Although social, and wedge issues often grab the headlines, two fundamental differences separate the parties. Republicans are more willing to go to war, while ensuring that they, and theirs, never see a battle field. Republicans believe that lower taxes raise the tide that lifts all ships, ignoring the leaky dinghies of the lower and middle class.
The GOP favors wealth accumulation by the strong, unfettered by a puny, tax starved government. Democrats believe that the purpose of government is to lift up the weak, secure in the knowledge that the strong will take care of themselves.
In the 1950's the top marginal tax rate was 90%, kicking in at about 2.5 million in today's dollars. Although deductions significantly lowered the effective rate, it was much higher than today. The term progressive tax rate is accurate. Government programs provide proportionally more for the middle class and the poor than for the wealthy. An increase in social security benefits is a godsend at the bottom, but a mere pittance at the top.
The real hatred for Obamacare is not imaginary death panels, or phantom government take over of medical care, it is the subsidization of insurance. Obamacare redistributes wealth to the middle, and particularly, to the lower middle class.
Lower tax rates have gone hand in hand with a redistribution of wealth to the upper class. Wealth begets power and influence which begets more wealth. The system is rigged when a CEO of a public company makes 300 times more than the average employee.
Lower taxes and cotton candy are both filled with hot air, and do more harm than good.
No comments:
Post a Comment