Tax conundrum

Well, the president says that if we don't avoid the fiscal cliff we will have $600 billion taken out of taxpayers' pockets as the Bush tax cuts expire. He also asserts this will likely drive us into recession.

Sounds right to me. Take $600 billion out of the economy and GDP is affected. Further, we all know that if the government takes in an extra $600 billion it will put it under the mattress so it never goes into the economy, right?

Of course not. In fact, government will spend the $600 billion and BORROW another $400 billion and STILL run a deficit. Welcome to government accounting.

But, since government does nothing (or very little) to increase GDP, even spending more than taxpayers will with that $600 billion in their pockets, we will slide into recession. (Reminder: recession defined as two consecutive quarters of negative GDP).

So, what do we see here? Simple. Leave the money in taxpayers' hands and out of government's hands. You get a $600 billion pop (70 percent of the economy is consumer spending) and the government does not borrow the extra 42 cents for every dollar it takes in.

Thank you, Mr. President, for proving conservatives precisely right. Now, sir, compromise with Boehner. You said you wanted more revenue; he offered it--just not in the package you want. What part of "yes" do you not understand?