1) Not all recessions are the same; they vary in length and severity. Boskin’s point is that Obama’s tax-and-spend liberal policies will exacerbate what is already a deep recession. I agree with him.

2) Agreed, there is some “optimum” tax rate, but the U.S. already has the highest tax rates in the world, both for income and capital gains. A great way to stimulate growth would be to eliminate the capital gains tax and incentivize capital investment. Obama is doing the opposite.

3) You’re right, the President doesn’t raise taxes. But he sets and pushes his tax agenda to Congress and, with a Democratic majority, it’s probably smart as a fellow Democrat to follow your party leader’s agenda. This is quintessential politics.

4) Two wrongs don’t make a right. Moderate conservatives like myself are a completely different breed than the neoconservative, Reagan-esque brand (i.e. high military spending) of Republican politics that President Bush brought to Washington. True conservatives disagree with many of Bush’s policies.

5) As a start-up owner, you’re probably not going to be paying taxes anytime soon, so I agree with you that reducing regulatory overhead is a good solution. However, I think a better one would be to implement tax credits for companies in sectors like solar and wind energy, that act to reduce externalities to society.

I miss you dearly.

Pat