Quit Trying to Turn JFK into a Tax-Cutting Budget Hawk

[rangerrebew]

Quit Trying to Turn JFK into a Tax-Cutting Budget Hawk

 

A common talking point among Conservative, Inc. pundits is that JFK would be considered a “conservative” in today’s political climate. Many cite Kennedy’s positions on issues such as gun rights , national defense , and tax cuts as proof he would not fit in today’s Democratic party.

Although these points are interesting, they don’t mean much in the greater scheme of things. Outside of free speech, where the Left has shown its statist tendencies lately, mainstream conservatives have played a significant role in maintaining the Welfare State and the Military Industrial Complex —two hallmarks of the Progressive Era ideological dominating U.S. politics over the last century.

In fact, JFK’s track record as President reveals he was no paragon of free market advocacy.

https://mises.org/wire/quit-trying-turn-jfk-tax-cutting-budget-hawk

[EasyAce]

JFK was no free marketeer, but his 1963 tax cut did stimulate the economy for a considerable enough spell. Even Barry Goldwater acknowledged as much, writing in his memoir With No Apologies, though Goldwater had also said his only objection to the Kennedy tax cut was that it wouldn't stimulate the economy without concurrent federal spending cuts.

Which we see today, or will soon enough. The recent tax cuts did put a jump into the economy but without substantial federal spending cuts  and with the effects of the tariffs (three guesses who really ends up paying for the increased costs tariffs end up inflating, especially when there's more federal spending to favour those select few whom Washington deems worthy of "aid" to offset the effect) it can't be sustained. It'll come soon enough to the point where we think it was a nice tax cut while it lasted. Because when it comes to federal spending, Washington is still partying like it's 1999 . . .