Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Radio appearance off the usual circuit for me

Today I discussed the Obama Administration's international tax plan on a Jamaican radio show, Evening Edition Newstalk 93 FM. I assume the interest over there lies in concern that Jamaica is one of the tax-friendly locations being targeted by the plan. My fellow commentator was someone from the Tax Foundation, who I assume was more anti-plan than I was (though you can guess my largely skeptical content from my prior post), but through my phone connection I could not hear more than one word out of every 10 that he spoke. Luckily he didn't try to cross-talk me (or if he did, I never realized) as it's hard to respond when you don't know what they're saying.

Silliest moment came when the host asked me if the Administration's tax plan was socialistic. After half-snorting, half-laughing (you had to be there), I noted that JFK's international tax plan went a lot further than Obama's (repealing deferral altogether) and also involved a higher rate than 35%, but no one seemed to think that was socialistic.

I suggested that the part of the plan aimed at U.S. companies, if not quite DOA, is likely at a minimum to be cut back substantially by Congress, but that the part aimed at tax-evading individuals seems feasible both politically and administratively.

3 comments:

Robert Carroll said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Robert Carroll said...

Dan: Just for the record, that was me from the Tax Foundation on with you for the radio interview. It was quite an experience. I could hear one out of ten words from the moderator, but I think I could only understand one or two words you spoke over the 30 minutes! Quite the experience!

Bob Carroll
Tax Foundation

Daniel Shaviro said...

Thanks, Bob. I couldn't hear them say that it was you, any more than what anyone was saying!