More on Priorities

Earlier, in reference to the exclusion of some lower-middle class familes from the increased child tax credit, I said that “I’m sure we’ll hear that this was an inadvertent slip (right now, the House is blaming the Senate’s $350b “limit”), but inadvertent slips tell a lot about the priorities of those making the slips.” Now, cranky but generally correct physicist Robert Park gives us another telling example of what’s included and what’s excluded:

GAS GUZZLERS: TAX BILL INCLUDES A BREAK FOR MONSTER SUVs.

Language in yesterday’s tax deal making the cost of heavy pickup trucks fully tax deductible immediately for small businesses will also apply to humongous luxury SUVs weighing more than 6000 lbs. Meanwhile, a low-income child credit provision that would have benefitted many low-income working families was dropped to stay within the $350B limit. As a House Ways and Means Committee spokesman explained, “adjustments had to be made.”

Park’s weekly newsletter is great, read the whole thing. I guess that we can always drill in ANWR to counteract the SUV subsidy embodied in the tax credit. As for the poor, let them eat cake.

AB