(ANOTHER USELESS PARTNERSHIP CONTINUED)
Having read my Saturday morning headlines, I feel so much better, knowing that my fellow Republicans have gained some ‘concessions’ from their runaway spending habits with their ‘payroll tax cut’ extension, and knowing that the Naples Chamber of Commerce board has formed (yet another) self-promoting ‘partnership’ the grammatically awkward ‘Partners for Future Economy’ partly to replace the recently-failed ‘Collier County Economic Development Council.’
“Eighty percent of the jobs that are created come from existing businesses” proclaims new chair, Michael Wynn, a declaration, I believe, should be lamented rather than extolled. Should we encourage our area’s largest private employers, retail, to expand further ? Open even more Restaurants, Starbucks, Borders, Blockbuster Videos, 7-Elevens, Walgreens? Or should we rejuvenate our community with new businesses ? If it’s the latter, we need to discard old thinking and look to the future.
Equally, with no apparent sagacity or appreciation of the ironic, Dr. Allen Weiss, CEO of NCH Healthcare, Collier County’s second largest employer (behind big government ?) chimes in “We’re the biggest economic engine in the county, . . . healthcare will be the center of the recovery.” Sounds like a plan. Generate economic health through the sick and dying.
Maybe the time has come to change our thinking, to adjust our protocols, to think outside the box, and to drift away from the failed norms of collective thinking generated ad infinitum by such as the ‘Partners for Future Economy’ and the reliance upon Dr. Weiss’s (largely government-supported) sick people for making our economy well again.
First, identify the problem: America has lost millions of high-paying manufacturing jobs to foreign competition (decimating America‘s middle class in the process). Second, identify the cause: Our corporate taxes are the highest in the world; needless government regulations stifle creativity and growth; and, politicians from both parties unfairly demonize ’greedy’ corporations for their own political gains.
Third, dispel the myths: 1. Capital gains tax cuts create jobs: they simply don‘t. 2. Corporations don’t pay their ‘fair share’ of income taxes. At a recent well-attended powwow featuring Senator Marco Rubio in North Ft. Myers, a retiree, living off a General Motors pension, asked why ‘greedy’ corporations like General Electric, and its well-compensated CEO, Jeffrey Immelt, make billions in profits and pay no income taxes at all. Senator Rubio expressing sympathy for the retiree’s plight, mumbled something about looking into it. Perhaps Senator Rubio will consult with ‘Partners for Future Economy’ and ‘NCH Healthcare’ on the matter.
‘Greedy corporations’ are not the problem here. American Corporations are the solution. In fact, Mr. Retiree, corporations don’t pay taxes; the people who purchase their products or services pay ALL of their taxes. It’s right there on the price sticker or monthly billing statement. The ‘greedy’ corporations just pass your money on to various government agencies, so they can build a bridge to nowhere and buy votes. Furthermore, Jeffrey Immelt doesn’t own ‘greedy’ General Electric, YOU DO. Your GM pension fund is the largest in the world; Pension funds invest your retirement savings into mutual funds, such as Vanguard, or into hedge funds. Vanguard then buys stock in companies like General Electric. GE is owned by its stockholders. That’s YOU, Mr. Retiree. When you get your check every month, do you feel ‘greedy?’
Fourth, find real solutions: Do we continue with the same stale proposals for creating new jobs? Can existing businesses find more customers to sustain growth? Do existing companies need more competition? No. And no. We need to attract NEW business to our shores. That NEW business is largely the OLD business we exported years ago - manufacturing. To do that, simply eliminate all Corporation Taxes - ALL of them. Let‘s review: Corporations don’t pay taxes, people do.
Manufacturers from other countries will flock to a stable America - with zero taxes, wouldn’t you? Prices will be lower; well-paying blue collar and white collar jobs will abound; we’ll get our middle class back.
As for the ‘concessions’ fought for by “conservative” Republicans. Who’s kidding whom. A ‘payroll tax cut’ is a cut by any name. And that’s good. Add it to the Federal deficit? NO. Just reduce the insane spending, and balance the budget - starting now. Think of your country first, and not about getting re-elected.
