Sometimes it feels like politicians intentionally try to act against the people’s wishes. It was literally just last week that we were discussing that Americans are bothered by how little corporations and the wealthy pay in taxes. We suggested then, and previously when this topic has come up, that we should raise taxes because it’s good politics, good economics, and good ethics.
Yet just this past week, leadership of the Democratic party, the supposed party of the people, were demanding that the SALT deduction caps be removed, one of the few elements of Trump’s 2018 tax cut with some progressive character. Analysis by the Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), suggests that 50% of the benefits from removing this cap would go to the top 1% and 86% would go to the top 5% of earners.
Bernie Sanders, as usual, gets to the heart of the matter “It sends a terrible terrible message…You can’t be on the side of the wealthy and the powerful if you’re gonna really fight for working families.” So, one more time, where are the American people on the issue of taxation?
What Bothers Americans About the Federal Tax System?
Bothered by:
Some corporations don’t pay fair share: 81% (59% greatly)
Some wealthy people don’t pay their fair share: 80% (59% greatly)
"Do you think a wealth tax -- that is, a higher tax rate on income above one million dollars -- is a good idea or a bad idea?"
A good idea: 62%
Do you support or oppose raising taxes on the wealthy Americans to fund additional stimulus checks?
Support: 71%
Oppose: 19%
Time after time the American people have made it clear that they want the taxes on the wealthy and corporations to increase, for tax loop holes to close. They want that money to pay for services and investments by our government, to do something for the collective good. Democrats have an opportunity, to not just invest in America, but to the social compact our society has lost, where everyone, most especially the most fortunate among us, contribute their fair share of taxes. A society is more than just the individuals, it is the relations between people. Currently our relationships are often arm’s length and predatory, instead of rich and collaborative.
We know that our politicians won’t make the move towards taxing the rich and powerful on their own. Even the Democratic party advocates for lower taxes, because all politicians serve the same masters: their donors. In order to combat the donor class, and make sure they begin contributing to rebuilding American infrastructure and future social projects, it’s going to take a economic power of commensurate size, wielding by and for the people. Join us every week in solidarity, as we grow our economic cudgel.
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