Klarinet Archive - Posting 000344.txt from 2004/05

From: "R. Williams" <rwilliams@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Re: re: no one left behind
Date: Mon, 17 May 2004 06:17:34 -0400

I will have to disagree with Kevin Fay's analysis on several points. The
issue isn't taxation, it is education. To the best of my knowledge we can
characterize US education by saying it is the worst of any industrialized
nation in the world in regards to student achievement "AND" the United
States spends more per student than virtually any industrialized nation to
achieve these results. Therefore it would seem to me and quite a few
others that the issue isn't funding, it isn't taxation, it is the
educational process and methodology itself which is in question. My
interest sits in looking at that part of the equation, rather than throwing
more money into a system that is obviously not getting results.

Secondarily, Mr. Fay's statement that US citizens are under taxed makes
some assumptions not in general agreement by any means. What exactly does
it mean to say we are under taxed compared to our European neighbors and
what are the economic consequences of that? Generally it refers back to
social programs provided by the government vs. not provided or provided by
the private sector. The consequences are that government delivery of
services are historically "always" less efficient and more expensive. One
cost is the absorption of money into the delivery of those services, such
as Medicare/Medicaid where only 16 cents on the tax dollar goes to the
delivery of medical service, the other 84 cents gets eaten up by the
government burden and overhead compared to the private sector which does it
for 15 cents.

Also, our properly taxed European friends live in economies which on
average have grown at a rate of between 0.2-0.5 percent, that's one half of
one percent this century compared to our 2.0-4.6 percent this century,
during a major recession! A fundamental issue is who keeps and gets to
use the money generated by a person? The person themselves or the
government? Saying that our children aren't being properly educated
because we are under taxed is just not supported by the dollars per
students we spend in this country compared to every other country. It is
obvious that money isn't the solution to this issue.
Best
RW

>From: "Kevin Fay" <kevinfay@-----.com>
>Subject: RE: [kl] OT: Re: re: no one left behind
>
>The real problem with education (and other) funding in the U.S. is that
>Americans (or more properly United Statesians) are fundamentally undertaxed.
>As a percentage of GDP per capita - or even receipts per capita - US federal
>and local tax revenues together are dwarfed by what our Earthmates most
>anywhere else in the industrialized world pay.
>
>This is a direct result of the efficiency of American democracy - our
>politicians are not unresponsive, but all too responsive to the desires of
>the American electorate. Folks here just *love* getting government
>benefits, but are loath to pay for them.
>
>Quick example - in the 1980's, the GOP attempted to gut the US government by
>cutting tax rates (and therefore receipts) under the theory that we couldn't
>have Big Government if there wasn't any money to pay for it. Folks loved
>the "Reagan tax cuts," but wouldn't countenance Newt Gingrich's cutting the
>programs, leading to his quick political beheading.
>
>The American tax system isn't broken, it just isn't working so well. With a
>GDP like that of the US, there's plenty of money to pay for adequate
>education for all. Good luck getting it though.
>
>Sigh.
>
>kjf

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Klarinet is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org