If you’ve been alive on Earth for a few decades, you’ve probably watched more than a few election cycles – both general and midterms, federal, state, and municipal. With that thought in mind, I have to ask – have you ever seen a politician win on the promise to raise your taxes?
The answer to that, of course, is ‘no.’ Sure, during election time, liberals and Democrats will talk about the importance of certain programs for various perceived “needs,” causes, and crises – but they never get around to explaining what pays for those programs. The answer to that, of course, is ‘your money!’ And more specifically, your money garnished by government from your wages, salaries, earnings, business profits, investment returns and other sources of income in the form of taxes. Not only do politicians not win on promises or even suggestions to raise taxes, but they don’t even bring it up as a campaign plank.
It is for these reasons why President Trump’s platform for tax reduction is a winner for all Americans – a point that he made loud and clear at a campaign rally in Las Vegas on Thursday October 24th. It is such a winner in fact, that Kamala Harris has appropriated at least part of it for her own platform! Under ordinarily and more friendly and cordial circumstances, copying would be considered a form of flattery. In this case however, given that Kamala Harris is a classic tax-and-spend liberal who has fervently championed classic tax-and-spend boondoggles like “Bidenomics,” her plucking ideas from President Trump is both a ruse and thievery.
On the merits, President Trump’s plans to reduce taxes for working Americans makes sound economic sense – for several reasons. Moreover, as citizens go to the polls on and up to November 5th, the idea of lowering what you pay will every week, every month, every year to a government that isn’t a very responsible steward of your money, is a winning political message that will resonate with the voters as they make a choice.
On a broad level, the litany of taxes that Americans have to pay on a regular and routine basis is really unconscionable – sales tax, income tax, property tax on land, property tax on dwellings, property tax on vehicles (in some states), capital gains tax, estate tax, gas tax…the list makes one’s head spin. We even tax social security benefits – a tax on a source of income that was originally generated by making the citizenry pay up to the government every payday…via…you guessed it…a tax!
Drilling down on the specifics, President Trump’s plan to eliminate income taxes on tips and overtime pay will help working Americans out across the nation who pull the long hours, often in dangerous jobs, who punch the clock doing hard work, constantly on their feet, busting their knuckles and breaking their backs. The elimination of tax on Social Security will bring vital relief to Americans on fixed incomes (who are really suffering from endless inflation) and who have paid their dues. Frankly, even if the math on these reforms wasn’t that great – it should just be done on principle.
Understanding that the top issue for Americans this election cycle is the health of the economy – and more specifically, uncertainty about where things are headed, and how lingering high prices continue snuff out all other issues – a plan to institute real tax reform for everyday Americans is vitally important and good policy. For folks working hard to make ends meet in the heartland – like Michigan or Wisconsin – or in cities where tips constitute a significant portion of one’s income – like Las Vegas, Nevada – these kinds of real reform make sense. An assembly line worker in Detroit, or a machinist in Osh Kosh, or a waitress working at the Golden Nugget on Fremont Street shouldn’t have to fork over any more of their hard-earned income – times are tough enough and the people have to contend with enough hardship as it is.
It doesn’t matter whether one considers themselves a Democrat, a Republican, or somewhere in between, the simple reality is that vibrant and healthy economies are not built with taxes. On the contrary, strong economies are built on growth, which is built on more and more citizens being able to keep, spend, save or invest more of their money how they see fit. As people have more of their own money, they contribute to the health of that economy. Prosperity is not the result of taxation. The only thing that is the result of taxation is less money for you – and more for the government to do what it does…spend it, and mostly not very wisely or with real transparency or accountability.
If you think about it, the taxation issue really lies at the heart of what this election is all about – the middle class and working Americans have been squeezed by terrible economic policies in DC that have caused the inflation that in turn has spurred so much American financial anxiety and heartache. It only makes sense to bring relief to those who work so hard for their families, communities, and country and who have so little control, influence or direction on what the unaccountable class does in the nation’s capital. President Trump’s plans to instill meaningful and direct tax relief are more than timely and welcome – it’s high time to take an axe to tax.
Martha Fain is a policy expert, strategic consultant and frequent commentator on issues of national importance. She is Chairman of Vote America First and a Principal of Victory Coalition Strategies, LLC and has a J.D. from the Antonin Scalia School of law at George Mason University.
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