The tax-cutters' song

摘要

Republican tax-cutters are being re-minded that history repeats itself first as tragedy, then as farce. Ronald Reagan's tax cuts of 1981 made history. Newt Gingrich's government-busting Contract with America got embroiled in the tragedy of his own ambitions. Now Republicans are once more seeking to cut the state down to size, this time against a background of mistaken identities, raised voices and slamming doors. Echoing President Reagan, who used to argue that federal money belonged to "taxpayers, not bureaucrats", Bill Archer, one of the main authors of the tax-cut proposals, says, "What this debate is about is downsizing the power of government." Republicans "believe the people can spend their money more wisely than the bureaucrats in Washington. If money is left in Washington, politicians will spend it every time. Tax cuts are the only defence."