Tuesday, April 08, 2008

The Coming Tax Bomb


by John Cogan and Glenn Hubbard:
By historical standards, federal revenues relative to GDP, at 18.8% last year, are high. In the past 25 years, this level was only exceeded during the five years from 1996 to 2000. Still, we stand on the verge of a very large tax increase, one that will occur unless the next Congress and president agree to rescind it. Letting the Bush tax cuts expire will drive the personal income tax burden up by 25% – to its highest point relative to GDP in history.

... a near-term tax increase is the wrong way to prepare. Higher revenues will encourage Congress to raise spending, compounding the long-term budget problem. And, the long-term tax increase required to fund unchecked long-term spending would likely reduce annual GDP growth by a full percentage point.

The proper way to prepare to meet the entitlement challenge consists of three essential elements: Change entitlements to slow their cost growth; eliminate all nonessential spending in the remainder of the budget; and, most important but often overlooked, adopt policies that promote economic growth. The greater the economic growth, the larger the economic pie, and the greater the public and private resources available to finance entitlement obligations and other national priorities.

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