Comments on: Dribs, Drabs, Updates, Downloads, and Sidesteps http://www.vermontnewsguy.com/dribs-drabs-updates-downioads-and-side-steps Real News for Real Vermonters Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:59:26 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Doug Hoffer http://www.vermontnewsguy.com/dribs-drabs-updates-downioads-and-side-steps/comment-page-1#comment-1106 Doug Hoffer Mon, 19 Apr 2010 11:57:01 +0000 http://www.vermontnewsguy.com/?p=1881#comment-1106 Re. the distribution of federal funds by state: Yes, poorer states receive more because of the redistributive effects of large health care and social programs. But as you know, a lot of federal spending is for military bases and contracts. These reflect geography, political influence, and the DoD's effort to make the defense budget appear to be a "jobs" program (something in almost all congressional districts). BTW - The data does not include interest paid to those who hold federal bonds. This is a substantial amount of money and, not surprisingly, goes to states with large numbers of wealthy investors. As for the Tax Foundation's figures, they are simply taking Census data and using it for their own purposes, which is to grossly oversimplify all things related to taxing and spending. As with their made up "tax burdens", "tax freedom day" is an abstraction. It does not reflect the actual experience of most American taxpayers because it is the overall tax rate for the entire country. We know that most people don't fit the profile but that doesn't stop the media from talking for days about tax "freedom" day and all the other crap. Re. the distribution of federal funds by state: Yes, poorer states receive more because of the redistributive effects of large health care and social programs. But as you know, a lot of federal spending is for military bases and contracts. These reflect geography, political influence, and the DoD’s effort to make the defense budget appear to be a “jobs” program (something in almost all congressional districts).

BTW – The data does not include interest paid to those who hold federal bonds. This is a substantial amount of money and, not surprisingly, goes to states with large numbers of wealthy investors.

As for the Tax Foundation’s figures, they are simply taking Census data and using it for their own purposes, which is to grossly oversimplify all things related to taxing and spending. As with their made up “tax burdens”, “tax freedom day” is an abstraction. It does not reflect the actual experience of most American taxpayers because it is the overall tax rate for the entire country. We know that most people don’t fit the profile but that doesn’t stop the media from talking for days about tax “freedom” day and all the other crap.

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