While I'm at work taking money at the register, I get the occasional customer from Delaware who looks confused when the total price is more than the sticker price. They usually think for a second and then say something like: "Oh, I'm from Delaware and we don't have a sales tax." I look forward to this because I come back with: "Yeah, but Delaware has the highest infant mortality rate in the country. I guess it's a matter of priorities."
All I've been saying on this issue is while generally income taxes are more progressive, it's possible, and I think I present a pretty good argument that Pennsylvania is an example, that a sales tax could be more progressive than an income tax or so close that there's not much of a difference.
What I wrote Phil Gasper in a note off-list was that the real problem was that taxes have shifted from the national gov't to the states and that the states have a more difficult time setting up an income tax that's both progressive and broad-based enough to cover essential public expenditures.
For the babies of the poor, the mentally ill, the schoolchildren of the inner city, it really doesn't make much difference who pays the taxes. For our most vulnerable citizens, it's more important that public expenditures be defended vigorously. Max's point is a political one and of course I agree that that defense of necessary public spending is more vital and easier to win.
I'm not suggesting that we give up the battle to keep social programs and taxes at the national level. This back-to-the-states movement is important to very few taxpayers. Most in the U.S. think of themselves as Americans first and citizens of some state second. (You'll never hear anyone in Philly say they're from Pennsylvania. Obviously, Texas, California, Alaska, Hawaii, and Maine are different.) The case can be made for programs being national and if it's made, then taxation can shift back to the national gov't with it's progressive income tax.
Phil, if you want to do a focus group, maybe we could have a dozen average Americans listen to you and Max talk the issues (especially crime) and we'll let them decide who's responsible for liberalism's bad name. (Actually, Max probably wouldn't call himself a liberal. I know I don't call myself one. Are there any volunteers from the list who would?)
James
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