The American Spectator

/p> p>* Alternative Minimum Tax br> The idea: Enacted in 1969, the AMT was to disallow deductions and exemptions in computing tax liability. Why? There were 155 — 155! — “rich” households who were deemed by liberals to have too many tax breaks, thus meaning they paid little or no income tax. The AMT would supposedly cure this. The result? The Congressional Budget Office now says that 34% of taxpayers earning between $50,000 and $100,000 will have to pay the tax — which is another way of saying that liberals believe if you earn $50,000 you are rich. That 155 taxpayers has now expanded to 11% of all taxpayers. The CBO also says that if this is not changed by 2010, nearly every married taxpayer earning between $100,000 and $500,000 will be forced to pay the AMT. Predictably, after all the unintended consequences have kicked in once again, liberals in Congress are now frantically calling for repeal to avoid the wrath of their constituents. /p> p>* Bringing Peace to Vietnam and Cambodia br> The idea: Withdrawing from Southeast Asia completely in 1975 would bring “peace” to the people of Vietnam and Cambodia. The result? A tsunami of murder, concentration camps and desperate “boat people” engulfed the area, not only not bringing peace to the region but resulting in what is now recorded as “the killing fields.” The subject usually brings forth a deafening if not embarrassed silence from liberals when they are not busy, in face of massive evidence to the contrary, in denying the result of their idea altogether. /p> p>* Free Love br> The idea: If it feels good, went this old idea that was dusted off at the end of the 1960’s do it. Promiscuity? No problem. Result? The AIDS epidemic, a stunning rise in sexually transmitted diseases. Oops. /p> p>* Drugs