My main problem with this idea of “going Galt,” i.e. rich people cutting back their hours and otherwise taking actions to lower their exposure to tax increases is that it relies on a narrative that the American public was seduced by a deceptive pitch of resdistributive fiscal policy.
In reality, the people who would favor a monetary policy more to these folks’ liking were in charge for the past eight years and proceeded to:
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Launch a costly and unnecessary war.
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Lower our moral standing by re-introducing torture.
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Bungle relief of Hurrican Katrina
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Increase the budget deficit
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Ignore problems like global warming, rising health care costs
In addition, in the final months of their presidency, the banking system nearly collapsed and the economy went into the most severe recession in memory. And the alternative you offered was, “drill baby, drill,” earmark reform, and saying that the other guy palled around with terrorists.
So yeah, we decided to give the other guys a run, not because all of us lazy, lower and middle class people want to steal all the hard working rich people’s money, but because we wanted to have a government that does the things it’s supposed to do and doesn’t embarass us.
I think the energies of the Galtists would be better applied to restoring the public’s confidence that Republicans are capable stewards of the federal government than shielding their income from taxes. And this childish attitued of taking your ball and going home does not inspire such confidence.
