Many of us appreciate the Community News paper we receive weekly: it keeps us informed of happenings in Delaware. A recent addition to the Opinion Page is Matt Berry's "Run With It."
A recent "Run With It" column had tidbits of information that included a short discussion about the economic woes of California and stellar performance of Texas. Berry's article seems harmless and folksy in style. But be aware that there might be a hidden agenda here.
In his column, Berry fails to remind readers that Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected California governor after a state recall vote ousted Gov. Gray Davis in 2003 for the state's ballooning deficit. He doesn't mention the Terminator is now in a similar pickle with an economic crisis that's been aggravated by poor national policies conducted over the last eight years.
In regard to Texas, Berry lauds that state as a tax haven, crediting its prosperity to tax cuts, citing that "in 2008, Texas created more jobs than the other 49 states combined." Great, you say. We should have more tax cuts, too, and a utopia just like Texas.
Readers beware: Berry does not mention the true statistics.
- Texas has no income tax, yet it is among the highest states for property taxes.
- Texas added 233,000 jobs in 2008, but that's because all of the hirings after hurricane damage that year, and the oil servicing industry (remember $4 gasoline?).
- Texas has lost many jobs with its unemployment rate rising to 7.1 percent from 6.4 percent.
Berry praises the commentary of Arthur Laffer and Stephen Moore of the Wall Street Journal to support his tax cut philosophy. Readers beware: The Wall Street Journal is owned by Rupert Murdoch, who purchased Dow Jones Co. in 2007 as part of his right wing opinionated three-letter cable broadcast empire.
Laffer and Moore are economic extremists who support tax cuts for the rich, outsourcing, privatization, union busting, and no national health care reform.
So there is the full picture. Local interest bits and jovial words can be a magician's act to slip one by you.
R. John Palozzi, Wilmington
