“Republicans favor tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, but these had no stimulative effect during the George W. Bush administration, and there is no reason to believe that more of them will have any today. As for the idea that cutting regulations will lead to significant job growth, it's just nonsense. It's just made up.” BelieveMadeIdeasReasonTodayJobsGrowthCuttingEffectsRepublicanTaxesFavorsSignificantAdministrationCorporationsNonsenseNo ReasonWealthyRegulationTax CutsJob Growth Author:Bruce Bartlett
“The growing inequality of wealth and income distribution is both a moral and economic problem. If the wealthy are unwilling to pay more taxes, then this is going to lead to spending cuts. And if you put off the table things like national defense, then you're going to end up cutting more and more out of programs that aid the poor. So, I think there are consequences to this idea that tolerance for inequality requires us to - to just do nothing to make the wealthy contribute a higher share of resources to fund the government.” IfsThinkingIdeasEndsProblemGovernmentWealthPoorPayMoralCuttingGrowingShareEconomicHigherTaxesConsequenceResourcesProgramTablesSpendingDefenseAidsToleranceIncomeInequalityFundWealthyDistributionUnwillingNational DefenseEconomic ProblemsSpending CutsIncome Distribution Author:Bruce Bartlett
“The conservative side of our political spectrum has had an outsized voice over the last few years. I think especially since the establishment of Fox News, which has created an echo chamber in which people just hear the same ideas repeated ad infinitum. And you know, it's just basic advertising, basically. You hear the same idea over and over again. Or you can call it propaganda if you like.” PeopleIfsThinkingKnowsYearsIdeasLastsPoliticalSidesVoiceNewsConservativeAdvertisingPropagandaAdsEstablishmentEchoesFoxesChamberSpectrumFox NewsVoice OverPolitical Spectrum Author:Bruce Bartlett
“With all due respect to Speaker Hastert, trying to eliminate the IRS by adopting a national retail sales tax is a very dumb idea.” TryingIdeasTaxesDuesDumbSpeakersAdoptingRetailIrsSales TaxRetail Sales Author:Bruce Bartlett