What role do taxes play in the modern Democratic Party?

[kentuck]

Is a progressive tax system necessary for the Democratic Party to survive and thrive? Are lower tax rates advantageous for Republicans and the very wealthy?

How do we get the revenues we need for roads, schools, Medicare, Social Security, school lunches, regulators, etc if we do not have the tax base for those necessities?

Does the society do better or worse with low tax rates?

What is the purpose of capitalism? Is it for the benefit of individuals or for the betterment of society? Is personal wealth the ultimate goal of capitalism?

Democrats need to look long and hard at the direction our Party is going, in my opinion. Either we are for all the people or we are for the individual's pursuit of wealth? We cannot be both. Either we have a social conscience or we do not? We should decide what we stand for.

If we cannot survive without the Bush taxcuts, then perhaps we should question whether or not we are in the wrong Party. If we are dependent on Republican taxcuts, rather than dependent on each other, then we are in a fight for our souls.

[valerief]

1. WAR WAR WAR WAR WAR WAR WAR WAR WAR WAR WAR. nt

[Major Nikon]

2. The problems are bigger than the Bush tax cuts

During the Clinton years, the taxes on investment income went from nearly 40% to 15%. This was actually a bigger boon to the 1% than the Bush tax cuts. The biggest reason why the rich are able to multiply their wealth while the working class wages remain stagnant is the tax code. The middle class pay state and local taxes, social security taxes, excise taxes, fuel and utility taxes, and sales taxes at a much higher rate than the rich do. So if you look at total taxation, our system is extremely regressive, yet somehow the GOP is able to convince a large number of people that the rich are still overburdened with taxes.

[kentuck]

4. I would agree...

that the problems are bigger than the Bush taxcuts. However, what better place to start??

[Major Nikon]

7. I think the best place to start is propose a whole new system of taxation

This is exactly what the Republicans have been doing for quite some time, and even if they haven't gotten the chance to fully implement their screwy ideas, they have still used the subject to implement an even far more regressive tax code.

Where I would start is to say ALL federal taxation should be highly progressive. The more you make, the higher RATE you pay (not just amount), period. This will include all forms, to include social security, medicare, wage income, and investment income. A similar effort should also happen in every state. No more should we pay property taxes, sales taxes, excise taxes, or any other kind of tax that is not progressively based on income.

[quaker bill]

3. Not as black and white

"Either we are for all the people or we are for the individual's pursuit of wealth? We cannot be both."

I don't think this is essentially true. Many people got quite rich with far higher individual and corporate tax rates, strong labor unions, and good working class wages. There was nothing wrong with that. There were still plenty of problems to address in those times, but the resources to build a decent school system, interstate highways, fund probably too much defense, and a space program all fit in.

All of this stuff is still possible, you just have to fix the wealth distribution curve. Easier said than done, but quite possible.

The rich would still get quite rich, just a good bit more slowly. They would have to work for it and earn it.

[mmonk]

5. Under Third Way rule, the party has abandoned progressive

taxation for the most part as an issue and the party is small government now (hence agreeing with the failed idea of austerity). We need OWS to survive to fight back until someone gets it.

[msongs]

6. the democratic party has never taxed me. anything I give is voluntary lol nt