Tax Foundation, Like WISTAX, Pals Around with AFP
Much like the conservative Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, the DC-based Tax Foundation pushes out pro-conservative tax propaganda, but its rarely also identified by its conservative ideology.
This fantasy of non-ideology is foisted on media consumers despite overwhelming evidence both groups are pushing an ideologically-conservative agenda ‘ that everyone is always paying too much in taxes. Rarely, does either note that the tax rates for rich people have plummeted, the shelters where the store money away from tax obligation ever-growing and that quality of life requires investment in infrastructure.
As we’ve pointed out with WISTAX, its 2008 board of directors (according to the list on its website) gave $288,000 in political contributions to Republicans and conservative candidates, compared to $24,500 to Democrats or liberals. This more than 90 percent of unbalanced giving is even larger than the more than 80 percent of Republican and conservative giving of the Republican-corporate conglomeration that is Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce has handed out.
The Tax Foundation is also following in the footsteps of the conservative Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance by endorsing and participating in events held by Americans (read Republicans) for Prosperity ‘ the teabaggers, of the hosts of the ‘Republican Rallies for Failure’ if you will. As this screen shot from the national RfP site above shows, the Tax Foundation is a sponsor of the Americans (read Republicans) for Prosperity’s ‘Defending the Dream’ summit, which is set for next weekend in Virginia.
Note on the right (ha!) the line-up of far right roll call of insanity, er, the speakers list for the event being ‘Silver Sponsored’ by the Tax Foundation: Laura Ingraham, thrice-married Newt Gingrich, Hugh Hewitt, Jim DeMint, John Shadegg and certifiably-insane Michele Bachmann. ‘Young Gun’ Paul Ryan is also a speaker and could possibly be the least conservative of the endless Republican speakers. Michele Bachmann? Seriously?
Well, how much do we think the Tax Foundation spent to be a Silver sponsor?
If this feels familiar, you may remember when media sacred cow Todd Berry spoke at the Americans (read: Republicans) for Prosperity’s ‘Massive Show of Force for Lower Taxes’ event that included all of the leading Republicans in the state, such as Paul Ryan, JB Van Hollen, Jim Sensenbrenner, as well as carpet-teabaggers like the gratingly omnipresent Samuel ‘Joe’s Not a Plumber’ Wurzelbacher.
Now the Tax Foundation has pushed out another ‘report’ that says Wisconsin’s business climate has fallen to among the ten lowest in the nation. Paul Soglin does a good job of showing why the premise on which their ‘research’ is based is flawed from the get go.
A most important consideration is that the groups consistently act as though there are only three measures: income, sales and property taxes, that should judge all analysis of tax ‘ranking.’ And that they exist in a vacuum.
Checking in on the Tax Foundation’s 10 states (including Wisconsin) ‘at the bottom’ for business, reveals an interesting coincidence ‘ each state has a gubernatorial race in the next 14 months.
So this propaganda about each state being a ‘tax hell’ for business just happens to mirror some of the most-heavily targeted state chief executive races in the nation.
That’s a heckuva coincidence. But then again consider:
- Overwhelming contributions by board members to Republicans
- Appearances/sponsorship of conservative ideological organizations
- Coincidentally timed reports which reinforce conservative tax ideology
- Credible arguments about manipulation of data to reach preconceived conclusions.
Yeah, neither the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, nor the Tax Foundation has a conservative agenda.
Remember that the next time you see the Americans (read: Republicans) for Prosperity hosting a teabagger affair with lunatic Michelle Malkin, Republican Gov. candidate Scott Walker, or any of the other Republicans it seeks to help in its ‘Republican Rallies for Failure.’