This tax battle is for the soul of America  The supercommittee
failed, so the people will decide in 2012: do they want a
European welfare state or a return to true America?     • Jump
to comments () US Supercommittee poised to fail The
supercommittee's failure will trigger automatic cuts in the
defence budget and domestic spending. Photograph: J Scott
Applewhite/AP  There is a fight going on in the United States.
Will the federal government raise taxes on the American people
to pay for the increase in federal spending from 20% of GDP to
25% of GDP in Obama's first three years? Or will the American
people wrestle federal spending back down towards the 20% of GDP
range that has been the norm for 30 years. Will taxes go up to
pay for Obama's supersized government? Or will the size and cost
of government come down? Does America become a European welfare
state or return to be America?  This year, 2011, followed the
decisive midterm elections of 2010 in which voters defeated the
Democrats to elect a majority of con