“I realize that dividend income has already been taxed at the corporate level but I think it would be fair to everybody if it would be taxed as ordinary income.”

you say you realize the income has already been taxed at the corporate rate, but then say its only fair to tax it again at the income level? You assert that this is fair, but never give a reason, or show why it is fair.

Jason nailed it. Until the GOP rediscovers its founding principles and is willing to govern our counties, states, and the nation based on liberty, they will continue to lose at the ballot box and we, the American people, will continue down the road to serfdom.

I solve my problems and I see the light
We gotta subsidize, we gotta feed it right
There ain’t no danger we can go too far
We start believing now that we can be like THEY are-
-GREECE is the word!
They think our debt is just a growing pain
Why don’t they understand, It’s just a crying shame
Their lips are lying only spending is real
We’ve got food stamps right now, who cares whose future we steal
-Greece is the word!
Greece is the word, is the word that you heard
It’s free stuff from the fleecing
Greece is the time, is the place ‘cross the ocean
Greece is the way we are feeling
We take their cash and then it’s thrown away
Austere frugality belongs to yesterday
There is a chance that we can make it so far
We start believing now that we can be who they are
-Greece is the word!
Greece is the word, is the word that you heard
It’s got groove it’s got meaning
Greece is the time, is the place is the motion
Greece is the way we’ll be feeling
-This is the Demos’ illusion
Wrapped up in trouble laced with confusion
What we doing here?

We redistribute and we throw away
Conventionality belongs to yesterday
There is a chance that we can make it so far
We mimic Thurson Howell so we can be who we are

-Greece is the word!
Greece is the word, it’s the riot you heard
Because jobs are demeaning
Greece is the time, it’s our debt, like an ocean
Greece is the way we’ll be feeling

Greece is the word, broken glass that you heard
It’s got groove it’s got meaning
Greece is the time, is the place ‘cross the ocean
Greece is you’re future we’re stealing…..

Greece is the word
Is the word
Is the word
Is the word
Is the word
Is the word
Is the word
Is the word
Is the word

LYRICS COPYRIGHT 2012 – JOHN B. WEBB, ECONOMIST OF THE FUTURE

What’s wrong with the GOP is, in part, that we too often allow the other side not just to mis-use the language but to define it. The first step in solving any problem is… to define it. If we don’t use correct language in defining problems, we can’t expect the problem to be solved correctly. Take healthcare for example: if x millions of Americans don’t have insurance, does that mean that x millions of Americans don’t have access to healthcare, or to affordable healthcare? Absolutely not! Today, even our politicians and journalists don’t seem to know the difference between health insurance and an HMO. Policymakers in all 3 branches of government have contributed to the problem by corrupting the language – for example, by forcing HMOs to provide major medical insurance benefits. If Confucius were alive today, he’d likely tell us to let insurers insure, let HMOs maintain health, let managed care companies manage care. Then we could have true choice and accountability!

Even Jason Lewis contradicted himself through incorrect language about public goods on his 4/21 show. Jason said that the purpose of taxes is to raise revenue to provide public goods. A moment later he said that people should pay according to the government services they consume. By definition, a public good is not consumed through use, nor can it be withheld from a person who is unwilling to pay.

However, we don’t all capture the same value from public goods. In economic terms, income is, in a sense, the value captured from public goods. That’s not to say government is creating our income. The fact we can turn to the courts to uphold the obligation of contract, if need be, is one public good without which we might not be able to realize the income we earn. So a flat income tax rate is the most logical means to raise revenue from people according to the value they receive from such public goods. Without order and the rule of law, we might not be able to hold onto what we’ve earned. So a flat rate property tax would be another logical way to raise revenue according to the value people receive from the publiic goods.

Despite this slip-up, I appreciate Jason’s efforts to use and spread correct language. We need more of that.