Say Anything Blog

Just so long as he’s not the one paying them.  A few months ago Baldwin wrote this screed under the headline “Tax Cuts and the Republican Legacy” at the Huffington Post.

If you ever want to get a clear and determinative view of how our government works, and why, go to Washington. Go and see your Congressman or Congresswoman. Sit down with them and ask them why the richest nation on earth can’t afford dance classes for little girls in underserved rural parts of this country that are affected by the NEA’s budget. And beyond the issue of NEA funding, ask them who these tax cuts are serving? Who are they hurting? What, to the extent that any of them can reasonably defend these cuts, are their real purpose? Is their purpose to starve social programming in this, the “greatest country on earth?”

Prominent, veteran members of Congress tell me that, yes, that is their purpose. These tax cuts are not only to make Bush’s wealthiest supporters richer, they are intended to hurt less powerful Americans by killing many of the social programs they depend on. That is the legacy of this Republican-controlled Congress. To hurt those who aren’t wealthy enough to write Bush-Cheney a big check. I urge all Americans to keep that in mind during this election cycle. A Republican-controlled Congress is killing important social programs that we all depend on, so that Bush’s friends can avoid paying a reasonable share of their taxes.

Today the Wall Street Journal points out that Baldwin wasn’t so pro-tax when the State of New York was looking to end tax breaks for companies shooting films in the state.

We’re constantly told that taxes don’t matter to business and investors, but listen to that noted supply-side economist, Alec Baldwin. The actor recently rebuked New York Governor David Paterson for threatening to try to help close the state’s $7 billion budget deficit by canceling a 35% tax credit for films shot in the Big Apple.

“I’m telling you right now,” Mr. Baldwin declared, “if these tax breaks are not reinstated into the budget, film production in this town is going to collapse, and television is going to collapse and it’s all going to go to California.” Well, well. Apparently taxes do matter, at least when it comes to filming “30 Rock” in Manhattan.

So tax cuts are bad unless they benefit Alec Baldwin and his profession/industry.  If you’re a millionaire oil entrepreneur you don’t deserve tax relief.  But if you’re a millionaire actor/producer you do.  Because that’s fair.

Here’s the rule of thumb for taxes: Everyone should pay some, and everyone should pay as little as possible.  It’s really not rocket science.  Unless you’re a liberal and think that the government is the solution to everything.