The "myth" of big government

I was skimming the web, wasting time at work during my lunch break (yeah thats it, my lunch break), when I came across the web site of Babs. That's Barbara Streisand for those uninitiated.

Here is an excerpt from her take on the "myth" of big government

We also have to understand the connection between taxes and spending. It is our taxes that pay for these services, so Bush's two big tax cuts for the wealthy will, eventually, result in a cut in the services that all Americans depend on everyday, unless the tax cuts are repealed.

Do you want to know what "big government" gets you? Just take a look at how France's Socialist utopia of a cradle-to-grave caregiving government led to more than 10,000 dead people from a huge heat wave. Because the healthcare system is not based on profits, and is run by the government it can't afford anything longer than 35 hour work weeks, with a full month of August off for vacations. Just read this article by Paul Johnson for detailed description.

Second, it wasn't tax cuts for the wealthy. I am not wealthy at all, and I got a tax cut. Does she even know what "wealthy" means? Well according to the IRS, anyone making over $90,000 a year. That means an elementary school principal and her state police officer husband are, by definition, wealthy.

The top 50% of wage earners pay about 96% of the taxes. Sure they got a generous tax break, but someone like Bill Gates pays more in taxes in a year, than I will probably make in my entire lifetime.

Some lefties say that the rich will just go out and buy a BMW with the money, while welfare mommies won't have enough foodstamps to have another illegitimate child.

I say let them buy the car. It's spending which drives the economy. The salesman will get a commission, the guy who built the car will get a paycheck, and the economy will chug along and grow. Praise capitalism. AMEN.

Lefties get all pissed when you call government "Big Government", but regularly chide Big Tobacco, Big Gun, Big Fast Food, Big Oil, and so on.

Which should be more despised. An entity like the bloated federal government which lives by snatching 50% of people's paychecks before they ever see it, or an entity like businesses which create jobs, build prosperity, and offer goods and services which are desired by the public?

Posted by psugrad98 at August 24, 2004 09:35 AM