Unspeakable Speakers
Unspeakable is a word to be used rarely, but it is the only way to describe what Republicans are doing to the American economy.
As House members fight to preserve tax cuts for the filthy rich and gut safety nets for the poor, John Boehner warns, “Without significant spending cuts and changes to the way we spend the American people’s money, there will be no debt limit increase. And cuts should be greater than the accompanying increase in debt authority the president is given.”
How did such blackmail based on a Big Lie gain traction in a time when the gap between the filthy rich and the rest of Americans has widened to record proportions?
A labor advocate points out that “in 1980, CEOs made about 42 times the pay of an average worker. And in 2010 it was 324 times…And it is as if the recession never happened…
“Executive Pay Watch showed that 299 of the S&P 500 CEOs made a collective $3.4 billion. And that could support 103,000 workers making average wages.”
Still, the GOP party line is to hold a gun to the head of Congress in order to retain tax breaks that only widen this gap, increase the deficit and do nothing but exacerbate doubts that endanger U.S. credit in the world.
8 Responses to “Unspeakable Speakers”
Again, most new money, and quite a bit of government spending goes to the filthy rich. Look up where farm and other corporate subsidies go. Who do you think is getting the most benefit from the Fed’s near 0% interest rates (hint: they’ve been receiving record bonuses)?
You’re beating the wrong horse. If spending cuts were made in these kinds of programs the rich would suffer. That’s why no one is proposing those kinds of cuts.
The rich have never had it so good. Never. They have tax loopholes galore, hugely profitable companies skate, they sneak in more loopholes left and right because they own the guys who write the laws, and STILL the GOP acts like they are fighting for truth, justice and the American way be bending over backwards to make sure they have even more coming their way.
We deregulated. Then we deregulated some more. We lowered taxes. We practically removed oversight so they could play fast and loose with standards that ensure safe business practices. Because all the economy needed was for gov’t to get out of corporate america’s way. And after all that as a result of conservative rule and shot calling, we watched the economy BLOW UP IN OUR FACES and still the GOP says they know what they are doing and wants to keep the same playbook. My god, how bad does a system of policies need to fail before those children will give up on their simplistic ideas of how the world works and let this country get back on track.
Oddly enough… US taxes are a joke compared to what people and companies pay in Germany…
yet the German economy is purring along like a F1 race car.
I don’t think raising some taxes is a problem.
also…
“Without significant spending cuts and changes to the way we spend the American people’s money, there will be no debt limit increase”
Considering what not increasing the debit limit would do to our country…. Republicans are obviously no longer the party of “Country First”. Apparently, it is “Ideology First, Country can burn to the ground”.
Oddly enough… every study on effective tax rates i can find says that people and companies pay in Germany is almost exactly the same as what people and companies pay in the US.
eg: http://www.scribd.com/doc/52966788/Effective-Tax-Rate-Study
do you have any references?
Still, the GOP party line is to hold a gun to the head of Congress in order to retain tax breaks that only widen this gap
While I agree there is a wage disparity that is probably too wide, I don’t see how the current tax system widens it as Mr Stein asserts. In fact you could make the case raising taxes only on the wealthy could lead to even higher CEO pay since companies would have to increase CEO compensation if they wanted to keep after-tax income the same.
It seems to me trying to narrow the income gap by manipulating taxes is the wrong solution, rather the underlying reasons for the wage gap should be identified and addressed. Also, raising taxes only on the wealthy would not erase the deficit, it would take broader Clinton-era tax hikes to do that.
DaGoat:”It seems to me trying to narrow the income gap by manipulating taxes is the wrong solution, rather the underlying reasons for the wage gap should be identified and addressed.”
No no, don’t look for the cause! You must be insane! Stop it! Pay no attention to the looney! It’s taxes, I tell you, taxes! Just look at the charts and stop that useless thinking, that our job.
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