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Saturday, August 12, 2006
Larry Kudlow :: Townhall.com Columnist
Alive and kicking
by Larry Kudlow
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Will the Dems' health care Christmas Present to America be an improvement or detriment to our health care system?


Since low tax rates on capital have rejuvenated investment returns and the overall economy's animal spirits, this trend will only continue. Today's low-tax environment is also a job creator, as is the red-hot corporate and commercial real-estate market.

Exactly 25 years ago, Ronald Reagan signed into law the first supply-side tax cuts since the JFK plan of the early 1960s. By reducing high marginal tax rates, Reagan transformed the American economy and opened the door to two-and-half decades of prosperity. Economic behavior responds significantly to the incentive power of low tax rates that raise the after-tax return on work, investment and risk-taking.

Over this time span, the United States has experienced only six quarters of negative GDP -- a remarkable performance. Roughly 45 million new jobs have been created, with the economy averaging about 3.5 percent real growth each year. In the 1980s, as the economy supplied more goods to absorb the Fed's money supply, inflation plunged from the stagflationary 1970s. Meanwhile, entire new technology industries sprung up, forming an information economy that has transformed business and productivity.

Stock markets exploded in the Schumpeterian environment of entrepreneurship that Reagan helped launch. Wealth creation reached unheard of levels among the 100 million investors who were spurred by new incentives to keep more of what they earned, saved and invested. Capitalism was rejuvenated in the United States, and then it spread around the world.

Ankle-biting, demand-side Keynesians (most of whom reside in the Democratic Party) are always looking for blotches, hanging toenails and the occasional scrape on what is today's muscular and statuesque American economic body. But the genial and optimistic Reagan undoubtedly chuckles from his perch on high, as he watches his critics scramble to come up with a coherent opposing idea. They can't, and they won't.

One of Reagan's big ideas was that tax incentives matter. It has been a blockbuster, runaway success. But even today, 25 years later, it remains the greatest economic story never told.

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About The Author

Lawrence Kudlow is host of CNBC's Kudlow & Company

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God loves freedom
God loves freedom and therefore rewards it. In this case taxes represent negative economic freedom. I am not saying that all taxes should be abolished, just that at some point taxes represent no return to the individual but many times represent negative return. (i.e. welfare sometimes leads to more crime). America is roughly 80 % Judeo-Christian and both religions are based in part on personal freedom. So if there is a God and he likes freedom and rewards it, which country on earth should be the the most well rewarded?

Government will kill economy
As a business owner, I'm finding it difficult to attract employees. We almost exclusively employ teenagers, so that suggests to me that the economy is good, i.e. parents aren't pressuring kids to get a job, and the kids have enough disposable income provided by parents to satisfy their spending habits.

Unfortunately, my resident state of NC has passed a new minimum wage hike, effective January 1. Strangely, they didn't include a mandate for minimum productivity.

The bottom line is this, this additional tax on my business will result in higher prices. I didn't enjoy the 70s, but apparently the government did, as they're doing their dead-level best to bring back the inflation of that era.

The economy has been humming along nicely, but I'm already seeing signs of slowing. This new minimum wage in NC will kill jobs. Sorry, but I don't share any long-term optimism.
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