The Tax Question in Politics Today

2011-06-17T07:45:00.000-07:00

I note that much of the current conservative propaganda is focused on criticizing poor and middle class people and defending the rich. I understand the obvious effort at diversion but from a common sense point of view, it is absurd.

For instance, conservatives keep repeating the right-wing propaganda about the alleged 47% of Americans who pay no taxes. This talking point is hand-fed to them by the propagandists on outlets such as Talk Radio and Fox News. They repeat it ad nauseam. It makes no sense.

The wealth in this country is continuing to be increasingly concentrated at the very top. It would make no sense to tax the people who already don't have much money and have increasingly less of a share of the country’s wealth. Those individuals also help the economy by spending all or nearly all of the money that they receive.

Obviously the current push by the Democrats is to return the top tax rates to the level that we had under Clinton. Clinton had budget surpluses. The wealthiest Americans benefited the most from the Bush tax cuts. Their incomes have increased while the middle class and the poor are struggling.

Yet, conservatives wish to distract us from that very evident fact by concentrating attention on people at the lower socioeconomic levels and attacking them for not paying enough taxes. Poorer people of course still have to pay sales taxes and even state and local taxes, as well as payroll taxes. Since they tend to spend all of the money they receive, the sales tax is an important factor.

Conservatives are trying to appeal to various negative emotional responses rather than appealing to logic and using common sense. It seems to work to some extent. It is however a ridiculous, shameful and blatant attempt to avoid facing the tax cut issues honestly and fairly.

Thoughts for the Day

The Tax Question in Politics Today