- Raising the cigarette tax will likely be not achieve desired results – whether they be to boost the state’s fiscal health, improve health care for those in need or discourage smoking – because a good bit of the money gained through any tax hike would likely be diverted to all sorts of pet pork projects; and
- States without corporate taxes tend have better-performing economies than those with a corporate tax, so I believe the elimination of the corporate income tax is a good thing. However, that doesn’t mean lawmakers wouldn’t need to come up with something to offset the loss in state revenue.
To which Waldo responded, “So why don’t the Republicans, who control state government with overwhelming majorities in all branches of government, do something about it?”
A good question, with my supposition being that it’s not in their best interests to solve deep-seated problems.
It’s much more gratifying to their egos to have special interests and constituents come to them seeking piecemeal remedies, rather than try to enact wholesale change that might drag South Carolina into the 21stCentury.
So why's the SC Policy Council not on top of this? CBC has some sort of relationship with it. When one has influence, why not use it?
Where's the Club for Growth, another big meddler in SC politics? Where's Howard Rich, the New York developer who's spent years trying to buy the legislature?
Nothing's more free-market and conservative and generally Adam Smithy than creating a business climate that makes knowledge workers want to move here voluntarily, and stay.
Nothing's more socialist than buying the loyalty of companies to come here with gigantic tax breaks that starve public services, and an education system that producers smart workers ho leave and less-smart workers guaranteed to be grateful for bolt-together backroom jobs that only last till the facilities are fully depreciated and another state or country makes a better offer.
So the question, CBC, remains- why do you and the other smart people in the GOP just shrug your shoulders and say, "well, it is what it is"?
Who will speak up for dragging SC into this century?
You raise some good questions and while I won't pretend to speak for the Policy Council, I think it's fair to say that my organization has butted heads with many of the state's Republican leaders for exactly the reasons I've detailed: they like the status quo because it keeps them in a position of power.
ReplyDeleteYou're 100 percent right when you write that "Nothing's more free-market and conservative and generally Adam Smithy than creating a business climate that makes knowledge workers want to move here voluntarily, and stay."
But most of the people in charge here are more interested in staying in charge - not enacting systemic change - despite their rhetoric to the contrary.
And while I appreciate you including me among "the smart people of the GOP," my views probably don't adhere very closely to those of establishment SC Republicans.
I'm more or less a "live and let live" guy on social issues (not a popular stand in GOP land), and fiscally, while I believe it would be nice to fund certain (but not all social programs) to a greater extent, I also realize that in order to do so the money has to come from somewhere. Given that there is but a finite amount of tax dollars available to spend, areas such as a education, law enforcement and caring for those unable to care for themselves should be our first priority.
Those views, unfortunately, probably put me at odds with many Republican Party leaders in this state, and in other states, for that matter.