...sâcrêd cows and carnivores...

[BeenThere...DoneThat...]

Tax Expenditures 101
What They Are and How They Slip Under the Radar

" ... The government uses tax expenditures to accomplish the same goals as direct spending, but it transfers money by lowering taxes for an individual or company instead of giving them the money. ..."

www.americanprogress.org/issues/2010/04/tax_expenditures101.html

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....what would YOU eliminate or expand? why or why not?

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

OH, I get it-- not taxing is the same as the government spending. Clever way to word RAISING TAXES isn't it? I mean, who wouldn't want to "eliminate a tax expenditure"? Hell, why don't we just raise taxes and we'll call it "cutting spending". We see you, lefties.

[BeenThere...DoneThat...]

Jun 29, 2011 2:00:14 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

OH, I get it-- not taxing is the same as the government spending. Clever way to word RAISING TAXES isn't it? I mean, who wouldn't want to "eliminate a tax expenditure"? Hell, why don't we just raise taxes and we'll call it "cutting spending". We see you, lefties.

...just as it was a clever way to introduce entitlements without expanding govt., wouldn't you agree?

[fairlycrazy23]

Jun 29, 2011 0:36:29 GMT -5 BeenThere...DoneThat... said:

Tax Expenditures 101
What They Are and How They Slip Under the Radar

" ... The government uses tax expenditures to accomplish the same goals as direct spending, but it transfers money by lowering taxes for an individual or company instead of giving them the money. ..."

www.americanprogress.org/issues/2010/04/tax_expenditures101.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

....what would YOU eliminate or expand? why or why not?

I would replace all income/payroll taxes with the Fairtax to eliminate this practice completely.

This is one of the biggest benefits to the fairtax, it prevents the Federal Government from using the tax code to modify behavior or pick winners/losers.

[BeenThere...DoneThat...]

...a good point, fairly...

[safeharbor37]

" ... The government uses tax expenditures to accomplish the same goals as direct spending, but it transfers money by lowering taxes for an individual or company instead of giving them the money. ..."

OH, I get it-- not taxing is the same as the government spending.

There is a difference between raising taxes and simply collecting them. When special tax exemptions are given, it is equivalent to an expenditure, because it is, in effect, a return of taxes which would otherwise be due, a refund, a rebate, etc.
Every tax deduction, credit, rebate, etc. is either social engineering or interference with private enterprise ~ in any case, not what the government should be doing.
The same could be said of much spending which has the same effect. Of course the government must spend to serve its legitimate functions, but it is better if those expenditures are direct payments because that makes it clear the costs and the purpose of those costs.

[BeenThere...DoneThat...]

Obama challenges Congress to raise taxes, debt limit - 53 Minutes ago

President Obama said today he wants to help reduce the federal debt by eliminating tax breaks for the wealthy, and called on Republicans to sacrifice their "sacred cows" in order to preserve middle class programs like Medicare and education.

content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2011/06/obama-speaks-to-reporters-at-white-house/1?csp=34

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...hey, someone "out there" must read my posts... ;D

[Deleted]

Since when is education a "middle-class" program? Hell, last time I checked...even ILLEGALS have access to education.

[cme1201]

Medicare is middle class?

[BeenThere...DoneThat...]

...apparently... and they're sacred cows, too...

[Deleted]

Yeah, yeah, yeah-- but leave all the hidden stuff hidden.. like this.. and the Kracken...

[BeenThere...DoneThat...]

...I'm thinking we can't leave all the hidden stuff alone this time?

[BeenThere...DoneThat...]

...since the news is still buzzing with deficit/debt reduction talks in DC, what kind of cuts would we talk about here in our little corner of the world?