell investments with gains before new rates go into effect, thus self-taxing at the old, lower rates rather than later, under the new tax rates.
Rates go down: investors sell some investments that no longer get a tax break, thus self-taxing before the new rate system goes into effect.
These effects are VERY short-lived, but to righties, they are the stuff of legend and dogma.
A perfect example of propaganda as described in the article:
“The Patriot Act.”
The implication being, that if you don’t support it, not only are you NOT a patriot, but that you might also be treasonous.
And Krugman had a great statement:
“Or maybe it’s just that extremists can’t grasp the notion of non-extreme positions held by other people.”
BINGO!!!
As per the Krugman article, I believe it’s called nuance, which rightees are exceptionally bad at doing. It feeds into their simple out look and simple answers for terribly complex issues. That’s why we’re now fighting the “Free Market is always right” fight, because it’s much easier to believe” gov’t bad, free market” good than to understand areas where it works and where it doesn’t work. And if we don’t believe that the Free Market is always right, then we’re collectivist commies who want the gov’t to run everything.
An article about the sorry state of newspapers and journalism in this country. Read it and weep:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/26/business/26shelf.html?_r=2&sq=bryan%20burrough&st=cse&adxnnl=1&scp=1&adxnnlx=1309132863-7He+w6+irthLDuxUYxysEw
Here’s the latest attrocity from the Roland Freisler Fascist, Corporate SCOOTUS:
http://prospect.org/csnc/blogs/tapped_archive?month=06&year=2011&base_name=supreme_court_strikes_another
Ooops, did I say “Roland Freisler?”
No, I’m sorry, Rolan Freisler was the President of the Nazi’s People Court (Volksgerichtshof).
Godwin forgive me, I meant the John Roberts Fascist, Corporate SCOTUS.
Yep, Freisler was the one who sentenced Hans and Sophie Scholl and some of their compatriots in the White Rose movement to death. I always thought it rather poetic justice that he was killed in his courtroom by an Allied bomb.