Arguments on taxing the rich.

[gulliver]

We often hear Obama and other well meaning rich folks making the argument that raising taxes on rich people "like them" is OK. They can afford it; they don't mind. "Trust me, I'm raising my own taxes, so I'm obviously not doing this for myself. I'm doing it for 'you people.' And, by the way, I speak for all the wealthy when I say 'we' don't mind taxes..." Their hearts are usually in the right place, of course, but the altruism argument is just no good. It is annoying and presumptuous. Taxes are not a form of philanthropy. Philanthropy is voluntary. Taxes are like exercise and cleaning the bathroom. You can feel good about taxes, but it's difficult.

Meanwhile, the Republicans' "strongest" arguments for protecting the wealthy from paying the same tax rates they easily paid under Clinton are paradoxically based on a mix of "fairness" and selfishness. It's not "fair" to take more money from the wealthy than from someone else. And besides, if you do take that money from the wealthy they won't invest in creating jobs for you. It's mean and selfish to take their money, and if you do, you're only hurting yourself.

Both sides of the Republican argument are ridiculous at best. Let's not say whether we think their hearts are in the right place. To give only one example, it is clearly "not unfair" to take more money from the wealthy than from other people. To dispute it you have to assume that the current world economic system is inherently fair, that it always rewards and punishes justly, proportionately, and rapidly. Few familiar with life on Earth would try that one. Disproportionate taxation of the wealthy isn't "fair," but neither is life. Our standard should be life.

And, as for the other Republican argument, the wealthy aren't going to just hand Americans jobs to reward them for keeping taxes low. The wealthy will gladly continue creating jobs overseas, because even with zero taxes, American labor frequently costs more than overseas labor. Someone needs to tell the Republicans and their gullible, red-faced Tea Poops that the wealthy are not our Moms and Dads. The wealthy are rational actors who are out to maximize their own take, just like everyone else. They will create American jobs when they can get a good deal or when they feel they should do it for their own good. Our Republican "leaders" worship the wealthy on bended knee when the right, non-lapdog thing to do would be to deal with the wealthy like human, American adults.

The wealthy need to do their part to re-balance the books and get the jalopy sputtering along again, not because they are nice, not because they are mean, not because it's "better them than us." We simply need to loudly and repeatedly make the point that things work better when some of the wealthy "ownership of the world" bubble is depressurized. Things were indisputably better and fairer overall in the 90's and the wealthy, like the rest of us, don't get a pass when they say "trust me." And of course, never forget that the Republicans are credulous at best, bought-and-paid-for at worst.

[MichiganVote]

1. When is comes to supporting the US, the wealthy have always been a day late and a dollar short

[dkf]

2. Why doesn't this work for all the Bush tax cuts?

[BzaDem]

3. Because the people wouldn't support it for all the Bush tax cuts. It is a political argument. There

is nothing wrong with that. I'd much rather take what we can get (the tax cuts on the rich expiring) than nothing.

[dkf]

4. Well I think paying taxes sucks but a failed country is even worse.

I'm worried that more don't feel as I do.

[TheKentuckian]

5. It would be fine if folks were honest and said to make up the shortfall by

increasing the top rate above the Clinton level or by going after capital gains some or a levy on trades or tariffs or some mechanism to bring in revenue to match our expenditures.

We have to have some revenue streams other than robbing Social Security and traditional borrowing.

[dkf]

8. There are no more social security taxes to steal.

I just don't think the average American is willing to pay more, instead they all want others to pay. Where is the love of country?

It worries me.

[reformist2]

6. Sadly, the income tax doesn't really touch billionaires who don't work.

We need a wealth tax in addition to an income tax.

[TheWraith]

7. His point isn't about philanthropy. It's about "See, we're going to be fine."

It's about "I'm one of the rich guys, so this isn't about spite. It's not about punishing someone for their success--I've been successful. It's about fairness."

[Angry Dragon]

9. One thing I see the republican party saying to the American people

is that if your income goes down the only thing you should do is cut back on your expenses.
Don't go out and get another job, don't look at ways to make more money.
If that is the case then Congress should never have another raise because it is not necessary.
Live with what you have right now and learn to live with it.