Quote:
Originally Posted by donquixote99
I am certainly all for a pre-Reagan progressive tax structure. indeed, I'm for a pre-Kennedy progressive tax structure. But why do you say the Democrats take from the ever-shrinking middle-class? I know of no tax increases targeting the middle, though I know of plenty of conservative proposals for same (eg, the now-forgotten 'flat tax' idea). I also think the 'to give to the poor' part is anti-poor resentment at work, given that much more goes to the military-industrial feeding trough, and to out-and-out corporate welfare.
You also should recognize that getting anything progressive through the current congress is close to impossible. So blaming the Democrats for not doing so now isn't just fair. You can make a case for the first part of the Obama administration though. The problem was that Obama was smart enough to know there might be a be reactionary movement in response to his presidency, and he walked on eggs trying not to provoke it. Didn't work.
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Give to the poor was an oversimplification to avoid long winded narrative. In my eyes most democratic campaign platforms are social promises that are guaranteed to be paid for by the rich, in other words Robin Hood promises, but then not have what it takes to get it from the rich. When money gets spent and the rich and powerful refuse to pay for it, who do you think pays the bill? It may not be direct taxation, but it will be paid by someone. Nothing is free. My annual taxes seem to keep going up, yet the very wealthy seem to keep paying less. If republicans can get tax rates lowered, democrat control should be able to get them raised. If Manchin and other moderates can't get on board with that, then they should not be considered democrats. Not to mention the democratic party seems to pick pretty unlikely candidates for election. Sanders was probably the most promising candidate they had since Bill Clinton and look what they did to him. No thanks, I'll stay unaffiliated. Speaking of Obama, I think a marginal tax increase should have been equal to and possibly more important than the ACA. Reactionary measures are part of politics. Worrying about them are the reason the same people are still in office and the reason nothing is getting accomplished.