Howard Dean: The Tax Cut Scam

by Gov. Howard Dean, M.D.

For the past ten years many Americans thought they were getting tax cuts. In fact, they were losing money.
While it is true that voters like the idea of tax cuts, they do not like the idea of cutting essential services, which is what is currently happening. For most working families, so-called tax cuts are simply an elaborate accounting shell game – lower income tax, but higher property tax . . . child tax credit, but higher college tuition . . . marriage penalty tax relief, but a 36 percent increase in health care premiums.

For the average worker, with every dollar these tax cuts put in one pocket, it seems that two dollars are taken from the other. These tax cuts also happen to be the biggest factor in the creation of the largest and most chronic federal deficit in American history, roughly a half-trillion dollar added to our national debt every year.

It gets worse.

These policies are inflicting enormous deficits on our children, who will be forced to pay the biggest tax of all – a drop in their standard of living and education. This tax cut gimmick does not increase opportunity in America for the middle class and half-trillion dollar deficits hardly make our country more competitive.

(Read the rest of the column here.)