I'm sorry, but taken as a whole, the "government" in the U.S. (at local,
state, and federal levels) is probably this country's largest employer
*and* consumer.  Inefficient?  Sure.  Can we make "government" more
efficient by cutting taxes (and therefore much of its revenue stream)?
Possibly.  But if "government" uses the same techniques as HP to improve
efficiency (i.e. layoffs) then a significant tax cut will have an
adverse effect on employment.  That's not to mention all of the
companies that could feel some serious pain losing government
contracts.

This isn't to say that high taxes help the economy, or that tax cuts
don't help the economy.  I just think that "the economy" is a much more
complex beast than the anti-tax free-market zealots will have us
believe.  If you think "the government" can't control the economy, what
makes you think you can?

Oh, and as far as regulations go:  "...the White House Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) recently declared that environmental
regulations are good for the economy.":
http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/1003/p03s01-uspo.html

Again, I accept the possibility that there's some flawed or biased
research in this study.  But I think it helps illustrate that, once
again, not everything is so clear-cut.

Opinions my own, not my employer's, blah, blah.

Art Frank
Manager of Information Systems
OHSU Foundation
[log in to unmask]
(503) 220-8320

>>> Denys Beauchemin <[log in to unmask]> 11/11/03
01:59PM >>>
<snip>
By the way, this has nothing to do with government policies, whether
Republican or Democrat.  As most people realize by now, governments
have little influence on the economy and job creation.  The government
does NOT create jobs, the economy does.  The government can slow down
economic growth and extinguish jobs by imposing heavy taxation and
onerous regulations, witness California and Europe.  Conversely the
government can spur the economy and job creation by lowering taxes and
eliminating regulations.  This simple concept eludes the socialists
and
the utopians; thankfully in this country, they are in the minority.
(If
you think the government has total control over the economy, please
explain to me why a government in power would want to throw the economy
into a recession or a depression.)
</snip>

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