Targeting the rich unwise

Some time ago, I read that 70 percent of voters were angry at the tea party because it opposed taxing the “rich.” Surprise! Surprise! Fifty percent of wage earners pay no income taxes.

Why is it that so many of us want to raise taxes on the other guy as long as they don’t raise them on us?

Levying taxes is like deciding the maximum price a businessman can charge for a “widget” before net return decreases. What is that magic number?

Taxes work the same way. What is the maximum amount the government can levy before the total amount raised decreases?

Remember, the “rich” have the option of putting their money into tax-free investments.

Keeping tax rates low increases the probability of willingness to risk. Willingness to risk means more jobs. More jobs means more tax revenue. Why are there so many of us who don’t accept the concept that low taxation rates result in a more robust economy?

Wouldn’t it make more sense if a small national tax, say 2 percent, was taxed on all goods purchased? Corporations could not then avoid paying taxes. We could really then say everyone is sharing in paying down the debt.

Gene Sivertson

Spokane