Only the Little People Pay Taxes

Unrepresentative Policy of the Week: Unfair Tax System

The never ending torrent of news makes it difficult to hold onto any story, no matter how momentous, for more than a matter of days. A fact that Trump has counted on explicitly to let him skip from one self-made disaster to the next with few consequences. As the election draws ever closer, however, Trump is running out of time for his crimes to fall down the collective memory hole. If we are lucky, a political reckoning is coming. Case-in-point, Trump's tax returns. Back in 2019, DSOT covered how incredibly unpopular the current tax code is, and how the overwhelming majority of Americans think that the wealthy don't pay their fair share in taxes, and that we all agree a progressive taxation scheme would be a great fix! Waltzing in to this maelstrom of public opinion, it has been revealed that Trump, despite claiming vast wealth, has paid little to nothing in income taxes for nearly two decades!!! Back in 2016 when taxes were brought up, Trump bragged that he was smart to avoid paying extra in taxes, and he seemed to get away with it. But this time, the context is very different, the American people are hurting themselves financially, and they just aren't buying it. In fact, they are downright angry: Does it make you angry that [$750] is all Trump paid in Federal Income taxes? Yes: 68% No: 24% The American people are tired of the unfairness, the exploitation, and the hypocrisy. They are angry that their leaders ask so much of them while giving so little themselves. For better or worse, Joe Biden and the Democrats have made this election a referendum on Trump. In many ways this is a deeply immoral decision, banking on the suffering of Americans to reach such a fever pitch they reject the sitting president without any positive counter-offer on the table. It does, however, seem to be paying off at the moment, as the polls widen in favor of Biden. If Biden defeats Trump, and that is still and if, it will be without any policy promises from Democrats to actually improve the lives of Americans. They clearly hope that a return to "normalcy" and outward stability will be enough to placate the people, and put them back to sleep. We must not let this happen. Luckily, Donald Trump is such an odious, and cartoonish opposition figure, that there is ample opportunity to turn this referendum election into a mandate for big change. From taxes, to political corruption, to immigration concentration camps, to dismantling environmental protections, Trump's overwhelming narcissism has made sure that he gets credit for every action taken by his administration. This means that the groundwork is laid for an organized left to demand that a refutation of Trump is a refutation of all the politics associated with him. Biden has made it clear this election isn't about him or his vision for America, and thus if we play our cards right, it could be the people's agenda on the table next year! Of course we know that the Democrats, unless pushed, will never take up such a fight, it's just not who they are. To get the change we desire, we're going to have to call and write and petition and insist in every manner possible our leaders make a stand. And afterwards, it's going to take sustained, collective action of commensurate size and economic power to the forces of oligarchy and oppression we struggle against to keep our politicians accountable and convince them there is no option but to change or lose everything! Don’t miss this chance to  join us every Tuesday, in growing solidarity and power until we take back our democracy from amoral special interests, and greedy politicians: Don't Shop on Tuesdays!