I won't pretend to know much about economic theory, tax policy etc etc - I read some things from which I glean parcels of useful info but in the end the arguments hover well above my understanding - I do find it interesting that reputable and often well known Phds in the field can express diametrically opposed opinions when asked to comment on causes of current dire state of Western economies and indebtedness and what elected officials should or should not be doing about such - that's interesting and forces one to wonder if economics is a science or an ideology - maybe ideologies that manifest consequences to which scientific analysis can be provisionally applied - but regardless, I try to approach the issues with a sense of practicality - and so when democrats talk of raising taxes I make the what seems obvious objection: when you've so completely demonstrated your inability to spend the public's money wisely, why on earth would I think entrusting you with more of it a good thing? Likewise, when republicans talk about cutting taxes I say: I get how it seems counter intuitive to punish your most productive citizens, I get how big government can become a threat and impediment to the expression of vital freedoms - but how can I be certain that simply letting 'the rich' keep more of their money will result in greater productivity that benefits all? So it is it cheered my heart this morning while watching CNBC that a former CEO of a major enterprise [can't remember who and what] basically made the same points, ie - giving the gov't more money is like loosening the leash on the dog that's threatening to kill you; cutting taxes without incentivizing that stimulus towards increasing domestic productivity does not seem particularly enlightened either - he used the example that when he was a CEO and the Bush tax cuts were enacted those savings for the most part ended up being invested in China.
So, in short, for the average voter unencumbered by ideological bones in need of picking, it becomes I think fairly straight forward - the gov't spends too much money and often for reasons of highly dubious merit; the tax code is grossly inefficient and counter productive. Fix those things and maybe we can forestall a complete collapse of Western civilization.
