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Look, I am a transplanted Democrat. I am in favor of economic development, so that there will be full employment and a rise in wages. I am not a libertarian, but freeing the market of politically imposed inefficiencies helps, and that includes excessive tax rates on millionaires. Do you remember the luxury tax on yachts? It was argued that since rich people buy yachts, they would not care if a 10% surcharge were levied. What had not been counted on was that yachts are also bought by people who are affluent but not rich, and not beyond caring about adding another couple of hundred thousand to the price. You know who got hurt? The people who made their living building the yachts....I am for welfare reform, not to "put money into the pockets of millionaires", but to guard against perverse incentives on the poor, and to try to get rid of the permanent welfare constituency. People should have help getting jobs, and should be under some pressure to get their lives together to hold them...I also believe in public/private partnerships in areas like day-care and rehab, and allowing the churches more latitude to participate in grant programs, because I think that taking an interest in the moral state of those helped, and encouraging them to improve their lot in life, is wise....I am for vouchers, and competition even between public schools, because I want to encourage experimentation and emulation, and put pressure on schools to raise performance and operate more efficiently...This is good enough for a start... |
