AllPolitics - Voter's Voice


Voter's Voice

Robert Dole's tax plan brought a flood of Voter's Voice mail -- more than 150 e-mail messages in the first few hours after his Chicago speech, and it's still pouring in.

Our readers were fairly evenly divided. Forty-seven percent were skeptical of Dole's ability to cut taxes and lower the federal deficit, while 38 percent said he was on the right track. Another 15 percent liked parts of the Dole plan, but had reservations, too.

Here's a sampling:

"The Ultimate In Pandering"

I thought that I had seen the ultimate in pandering to the voters earlier this spring when Dole came out in favor of rescinding the 4.3 cents-a-gallon tax increase on gasoline enacted in 1993. Apparently, this is not the case as Candidate Dole is now promising a 15 percent across-the-board tax decrease and to do away with the IRS as we know it. How pathetic! Does Dole really think the voters are so stupid as to conveniently forget that we have a deficit problem? No one likes taxes or the IRS, but the bills must be paid for and taxes and the IRS are necessary evils.

We need an adult for president who will level with the people and tell them that there is NO FREE LUNCH!

I hope the media takes this opportunity to remind the country of what happened in the 1980s when we tried a strong dose of 'supply-side' economics -- namely, the deficit ballooned.

I'm getting a bit tired of the Republicans always trying to get my vote by offering me more take-home pay (in essence, trying to 'buy' my vote). Aren't there more important issues we need to be addressing than what the capital gains tax rate is? Where is Dole's vision for the 21st Century? Where does he stand on education?

I suspect that Dole will get a few favorable headlines and a few points in the polls out of his idea to trash the deficit and the IRS in one swoop; but, ultimately, I say he needs to think about what he wants to do in his retirement. Come November, 'Citizen Dole' will be heading to Kansas, not back to Washington. The American people aren't as stupid and shallow as he thinks.

-- J.Kevin Haney, Tucson, Ariz.


"A Very Bold Move"

Dole is making a very bold move with this announcement. This is a strong move to encourage growth in the American economy. Counter to what the Democrats think, tax cuts have shown time and time again that they actually increase the amount of money that is brought into the government coffers if they are done correctly.

This will not result in a floundering economy as the Democrats would have you believe. Rather, this will improve the quality of life for all Americans by allowing them to keep more of their take home income. It is the first step on the road to deficit reduction.

-- Eric Helmsen, Allison Park, Pa.


"Necessary Incentives"

I am in favor of Dole's tax plan, especially the capital gains tax cut. How can this country grow unless investors are given the necessary incentives to risk capital?

-- Michael De Jesus, Hayward, Calif.


"Fiscal Responsibility"

For years, we've been exposed to the tax issue as a black and white choice...Less taxes or a balanced budget. Not only is this clap-trap, but absolves our government officials of any fiscal responsiblility.

The GOP finally pushed Mr. Clinton into signing the welfare reform bill, which he himself painted himself into. This is the first positive move his administration has made in the last four years, even if it was at gunpoint.

The American family has been forced to make choices when it comes to personal budgets and fiscal responsibility. We do not have a "magic wand" which allows us to automatically increase our income, or participate in long term deficit spending (unless you count credit cards, and even those need to be paid, or we face the consequences).

It's time to force our government into the same amount of fiscal responsibility as we have. The tax cut is a good idea. We also need to cut out the unnecessary beauracracy which siphons our tax dollars away.

Cuts in defense programs, and social programs are a necessity. But instead of cutting benefits, (which usually is the first to receive the ax) we need to restructure our bureaucracy to make it run more efficient. The problem is not lack of money, it's lack of fiscal responsibility to spend it correctly.

Everyone must share in this responsibility. Public servants should not be allowed to vote their own pay raises unless approved by votor referendum. After all, WE are supposed to be the congressmen's employers. What company in the world allows the employees to set their own wages? None. Second, we need to end the "perks" that have long been abused by members of the government. Congressmen can fly to their destinations in coach like the rest of us, or pay for the difference out of their pockets. I am a government employee (U.S. Navy), and I do not get free first-class travel, or specially outfitted aircraft for my "business" related travel.

Finally, we need to make private enterprise realize that the government is no longer a sacred cash cow. We need to make private contractors responsible for their own mistakes, and not pay for budget overruns, and exorbant prices for the things our government buys.

