Right-Wing Doublespeak regarding Tax Cuts

[markpkessinger]

Something that has received very little play in the media, but which Democrats should be pointing out frequently and loudly, is the GOP doublespeak when it comes to tax cuts and their ability to create jobs.

It occurs to me, in considering right-wingers who are now insisting that we must not raise taxes on the wealthy because it is the wealthy who create jobs, that most of them are the very same folks who insist that the stimulus did nothing to create jobs. Of course, on one level, it's hard to argue that the stimulus was as effective as it had been hoped; but on the other, one of the major criticisms of it, from many economists, was the fact that it contained far too much by way of tax cuts and incentives, and far too little on direct investment in infrastructure and other, more stimulative types of spending. And it appears those economists have been proven to be correct. I should add that the reason the stimulus package was so heavy on tax cuts is that the President made a concession to the GOP in search of GOP votes.

So I think maybe Democrats should, for the sake of arguing with the GOP, say something like, "You know what, you're right. The stimulus really didn't manage to create many jobs at all because it was so laden with non-stimulative tax cuts." And then proceed to shoot out of the water the GOP's current arguments about extended tax breaks for the wealthy being necessary to create jobs. I mean, it stands to reason, doesn't it, that if the tax incentives provided by the stimulus package failed to create jobs, then extending the Bush tax cuts will likewise fail to create jobs?

The point is, they really cannot have it both ways. So why aren't there more Democrats out there pointing out the fact that the GOP is arguing two mutually exclusive positions at the same time?

[RedCloud]

1. maybe just put a scoreboard up:

Jobs created by billionaires since tax extension:


Could be very embarrassing.