You have identified one of the big lies told by the Cato Institute.
Our friend Max, seems to think that the Cato Institute has some sort of philosophy based on American values as expressed in their propaganda on issues. This is one academic trap that too many democrats fall into and then find themselves unable to get out of. The Cato Institute has no philosophy except that of greed and the personal self interest of its benefactors. Doug summed it up when he quoted someone describing the Cato Institute philosophy as, " I got mine, f--- you."
In talking to little democrat politicians and union democrats here in the heartland of America, I find innumeracy and illiteracy to be a big problem in these debates about complex economic issues. The symbolic analysts who are on our side are going to have to do a better job in defining basic terms and explaining simple math like percentages. I would be willing to bet that the majority of Americans don't know what the acroymn GDP stands for, let alone calculate a simple percentage. There have been in depth Federal studies which I have seen pointing out the basic facts on illiteracy and innumeracy even among college graduates.
Also, basic information like the fact that there is a $68,400 dollar cap on social security taxes is not widely known. Or if the most dismal of projections would come true, what's wrong with a little hike in corporate income taxes to defray any shortfall in revenue. Then there is always our spending on wonder weapons and the quasi-military both of whom are very well funded.
Sincerely, Tom Lehman
James Devine wrote:
> Max notes that the Cato Institute's > intention is to dismantle the public
> sector, and they are targeting the largest, most debatable portion (old age
> insurance) of the largest public program. It is very different from the
> Reagan Administration's attack on disability insurance in 1981-83, which
> was much like the anti-welfare campaigns of the right then and now, or the
> more recent pressure on the Disability Insurance component of SS noted by
> Doyle.<
>
> Though Max is generally right in his description, I think that it's wrong
> to take the Cato Institute's own rhetoric too seriously. Given that one of
> the members of their board -- Rupert Murdoch -- is one who eats at the
> public trough in a big way (taking advantage of the publically-owned
> airwaves), it's more reasonable to see the Cato Institute as pushing free
> enterprise for the poor and middle classes (dismantle the public sector)
> but socialism for the rich (including military suppliers).
>
> Jim Devine jdevine at popmail.lmu.edu &
> http://clawww.lmu.edu/Departments/ECON/jdevine.html