Taxes

8 Thoughts on the Issues #5

Here is the gist of the conservative argument about taxes as I understand it. By keeping taxes low on the rich, the rich will in turn invest more in our economy which will lead to increased employment. The increased employment will lead to more tax revenue being collected over all. There is, as with most conservative philosophies, no data to support this concept. This is famously known as “trickle down” economics.

What are some additional conservative thoughts on taxes? Well, when discussing tax fairness, they consider the poor to be lucky because many don’t pay income tax. (In fact, a conservative usually finds it best to ignore payroll taxes.) They believe the rich in our society are overburdened by taxes and will lose all incentive to excel and accumulate wealth.

Many even support the so called Fair Tax Doctrine, which would replace all federal taxes with a sales tax that would be around 28%. (As anyone with a brain can figure out, this would result in the poor and middle classes paying a larger percentage of their income in taxes. Most poor people, and much of the middle class, have to spend their entire paycheck. The rich can sock their money away, tax free.) Anyone who supports the Fair Tax doctrine can be rightly considered an idiot.

As a liberal, I don’t believe there is any such thing as an ideal tax level. I believe that the current economic situation of the country dictates our taxation needs. For example, if you find yourself involved in a war, you don’t cut taxes, you raise them. When things are going well, then you can safely lower the taxation levels.

As a liberal, I believe that the rich should shoulder a larger portion of the tax burden. This isn’t about socialism, the redistribution of wealth, as the McCain campaign loves to claim. It is for a much more basic reason. They can afford it. Obama’s tax increase on the rich will do nothing to reduce the quality of life of the rich. It will do nothing to reduce their civil liberties. In fact, it will benefit the rich by allowing for a more stable society and a more stable economy.

Finally, as a liberal, I believe that paying taxes is our patriotic duty. Taxes provide for our public infrastructure. They provide for the education of our children. They provide for the military that protects our freedoms. Progressive taxation is necessary for the survival of the middle class. This is not about class warfare, this is about genuine fairness.