Americans for Tax Reform: "Governor Nixon is Not a Crook, but His Tax Policy Sure is Criminal"

by Michael R. Allen

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon’s tax credit proposal is taking heat from the national conservative organization Americans for Tax Reform (ATR). Yesterday, ATR’s blog carried the story “Missouri Governor Nixon is Not a Crook, but His Tax Policy Sure is Criminal”, which blasted the hypocrisy of Nixon’s anti-tax rhetoric and his plan to cut tax credit programs that return money to citizens and create jobs.

ATR even notes the Rutgers study on the economic benefits of historic tax credits:

Yet, according to a study by Rutgers University, at least some of these supposed “hand-outs” are in fact legitimate job-creating policies. The study shows the positive impact of historic tax credits and further notes that Missouri is one of the largest beneficiaries of these credits in terms of jobs and income. This makes sense: putting money back into the hands of the people likely produces jobs…and guess what? Nixon proposes cutting and capping these credits more than any other!

Nixon’s move to court the right wing of the Missouri Senate has generated at least one right wing opponent. No wonder — Nixon’s position is already costing him allies on his own side of the political fence. Why shouldn’t he also be losing allies on the side that he’s trying to placate? In politics, pleasing everyone is impossible, but making everyone upset with you certainly is not.