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Townhall…
Mitt Romney, Big-Government Man
by John Stossel
Oct 10, 2012
President
Obama tanked in the last
debate. Good.
Now
maybe people will listen when
Mitt Romney says things like, "The genius of America is the free
enterprise
system, and freedom, and the fact that people can go out there and
start a
business. ... The private market and individual responsibility always
work
best."
They
do.
But
then Romney responded to Obama
by essentially saying: I want big government, too!
We
who hope for smaller government
as a way to expand liberty and create prosperity are disturbed by what
we heard
last week. The GOP candidate painted himself as a big government man.
"Regulation
is essential. ...
Every free economy has good regulation."
He
added the obligatory,
"Regulation can become excessive," but showed no sign of
understanding that free competition -- unrestricted by government
monopolistic
privilege -- is the best regulation. Nothing better protects consumers
and
workers than free choice in a competitive marketplace.
Romney
also made it clear that he
doesn't want to reduce government revenues. He insisted that his 20
percent cut
in tax rates would be revenue neutral.
"In
order for us not to lose
revenue -- have the government run out of money -- I also lower
deductions and
credits and exemptions so that we keep taking in the same money when
you also
account for growth." I'm all for slashing deductions and simplifying
taxes, but the 1980s taught me to be wary. The top rate went back up --
from 28
to 39.6 percent at one point -- but the deductions repealed are likely
gone
forever.
Then
Romney said, "I'm not
looking to ... reduce the revenues going to the government."
Why
not? The less revenue in
government hands, the more private individuals can do wonderful things
with it.
Romney
emphasizes revenue
neutrality because he doesn't want to be accused of proposing to
increase the
budget deficit, which he repeatedly pounded Obama over. He could avoid
that
charge by calling for spending cuts. Our deficit is a spending, not a
tax
revenue, problem. The federal government already collects $2.6
trillion! That's
more than enough.
Read
the rest of the article at Townhall
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