Conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh put his Manhattan Condo for sale, and bid New York goodbye. Citing New York’s new “millionaire’s tax”, Limbaugh decided to stay out of New York, where he spent about 2 weeks per year. Limbaugh said on his radio show that he will try to find a new backup studio, perhaps in Texas, where there is no state income tax. At least one New Yorker will not miss Limbaugh. Governor David Paterson, who pushed for increased income taxes on the state’s top earners. At a press conference this morning, Paterson said of Limbaugh’s boycott “If I knew that would be the result, I would’ve thought about the taxes earlier.”
Like most conservatives, Limbaugh sees any form of progressive taxation as punishing success. When forming budgets, we should be able to have a good debate about the merits of different tax rates for different income groups, but the conservative mantra that lowering taxes always leads to greater economic prosperity for the country is ridiculous. By taking that to it’s logical conclusion would not the ideal tax situation be no taxes for anybody? If 36% is better than 39% for the sole reason that 36 is less than 39, then would not 30% be better than 36%. It then follows that 15% is a better rate than 30%, and 5% is better than 15%. At this point, we might as well dissolve the government, and live in anarchy with no taxes at all. This is obviously taken to an extreme that wouldn’t be advocated by anyone except the most extreme Libertarians, but it illustrates that our tax (and budget) policy is not determined by rational debate, but by sound bites. Of course Limbaugh has made his living on sound bites, but it’s nice to hear a good one going back at him. Well played Governor.
Illustration by Bill Nagel
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