Charlie Kirk’s murder is gut-wrenching and wholly unnecessary. We should never be afraid of ideas. We should be very afraid of implementation of bad ideas.
For our country to survive, we need to be a marketplace for free exchange of ideas. Silencing another’s idea, just because you do not like the concept leads us down the road to self-destruction.
The best way to honor Mr. Kirk’s memory is to continue the respectful, researched exchange of ideas. Mr. Kirk’s best arguments were made with a thorough and well-researched knowledge of facts and history.
Today’s ideas are offered in that spirit.
In a day where one can read just about anything on the internet, it is hard to know what is true and what is not true.
For example, there was a widely disseminated article that Josh Allen had paid the student loan debt of all of the class of 2018 Wyoming students. While Mr. Allen is an amazing human being, both on and off the football field, that particular story is not true.
When I heard another story last week, I thought there is no way that can be true. So, I watched the video. To my amazement, the story is true.
A little eighteenth century history is important for context.
Marie Antoinette, the ill-fated final queen of France, was reputed to have uttered the phrase used commonly to show the utter disconnect between the ruling class and the people.
When Princess Antionette heard peasants did not have bread to eat, the legend is that she replied, “If they do not have bread, let them eat cake.”
These days, when someone in power exercises unbridled hubris, the descriptor is, “Let them eat cake.”
Perhaps John Bear updated that phrase to the 21st century.
In an exchange with Representative Liz Storer about property taxes Rep. John Bear might have coined a new updated phrase.
When talking about property tax cuts, Storer asked Bear if giving huge tax cuts to wealthy second homeowners in Teton County was a good idea.
Bear said, “For instance, one of those wealthy homeowners and their second home, they’re going to invest in a jet and that jet is going to burn a lot of jet fuel. That’s going to impact our mineral industry in a positive way. So the more jet fuel we make and sell, the more revenue we get from the gas industry, so and the oil industry. That is a long term turn around to help the school foundation. This is, I’ve mentioned there will be a short-term pain for a long-term gain, it’s much shorter term for that gain than I just described.”
In other words, and I’m paraphrasing here, “Let them buy jets.”
Rep. Bear was arguing that if we gave a big tax cut to a wealthy Teton County second homeowner, where the average home value is over $8 million dollars, that they would fly their jets around, and cause oil producers in Wyoming to sell more jet fuel, and thus the Wyoming coffers would be fatter, not leaner.
Wyoming’s fuel tax on jet fuel is 5 cents per gallon. To make up for on $5000 tax cut on a mansion in Teton County, Wyoming would have to sell 100,000 gallons of jet fuel.
Assuming all of the jet fuel consumed by these jets is produced in Wyoming, that a lot of trips around the state for one rich person to take to make up the taxes the state loses on the property tax break on one house. The returns to Wyoming are fantasy.
One has to wonder who the Freedom Caucus really serves. In their campaign materials, they talk a lot about the “elites”.
I’ve come to believe the term “elites” means anyone who is informed and shares a different opinion than the Freedom Caucus.
I’ve also come to know, the Freedom Caucus is working with a lot of national organizations. They are affiliated with a group of well-healed donors who fund their activities.
I hear a lot about the Freedom Caucus caring about the common man, but I wonder if their loyalties like primarily with their rich benefactors.
The true elites are the Freedom Caucus elected officials in power who are passing disproportionately high tax breaks for rich people to the expense of the middle class.
So, when I hear the term “elites” bantered around, I picture political candidates rubbing elbows with rich donors, giving them tax breaks and sharing lip service with the common voter. I picture John Bear.
I hear insensitive comments about the middle class. I hear, “Let them fly jets.”
Tom Lubnau served in the Wyoming Legislature from 2004 - 2015 and is a former Speaker of the House. He can be reached at: YourInputAppreciated@gmail.com
