Sunday, March 02, 2008

Tax Fairness ~ John Knight vs. Mike Hubbard

State Representative John Knight (D-Montgomery) and State Representative and GOP Chairman Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn) are good for showing some of the differences between the two dominant political parties in Alabama and our nation. The B'ham News is right to praise Representative Knight's efforts to make Alabama's regressive tax structure more equitable. They give a good summary of his proposal and provide context to what he's trying to accomplish. However, Representative Hubbard said:

"I just don't think that you should penalize people for creating jobs, taking risks and doing well."

There you have some foundational Republican thinking. Capitalism, or at least their simple ideas about how that works, controls their whole reference it appears. Is that the best you've got Mike? You are the Chairman of the state GOP so I'm expecting more. That might sell for your own but do you really think Joe and Jill Sixpack are going to buy it? You'll need some "family values" or perhaps gun control lies or ... to keep them voting with your Big Mules.

Of course, given the Alabama Democratic Party's tendency to default over towards Republican Lite they'll likely let you get away with it. At least the Alabama Democratic Party has this on their Principles page:

... Those who benefit most from our free enterprise system should bear a proportionate cost of its maintenance. We condemn all schemes of taxation, which shift a disproportionate burden of government onto to the shoulders of those who are least able to pay. ...

I like! Lots! Now lets see if the leadership and elected officials from my team can frame constructs that those "doing well" might owe a little back to the society as a whole. John Gunn

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