It's time to make government smaller, and use the existing funds to help invest in our childrens future. The GOP has finally seemed to grasp that concept. The rest of need to too.

-- William Thomas, Honolulu, Hawaii


"Completely Nonsensical"

Not only is Dole's tax cut plan pandering of the lowest sort, but the timing of it is completely nonsensical. As I understand it, the Fed considers the economy to be balanced on a knife edge between strong growth and over heating. At best, Dole's plan would spur short-term growth prompting an instant increase in interest rates.

Not only would this sink Wall Street, but it would also cause the cost of the deficit to go up (on top of the loss in tax revenue). Just who is Dole listening to? Do they really believe people are going to fall for this nonsense again? I formerly disagreed with Dole, but felt he was better than recent events have portrayed him (and how he has portrayed himself). Now any respect I had for the man is gone. Clinton is very flawed politically and morally, but he at least seems capable of learning from mistakes.

-- Ed Dever, La Jolla, Calif.


"A Break To The Wealthy"

My read on it is that it gives more of a break to the wealthy and will continue to increase the spread between the rich and the poor in this country. The highest wage earners (39.6 percent bracket) have their rate cut by 5.9 percent while the low-end (15 percent) have their rate cut by 2.25 percent. The higher wage earners would probably also be more likely to be in position to take advantage of the cut in capital gains.

-- John DeHart, St. Louis, Mo.


"Long Overdue"

My thoughts on the tax cuts proposed by Bob Dole are that they are long overdue. I think they will help the economy tremendously. I cannot understand why the media continues to present a growth rate of a little over 2 percent as such a good economy. We should be over 5 percent as a minimum rate.

Also by cutting the capital gains it will allow businesses to have more money so that they can invest it back in the economy or their own businesses, meaning if people are getting paid more they tend to work harder. If we can stop the greedy Democrats from overspending like they did during the Reagan years, then we can take the extra revenue that will come in from people paying more taxes, if we have a stronger economy where people are earning more. They just will not be paying as large of a percentage.

The key factor is to not let spending increase on failed social programs while this extra revenue is coming in. If Dole and Gingrich can do this, which I certainly believe they can, then this plan is definitely the right direction for the country to be headed in. I certainly know that I can spend an extra 15 percent of my money a whole lot better than the federal government can.

-- Sean C. Hyde, Atlanta, Ga.


"Just What We Need"

The Dole plan is just what we need to get this economy moving in the right direction. With the cuts that the Republicians will make along with the revenue growth caused by the tax cuts, the budget should not be a problem to balance. It will also help that he will also have a line-item veto to cut a lot of the waste from the budget. This is a good move for America.

-- Carlis Knight, Chattanooga, Tenn.


"Browne's Response"

I want to thank you for printing Libertarian presidential candiate Harry Browne's response to Bob Dole's announcements. Mr. Browne and the Libertarian Party are largely ignored in the mainstream national press, and it is refreshing to see their ideas printed in a national forum.

I urge you to actively cover Mr. Browne's campaign. It promises to make this election season interesting for all and perhaps fruitful for libertarians. Now if we can only get Harry Browne into the debates...

-- Jason Tumlinson, Houston, Texas


"In Need Of A Boost"

Of course he's proposing a huge reduction in income tax rates, a big reduction in social security taxation, and a 50 percent decrease in capital gains taxes. None of his sensible retoric has been effective. Drastic times call for drastic measures; his campaign is in drastic need of a boost, so he made a drastic (and dreadful) proposal.

It's the height of cynicism to propose something that he knows is not founded on anything more than supply-side dreams. Assuring the American public that we can pay fewer taxes and have higher growth without penalty is like giving a box of candy to a diabetic and telling him, it's perfectly all right, you can eat all the candy you want.

Perhaps the most perverse aspect to it is that the economy is doing great the way it is. The deficit is down, growth is steady, inflation is almost nonexistent, jobs are up, and interest rates are moderate. The much talked about soft landing, which few thought possible, is now a reality. The last thing we need is to throw a politically motivated wrench into a well running economic machine.

-- Michael Bryant, Lawndale, Calif.


