[Vision2020] Give Me Liberty or . . .

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of today's (April 18, 2011) Moscow-Pullman Daily News with thanks
to Nick Gier.

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Give me liberty or ...

The TEA partiers (Taxed Enough Already) have nothing to complain about.

At 48.2 percent of Gross Domestic Product, the Danes pay the highest taxes
in the world. Investing in job training at 20 times more per person than
the U.S., Danish unemployment has remained at 3 to 4 percent since the
middle 1990s. The Economist regularly ranks Denmark as the most business
friendly country in the world.

Sweden's top income tax rate is 60 percent. In 2009 taxes took 46.4
percent of the Swedish GDP as opposed to 24 percent in the U.S.

According to the World Economic Forum, for 2010-11 Sweden is in second
place for economic competitiveness while the U.S. stands in fourth place.
The Danes come in ninth. Four other high tax countries come before them.

At 7.3 percent Sweden has the largest increase in GDP growth in Europe and
the second lowest budget deficit of .8 percent. Comparable U.S. figures
are 2.8 percent growth and an 8.8 percent budget deficit. Contrary to
widespread belief, the average budget deficit of the 16 countries on the
Euro is 4.5 percent.

Like other Europeans the Swedes appear satisfied with what their high
taxes give them: universal medical care at half the cost of the U.S.,
unemployment payments at 80 percent of earnings, and the longest paid
maternity/paternity leaves in the world.

Americans who refuse to be levied for investment in human capital and
physical infrastructure will assure their country's decline in the 21st
Century. American health care is so poor that it ranks last among 19
advanced countries for preventable deaths.

This statistic gives new meaning to Patrick Henry's demand "Give me
liberty or give me death." Is maximum personal liberty - regardless of the
consequences - really what most people want?

Nick Gier, Moscow

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom "Card-carrying, Tree-hugging, Bleeding-heart Liberal" Hansen
Moscow, Idaho


''A candidate said several years ago, 'I'm not concerned the reason you
vote for me as long as you vote for me.'''

—Delaware GOP Senate nominee and Tea Party favorite Christine O'Donnell,in
response to a reporter asking if she'd send out bikini photos to gain
votes