What annoys me the most about the stimulus efforts is the lack of focus. I would have been much happier if the bulk of the money had been spent on a national project, something enduring and which would propel the nation into the 21st or 22nd century. Instead, all the craptacular pet pork projects have reified our national status as a 20th century giant. Alas, time passes by, drowning some, sweeping others along. America stays put while Scandinavia, China, India, and South Korea project their nations into the future.
China has the world's only carbon-positive city (or should that be carbon-negative?). Americans could trade a Buick for a Hummer. India fits its trucks with natural gas engines. America can't get high speed rail. Finland is wireless; Comcast offered me a landline. New Zealand cut taxes while my country can't reform health care because of counter-propaganda lies about death panels.
The stimulus and the bailouts, on top of the Social Security and Medicare demographic time bombs, have made it impossible for the nation to position itself as the leader of the 21st century. Unless we all agree to have our taxes raised . . .
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
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Hah! Yeah NZ cut taxes from 39% to 37% over three years. No change to the 12.5% GST.
ReplyDeleteImagine how much money the US would have to blow if everyone coughed up what most first world citizens take for granted and the dumped out all the refund paperwork nonsense.
One bright side to the IRD in NZ is that your typical taxpayer has ZERO paperwork to file.
Too true.
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