"Disastrous Strategy"

One is most struck by the larger campaign context of Dole's announcement. It's further proof that for some reason he and his advisors are echoing George Bush's disastrous strategy of 1992. To wit:

Both candidates made use of their war records to contrast with Clinton's supposed draft-dodging.

Mistrusted by their right wing, Bush and Dole worked hard to accommodate it. Bush wound up as its prisoner and Dole is on that track.

Neither candidate could articulate a rationale for their candidacy, and so hyped the publication of their plan for the economy (Bush's so-called Detroit speech).

Both plans were rehashed Reagonomics (minus some of the red meat) about tax cuts with a few standard Republican nostrums (capital gains cut).

Both candidates counted on major convention bounces to get them back in the race.

Dole's failure to articulate his candidacy remains a problem, and nothing in his tired economic proposals changes that. Vacuums tend to get filled, and in this case the Republican right -- dominated by the Christian coalition and the Gingrich-Armey axis -- will be only too quick to step in. Thus, the Dole candidacy -- like Bush's -- will be defined by his party's extremists.

Meanwhile, the campaign depends on a favorable convention and matching funds to turn itself around, when it may well be that worst is ahead unless the candidate gets on track. Dole has yet to campaign head-to-head against Clinton, where even with matching funds he is badly overmatched. Without a coherent message, his situation is even worse. Thus, his campaign will become strident and negative, extremist voices will be the loudest, and the Republican party will become identified with its southern reactionaries.

-- Paul Goode, Redmond, Wash.


"Buy Their Votes"

It will be interesting to see if the American people can be fooled twice. Can Bob Dole buy their votes with money that will almost certainly add to the national debt -- debt that their children will have to pay.

-- Laurie Bickove, Los Angeles, Calif.


"My Two Cents"

My two cents on Dole's proposal:

1) "End IRS as we know it" - About time!

2) Tax cuts - Irresponsible porkbelly politics. We need to reduce the deficit first.

A lifelong Republican,

-- Stan Schonberg, Alameda, Calif.


"A Desperate Attempt"

I think Dole's package is a desperate attempt to get support for a faltering campaign. He is trying to convince voters that they can get a tax cut and balance the budget in six years. Who wouldn't like both?

However, Dole does not specifically lay out where the cuts will be made and what services will go away because there is no money to pay for them. The American public deserves to know what we will lose in order to gain the "rewards" of Dole's plan.

Finally, his $500 per child tax credit is very little relief. That amount would not even pay for a month of child care which is a real issue facing most parents.

-- Megan Baker, Mountain View, Calif.


"Let Someone Else Run"

This is a desperate attempt by a run-out-of-ideas, run-out-of-steam person. I would not vote for anyone who proposes a tax cut without any specifics of how he (she) would pay for it. Dole should have retired from the Senate gracefully and let someone else runfor the presidency.

-- Khoa Nguyen, San Jose, Calif.


"Politics At Its Finest"

The elect-Bob-Dole-for-President economic stimulus package is truly politics at its finest. Dole's proposal (read: "promises") to "cut taxes", "revamp the IRS", and repeal the social security tax, in an all-or-nothing effort to become President is quite frankly nothing less than irresponsible. The Dole package demonstrates a total disregard for the trillion dollar-plus budget deficicit that's ruining the financial future of tomorrow's retirees.

As a 33-year-old voter (read: Boomer, not X'er), Dole should take heed that most people my age are far more concerned about how they will be able to afford to retire, with Social Security bankrupt in 2020, than saving $500 on my taxes by having children. As Bob Dole knows, burgeoning budget deficits do exactly the opposite of what his package is intended to do; "stimulate growth."

In my opinion, Dole would stand a far greater chance of election by proposing a package that addresses the tens of thousands of dollars people my age throw-away every year in a defunct retirement system that caters to today's retiree's, at our own expense. IRA's that allow $2,000 maximum tax-deferred contribution? Give me a break! That ought to by a gallon of milk in 2020.

If Dole is looking for my vote, and that of my age group, then I suggest he rethink his economic strategy. Otherwise, he should write us off, and focus his election efforts on the 55 and over crowd, his crowd, the only place he stands a chance for support of his short-sighted economic proposals.

-- Bruce Polderman, Sonoma, Calif.


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