Paul Krugman: The G.O.P. Is No Party for Honest Men

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

According to a new CBS News poll, almost 60 percent of the American public believes that the current Republican tax plan favors the wealthy. Some people see this number as a sign that the plan is in trouble; I see it as a sign that Republican lies are working far better than they deserve to.

For the plan does indeed favor the wealthy — overwhelmingly, undeniably. It’s shocking that as many as 40 percent of Americans don’t realize this.

It’s not difficult to see how the plan is tilted toward the very top. The main elements of the plan are a cut in top individual tax rates; a cut in corporate taxes; an end to the estate tax; and the creation of a big new loophole that will allow wealthy individuals to pretend that they are small businesses, and get a preferential tax rate. All of these overwhelmingly benefit the wealthy, mainly the top 1 percent.

There are also some measures affecting middle-class families, but they’re relatively small change — and some of them would actually raise taxes. Over all, the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center estimates that by 2027 almost 80 percent of the gains from the plan would go to the top 1 percent, just 12 percent of the gains to the middle 60 percent of Americans — and that more than a quarter of middle-class families would actually see their taxes go up.

So the question about this plan isn’t whether it favors the wealthy — it does, to an outrageous extent. The questions we should be asking instead are why Republicans are pushing this so hard, and how they can hope to get away with it.

Bear in mind that there is essentially no popular constituency demanding tax cuts for the rich. By a large margin, the general public wants to see taxes on corporations and the wealthy go up, not down; even Republicans are divided, with only a modest margin in favor of cuts.

Yet tax cuts for the rich are the overriding objective of the modern G.O.P. They were the principal motivation for the attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act, since that would also mean repealing the high-income taxes that pay for it; from Republicans’ point of view, depriving millions of health care was just a minor side benefit. And now tax cuts for the wealthy are pretty much the only thing left on the G.O.P.’s legislative agenda.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/16/opinion/columnists/republicans-taxes-honesty.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region®ion=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region&_r=0

[rainin]

1. That is the power of RW news.

We have to buy the stations. We have to run off the advertisers. As long as RWers are living in an alternate universe, we can't move the dial.

These RWers aren't supporting a plan they know hurts them, they DON'T KNOW it hurts them. And, the sources they trust will never tell them the truth.

We HAVE to start buying up stations. You can't change minds, when the other side never hears your message.

[DK504]

4. And the power of eroding educational system here in US.

Let's teach to a test that has proven kids are becoming blithering idiots more and more everyday.

[Stuart G]

2. k and r....thanks for posting, no text

[pangaia]

3. "The questions we should be asking instead are why Republicans are pushing this so hard,....?

If anybody actually has to ask that questions, their head is up their ass.

[DK504]

5. The 1% and their companies use more of the infrastructure

than any average American. The amount of infrastructure Walmart alone, ports, highways, city & county roads, aging container boxes, etc. Not only do most of these corporations skate year after year, but they bankrupt cities and counties and states for the great breaks they get, telling electorate that these companies will bring so many jobs to the area and everything will work out in the end.

Meanwhile employees need Medicare, food stamps, WIC because their oh so generous employers don't pay living wages and don't give full time work. But it's all Joe Blow's fault the nation's falling apart. No corporations ever have to pay their way, it the American Dream!!

Even when shown proof people parrot Fux right back never understanding basic, simple math.

[Irish_Dem]

6. Their relentless, intense propaganda machine has been quite successful nt

[BigmanPigman]

7. The propaganda via talk radio and Fux Ruse will be almost

impossible to change. They have been getting away with brainwashing the moronic/deplorable citizens of the US for over 20 years.

[Irish_Dem]

8. Yes indeed, it was a long term strategy that worked well for them.

Dumb down the population via toxic air, food and water. Make education too expensive for most.
Bombard the population with messages appealing to fear and hatred.
Use this narrative to gain control of the three branches of government.

Then as the final coup, sell out to a hostile foreign government.

Mission accomplished, no more American democracy. The oligarchy is in total control and will become
even more wealthy.

[BigmanPigman]

9. That pretty much sums it up!