Punishing Job Creators

Among my least favorite things are the term “job creators” used by conservatives when talking about the wealthy and the notion that taxes are a punishment. From the right you often hear increasing taxes on the rich is punishing the job creators. Though I personally feel the job creators are buyers of stuff and therefore anyone with money in their pockets prepared to spend it (even unemployment insurance recipients) create or maintain jobs.

Setting all that aside, to not “punish the job creators” I propose the following compromise. Not all wealthy people create jobs. Actors, athletes, traders, writers, hedge fund managers etc. probably do not except perhaps in a very obtuse way if one wants to really argue the point. My suggestion is that we raise taxes on anyone earning over some amount. If they can demonstrate that within the tax period they have indeed created jobs, their taxes will be refunded to the extent of the salaries for the newly employed. (Loopholes such as hiring a family member as administrative assistants need to be studied and eliminated.) This will separate the “job creators” from just ordinary wealthy people and allow us to raise some revenues without “punishing” them if indeed that is what we do. Taxes, in this case may, not only not inhibit job growth, but actually accelerate it.