You are right about a sense of fair play. I also look at Iowa’s cuts in income taxes which will disproportionately benefit the wealthy. Working class people still like it, even though they will pay more in tuition for their children to attend colleges, due to Iowa not investing state dollars, they will have weaker public schools (how do you calculate the financial losses when public school’s weaken due to funds being shifted to private schools), or have increased travel costs due to loss of health care access in rural Iowa (I just read 1/3 of Iowa counties do not have a maternity ward).
Thanks Ed. Our Senator should represent us all and you identified one area where she falls short. However, after working on tax issues in the Iowa legislature, I believe 'everyday' Iowans often prioritize issues directly impacting their daily lives, such as job security, healthcare, and education, over concerns about wealthy tax cheats. They may view such issues as distant or less relevant compared to local challenges. As opposed to capital gains tax treatment, Iowan's focus on table top issues is not surprising since in their daily lives, Iowa focus on more pressing, tangible matters that directly affect their community and personal well-being.
Thanks for the perspective, Ralph. I think you're probably right that kitchen table issues are probably front and center for most people. But I also believe most Americans believe in the idea of fair play.
I was reminded of how Senate Grassley would claim waste within the National Science Foundation and its 9 billion dollar annual budget. As Ed noted, America is reported to have 685,000 wealthy taxpayers who were delinquent on $38.5 billion in tax obligations. On a personal note, one of my best friends from law school-from Traer, Iowa--was a lawyer in the compliance division of NSF. He was the kind of 'bureaucrat' we would want to have in compliance. While he grew up a Repub, he would not have been one of Trump's political appointments if Project 2025 came to fruition and its elimination of civil service.
Ed,
You are right about a sense of fair play. I also look at Iowa’s cuts in income taxes which will disproportionately benefit the wealthy. Working class people still like it, even though they will pay more in tuition for their children to attend colleges, due to Iowa not investing state dollars, they will have weaker public schools (how do you calculate the financial losses when public school’s weaken due to funds being shifted to private schools), or have increased travel costs due to loss of health care access in rural Iowa (I just read 1/3 of Iowa counties do not have a maternity ward).
Thanks Ed. Our Senator should represent us all and you identified one area where she falls short. However, after working on tax issues in the Iowa legislature, I believe 'everyday' Iowans often prioritize issues directly impacting their daily lives, such as job security, healthcare, and education, over concerns about wealthy tax cheats. They may view such issues as distant or less relevant compared to local challenges. As opposed to capital gains tax treatment, Iowan's focus on table top issues is not surprising since in their daily lives, Iowa focus on more pressing, tangible matters that directly affect their community and personal well-being.
Thanks for the perspective, Ralph. I think you're probably right that kitchen table issues are probably front and center for most people. But I also believe most Americans believe in the idea of fair play.
Way to shine a light on Sen. Ernst’s fake concerns about tax evaders!
I was reminded of how Senate Grassley would claim waste within the National Science Foundation and its 9 billion dollar annual budget. As Ed noted, America is reported to have 685,000 wealthy taxpayers who were delinquent on $38.5 billion in tax obligations. On a personal note, one of my best friends from law school-from Traer, Iowa--was a lawyer in the compliance division of NSF. He was the kind of 'bureaucrat' we would want to have in compliance. While he grew up a Repub, he would not have been one of Trump's political appointments if Project 2025 came to fruition and its elimination of civil service.
Here is the site to Ernst's release https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-exposes-massive-tax-evasion-at-irs-demands-an-audit-of-the-auditors