Conservatives Just Don't Get It on Taxes

by Laurence M. Vance
Jan. 09, 2015

Now that the Republicans have regained the control of the Senate that they lost in the 2006 midterm election, conservatives are salivating about the prospect of “real” or “genuine” tax reform.

Conservatives believe that reforming the tax code by making it more efficient, more coherent, more transparent, and more equitable; eliminating the double taxation that discourages saving and investment; eliminating the “rat’s nest” of deductions, credits, and exemptions; broadening the tax base; switching to a territorial tax system; decreasing the number of tax brackets; and lowering tax rates will lead to increased capital formation, entrepreneurship, family incomes, and economic growth.

They raise some valid and important points and make some perfectly logical and reasonable arguments to support them. But because conservatives believe that tax reform should be constrained by some dubious principles, and because they don’t oppose taxes on principle, it is no surprise that they just don’t get it on taxes.

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