FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL: ROLLBACK - THE FAST ACTING TAXATIVE
THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY ELECTION IS ON SEPTEMBER 19th
It's time to stop taking a dive on taxes. The Live To Fight Another Day tactic has netted Democrats exactly nothing, and I don't think we should be afraid to go to the mat on this and other issues. The Boston Globe recently reported on the dangers of politically engineered budgeting in this election. That, in addition to a number of other factors - implementing the new Health Care laws, reinvigorating our public schools, fixing the Big Dig, putting cops on the street, etc - show that there are ways to argue against a tax cut in a political campaign.
None of the three Democratic candidates is going to be immune from Kerry Healey's (current LG and Republican nominee) attacks on the income tax cut. Tom Reilly has "flip-flopped" ( man I hate that term) from a year ago. Chris Gabrieli has an indeterminate plan based on percentages of revenue before inflation that will be difficult to defend against the full court ideological press that is surely coming. And Deval Patrick has the clear position - or opposition - he has always had.
It is evident from my Blue Mass Group post that I think Patrick's position, should he decide that all roads eventually lead to the income tax cut, is more defensible than Gabrieli’s word problem, unless for some reason voters respond to "Sure, I will get you your money as long as 40% of our tax revenue per annum grow faster than the rate of inflation." At least, Patrick has the leadership to assert and get traction on his reasonable appeal against immdiate income tax cuts.
We have to fight fire with fire here, not fire with pie (charts). Backing down like we always do is going to get us the same thing we always get.
It's time to stop taking a dive on taxes. The Live To Fight Another Day tactic has netted Democrats exactly nothing, and I don't think we should be afraid to go to the mat on this and other issues. The Boston Globe recently reported on the dangers of politically engineered budgeting in this election. That, in addition to a number of other factors - implementing the new Health Care laws, reinvigorating our public schools, fixing the Big Dig, putting cops on the street, etc - show that there are ways to argue against a tax cut in a political campaign.
None of the three Democratic candidates is going to be immune from Kerry Healey's (current LG and Republican nominee) attacks on the income tax cut. Tom Reilly has "flip-flopped" ( man I hate that term) from a year ago. Chris Gabrieli has an indeterminate plan based on percentages of revenue before inflation that will be difficult to defend against the full court ideological press that is surely coming. And Deval Patrick has the clear position - or opposition - he has always had.
It is evident from my Blue Mass Group post that I think Patrick's position, should he decide that all roads eventually lead to the income tax cut, is more defensible than Gabrieli’s word problem, unless for some reason voters respond to "Sure, I will get you your money as long as 40% of our tax revenue per annum grow faster than the rate of inflation." At least, Patrick has the leadership to assert and get traction on his reasonable appeal against immdiate income tax cuts.
We have to fight fire with fire here, not fire with pie (charts). Backing down like we always do is going to get us the same thing we always get.
posted by Mike | 8:09 AM
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