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Tax policy may not be very sexy, but Sheldon Cohen, a former IRS Commissioner, gets it exactly right: ``Tell me a person's philosophy of taxes and I will tell you his or her philosophy of life." This proposition, I would add, pertains to institutions as well as individuals. Take the Wall Street Journal. What does the Journal's editorial page think of current Congressional proposals to eliminate the marraige penalty in the U.S. tax code? Not much. ``We appreciate the appeal of this political slogan," the Journal recently conceded. But then again, such sloganeering merely ``panders to those on the social right." Besides, reforming the tax code to recognize marriage ``is more of a tax shift than a net tax cut," since the reform would only benefit taxpayers who are married. Several days later, focussing again on the marriage penalty, the editors further chastise those misguided ``groups" whose purpose is ``carving out one piece of the tax code for some loud interest's benefit." Here we clearly see a tax philosophy that is also a general philosophy. Here is the belief about taxes: Proposals intended to foster economic growth by reducing marginal rates are good. All other proposals are ignoble attempts to pander to interest groups. Here is the belief about life: Wealth trumps everything else. All other social goals, including the goal of strengthening marriage, are subordinate to the master goal of economic growth. This philosophy has the advantage of simplicity, but let me suggest an alternative view. The federal tax code is the nation's most important family policy. Using it to support marriage, and to recognize parents who want to spend more time with their children, is a perfectly legitimate goal, even if the reform would do nothing at all to boost next year's GNP report. More broadly, economic growth is the servant of the human person and the human family, not the other way around. ``Tax Report," Wall Street Journal, July 14, 1999. ``Republicans Wake Up," Editorial, Wall Street Journal, July 13, 1999. ``Marital Spat," Editorial, Wall Street Journal, July 19, 1999. Back to Top | Previous | Next
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