Bryan - I think it’s great that you recognize that even poor people pay taxes. That would come as a surprise to the many people who think that all poor people do is take from the government coffers instead of give to it. I encourage you to remember this the next time the discussion comes up about extending the child tax refund to poor people with who supposedly don’t pay taxes. But let me play the true conservative on this point, and you continue to play the good liberal and protest the tax exploitation of the poor.

First, it’s not necessarily a lie to state that vouchers give money to people who don’t pay taxes. Why? Let me give you an example from my home state of Louisiana. We have what’s known as the Homestead Exemption (and I imagine most other states have something similar). This program exempts up to the first $70K of the assessed value of a home from any property tax liability. Chances are that the very poor people who would supposedly qualify for vouchers, won’t have sufficient income to qualify for a mortgage on a property that is worth more than $70K. So one can be a property owner and not pay taxes. Additionally, for those who pay rents, well the same situation probably applies if the property they rent is not valued at more than $70K. Second, let’s assume now that a poor person does pay property taxes, chances are that these taxes will be compensated for by the earned income tax credit that the federal government gives to poor people who qualify for it. Hence, the EIT credit can be considered essentially a return of their property tax contribution, making it a net gain for them at the expense of other taxpayers. In the end, under this scenario, where is the real tax contribution that pays for anything funded by the state?

As to your claim that housing project residents should be allowed to own their residence, I wholeheartedly agree. But that has nothing to do with whether they pay taxes or not.

Finally, let’s just say for the sake of argument that you are right, and that it really is the poor people’s own tax money that they are entitled to have. Why, then, would you insist that “big brother” dictate that poor people should spend their own money on school tuition. Aren’t we free to do with our own money what we want to do with it, not what the government wants us to do with it?

Sign me up for the GOP!