The Taxman Cometh
Well, this was predictable. From President Obama's first post-election statement on the fiscal cliff, earlier this hour at the White House:
Echoing language he used on the campaign trail, Obama said the nation should reduce the $16 trillion-plus federal debt in a "balanced and responsible way," including higher taxes on the rich as well as spending cuts to middle class programs.
"I'm open to compromise," Obama said, but he added he will not supported a plan that is not "balanced" with more revenues from the nation's wealthiest citizens. "This was a central question during the election," said Obama, who defeated Republican Mitt Romney on Tuesday. "It was debated over and over again."
The election showed that "a majority of Americans agree with my approach," Obama said.
We used to sneer when Obama automatically conflated support for him with support for each of his policies. In this case, alas, he may be right. From the Washington Post's report earlier this week on Election Day exit polls:
Nearly half, 47 percent of voters surveyed, said go ahead and raise taxes on incomes of $250,000 and up, as Obama proposes. Only 35 percent wanted no tax increases for anyone. A lonely 13 percent called for higher taxes all around.
That's a solid 60 percent who want at least some people's taxes increased. We not only lost the vote. We're also losing the argument.
- Comment (28)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (5)
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
Comments:
Dec '10
Re: The Taxman Cometh
He may very well want to do this. I think the Democrats in Congress understand that this will end their careers and possibly cast their party into the wilderness for a decade or two.
This is why the fiscal cliff provides leverage for both Republicans and Democrats. If the Democrats won't produce a compromise before Jan. 1 that the Republicans can accept, the key will be for Republicans to make it crystal clear that they did their very best to save the taxpayers from the fate the Democrats are consigning them to.
If the country goes over the fiscal cliff, the leverage goes far more onto the side of the Republicans. No middle-class tax cuts or restoration of essential spending will be possible unless the House Republicans are granted satisfactory compromises by the Democrats.
Mar '11
Re: The Taxman Cometh
The one thing we absolutely must NOT agree to is to let the Bush-era rates expire on "the rich" while keeping them for everyone else. Either rates go up for everyone (full expiration on schedule), or we raise rates severely [70-90% marginal rate] on the high income [million-plus in come].
If rates go up only on "the rich", we have to outbid Obama. It's the only way to avoid total defeat on the tax argument.
May '10
Re: The Taxman Cometh
Well, my congressman ran on opposing everything Obama advocates in those comments, and that congressman, Jim Ranacci, won by a higher margin than Obama. So who's got the mandate? Who won the argument?
Still, I'd say let the Bush tax cuts expire. We could plausibly deny having raised taxes, since they would have been raised by inaction during an impasse.
And it'll all be a learning experience for America: Vote for the welfare state, and with that will come tax collection for the welfare state and a hit to the economy. Enjoy.
Jul '11
Re: The Taxman Cometh
I'm still scratching my head as to why we should entertain him estimating at all. We need to show how little revenue a tax increase actually nets, versus the deficit. We need to show what Whittle showed in his Eat The Rich piece. That's an easy pitch, but not one any republican is making, anywhere. We have to pop the idea balloon that it's a revenue problem. Worse, we're already conceding tax increases on Nov. 9th. And we wonder why we lose.
(edited for typos from a hot little seat in a theatre just before a "Skyfall" showing.
Edited on November 10, 2012 at 4:57amJul '10
Re: The Taxman Cometh
People used to take up arms to defend their hard-earned property. Now they duck their heads and acquiesce to pay a little more when they're already paying many times more than most. This is a pointless debate. Taxes are going up. As long as people refuse to stand up for themselves against federal abuses, it's not going to stop.
Jul '11
Re: The Taxman Cometh
I'm afraid I don't see how any of this matters except in the short term. We're going down the toilet no matter what; if things are going to get better they've got to get a lot worse first. Give Obama the rubber stamp. The republicans in congress should say, "the people have spoken, they want more of what this clown is offering, who are we to thwart the will of the people?" You want it, you got it--good and hard.
Apr '11
Re: The Taxman Cometh
We are losing the argument, and I'm afraid we can't win the argument. The other side fights in bumper sticker cliches and it takes our side an essay to deconstruct their bumper sticker, in the mean time, our audience's eyes gloss over, if we have an audience as the media doesn't cover what we have to say anyway... I don't see a way to win this fight...
Dec '11
Re: The Taxman Cometh
Just vote present. Easy peezy.
I am sure when its time for business owners to make up the delta, that the bumper stickers and facebook posts will have nothing to do with their decisions......
Everything personal is political now and vice versa, at least according to the left, so why don't we start playing the same game?
Edited on November 10, 2012 at 11:12pm