Millionaire, Life Long Republican, Prop 8 Funder...

[Col Hogan]

...Abandons the GOP and switches to the Democratic Party....

Howard Ahmanson -- one of three major funders of the campaign for California's Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriages -- has abandoned the GOP for the Democratic Party.

Why, you might ask...TAXES...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... inionsbox1

[HI54UNI]

Ahmanson, who was born to and inherited great wealth, has spent a lifetime trying to figure out what to do with his good fortune. It has been, at times, a burden of guilt, complicated by a lonely childhood.

Makes me wonder if the guy has any idea what it is like to go to work every day and see the government take more and more of your earnings to fund all the programs. The government does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem.

[dbackjon]

Government does have a spending problem, but in Arizona as well, it has a revenue problem.

And like California, Arizona Republicans are absolutely refusing to even discuss any temporary tax increases, which is irresponsible, IMHO

[UNI88]

Government does have a spending problem, but in Arizona as well, it has a revenue problem.

And like California, Arizona Republicans are absolutely refusing to even discuss any temporary tax increases, which is irresponsible, IMHO

Jon, I don't disagree with you about it being irresponsible but I have two questions:
1) How do I know the increases will be temporary? I don't believe I've read of any sunset provision or similar.
2) Couldn't it also be considered irresponsible to decrease taxes on some while increasing taxes on others in order to make up the difference? Wouldn't the responsible thing be to ask everyone who is capable to contribute if it is that important (which it is)?

On a related not, is either party capable of dealing with the spending problem?

[dbackjon]

Government does have a spending problem, but in Arizona as well, it has a revenue problem.

And like California, Arizona Republicans are absolutely refusing to even discuss any temporary tax increases, which is irresponsible, IMHO

Jon, I don't disagree with you about it being irresponsible but I have two questions:
1) How do I know the increases will be temporary? I don't believe I've read of any sunset provision or similar.
2) Couldn't it also be considered irresponsible to decrease taxes on some while increasing taxes on others in order to make up the difference? Wouldn't the responsible thing be to ask everyone who is capable to contribute if it is that important (which it is)?

On a related not, is either party capable of dealing with the spending problem?

The tax increased proposed by Gov. Brewer (R) has a sunset provision in it.
Arizona cut taxes every year from 2000-2006, despite pleas to save some for the inevitable crash. AZ tax burden is already among the 10 lowest in the country, but that did nothing to help the economy.

And Arizona is FULL of selfish people that can't see beyond their 6 foot adobe wall, but then bitch about everything that is not funded.

[Ivytalk]

Ahmanson's a nutcase. No big loss for the GOP. Next.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

Jon, I don't disagree with you about it being irresponsible but I have two questions:
1) How do I know the increases will be temporary? I don't believe I've read of any sunset provision or similar.
2) Couldn't it also be considered irresponsible to decrease taxes on some while increasing taxes on others in order to make up the difference? Wouldn't the responsible thing be to ask everyone who is capable to contribute if it is that important (which it is)?

On a related not, is either party capable of dealing with the spending problem?

The tax increased proposed by Gov. Brewer (R) has a sunset provision in it.
Arizona cut taxes every year from 2000-2006, despite pleas to save some for the inevitable crash. AZ tax burden is already among the 10 lowest in the country, but that did nothing to help the economy.

And Arizona is FULL of selfish people that can't see beyond their 6 foot adobe wall, but then bitch about everything that is not funded.

the gop's unintended consequence of "starve the beast"

turns out when you promise people the best of both worlds... they end up demanding it...