On the recordMarch 12, 2008
The point is, what is the right tax burden. If you have a progressive system where 85 percent of your revenue is coming from one group, the high-income people, and the bottom income folks are getting much more back than they got back historically, you have a progressive system. If you are generating more revenue than you have ever historically generated over a 4-year period, and you are well above the average amount the Federal Government receives, then you have a pretty reasonable tax structure which is giving a fair amount of revenue to the Federal Government. In fact, as a percent, we are well over what is the norm over the last 20 years. I argue that the tax structure which we presently have in place is working to the benefit of the Federal Government in getting more revenue which is being spent rather aggressively by the other side of the aisle. I would argue that when you start to jump those rates back up, you will probably not get more revenue. You will dampen economic activity.
Said by
Judd Gregg
Source
govinfo.gov