Can These BOTH Be True?
23 October 2007
The Editor, New York Times
229 West 43rd St.
New York, NY 10036
To the Editor:
Forget that Uncle Sam today rakes in tax revenues that are, in inflation-adjusted dollars, 25 percent larger than those that he took in 2001 - thus making a mockery of your claim that Washington's tax take today is "meager" ("The Dearth of Taxes," October 23). And forget that the Wall Street Journal today reports that Congress has increased corporate welfare for the current fiscal year by nearly ten percent, to $100 billion.
When pleading for higher taxes, at least keep your story straight. In your editorial you simultaneously blame government's alleged lack of funds for bringing many U.S. corporations "to the brink" AND you dismiss the recent growth in tax revenues as being due to "spectacular increase in corporate profits." Such inconsistency taxes your readers' credulity.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
The Editor, New York Times
229 West 43rd St.
New York, NY 10036
To the Editor:
Forget that Uncle Sam today rakes in tax revenues that are, in inflation-adjusted dollars, 25 percent larger than those that he took in 2001 - thus making a mockery of your claim that Washington's tax take today is "meager" ("The Dearth of Taxes," October 23). And forget that the Wall Street Journal today reports that Congress has increased corporate welfare for the current fiscal year by nearly ten percent, to $100 billion.
When pleading for higher taxes, at least keep your story straight. In your editorial you simultaneously blame government's alleged lack of funds for bringing many U.S. corporations "to the brink" AND you dismiss the recent growth in tax revenues as being due to "spectacular increase in corporate profits." Such inconsistency taxes your readers' credulity.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Posted by Don Boudreaux on
Tuesday April 15, 2008 at 1:09pm