There is a little secret tactic that the Republicans have been using since the late 70's that is both genius and insidious. It has the innocent moniker of "The Two Santa Claus Theory" thought up by the little known Jude Wanniski in 1976. When I first heard about this my mind was blown about how effective it was. TO be able to stop this malicious tactic you must understand it
To give you a little history lesson to set the stage, in the mid '30s the U.S. Congress under the Roosevelt administration passed a series of social programs called the "New Deal". The "New Deal" created Social Security, the FDIC, raised top tax rates, etc.. These programs are what brought us out of the Great Depression and made Democrats look like "Santas" promoting the welfare of the populace.Every time the Republicans ran for office condemning these programs, they lost.
In comes Jude Wanniski who was tired of the Republicans always looking like the bad guys. He set the stage for Republican tactics for decades to come with his "Two Santa Claus Theory". The game-plan became, make the Republicans look like the good guys by reducing tax rates and increasing government spending on things to expand the economy like big business and infrastructure. This would allow them to shrink public programs like social security by limiting the amount of revenue available to be allocated. Also, the reduced tax revenue and the increased spending would drive up the national debt to astronomical levels.
This tactic puts Democrats up against a wall. If they raise taxes, they look like the "anti-santa". If they cut spending on business, and infrastructure they look like "anti-santa". If they don't do anything the Republicans can cry that the national debt is too high and the Democrats are not doing anything about it. However, the only other way to lower the national debt is to cut social programs which would make the Democrats again look lie the "anti-santa" and the Republicans would finally get rid of the social programs.
If you need some proof of the implementation of this plan here you go. During the Carter administration (Democratic, 1977 to 1980) the tax rate stayed at 70% and the national debt grew only 42%. Then Ronald Reagan was elected, the first Republican after the implementation of the "Two Santa Rule". Under the Reagan administration (1981 to 1988) the tax rate dropped from 70% to 28% in 1988, the national debt exploded by 189%, more than any president previous combined. Then, the next president (also a republican) was Bush Senior from 1989 to1992. He actually raised taxes up to 31% during his administration but the national debt grew by another 56% under his watch. The came the Democrat Bill Clinton from 1993 to 2000. Under the Clinton Administration the tax rate went up to 39.6% and the national debt growth rate was slowed to 36%. After Clinton was the Republican Bush Junior from 2001 to 2008. Under Bush Junior the tax rate was again dropped, this time to 35% and the national debt grew by 89%. Now we have a Democrat, Obama, in office. So far under Obama the tax rate has not changed (but it may if current pending legislation goes through) and the debt growth rate is slowed to 41%. Sources [1, 2]
If that evidence does not sway you to thinking this tactic is being used I am not sure what will. The only way for this not to succeed is for people to be informed and not fall for the underhanded tactics of the Republicans!
Sources:
1) Top Tax Rates, Tax Policy Center, http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxfacts/displayafact.cfm?Docid=213
2) National Debt, Sky Machines, http://www.skymachines.com/US-National-Debt-Per-Capita-Percent-of-GDP-and-by-Presidental-Term.htm
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