The American people are on the side of Democrats. Or so says Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada. With that as his mandate, Reid noted that any budget deal must include "revenues" in order to get the blessing of his party. Now, first let’s just call "revenues" what it is, i.e. – taxes. Let’s also address the assertion that the "American people" are "on our side." This is true, when one considers the overwhelming portion of the population that is somehow reliant on the federal government’s largesse.
Noted Reid, "The American people are on our side. The American people don't believe in these austere things. We believe that the rich should contribute. We believe we should fill those tax loopholes - get rid of them, I should say. And that's where we need to go. And I've got a pretty good fan base for that: the American people. Republicans, Democrats, and Independents." By "these austere things," we’re guessing Reid couldn’t figure out a better way to say "responsible spending." Americans don’t like responsible spending. Or at least they don’t like it when the spending is done on someone else’s dime.
We also have to address an official, "no, duh" to Reid. Of course Americans aren’t into "austere things." They buy things on credit in massive amounts and worry about the debt later (if at all). The more scurrilous are on Social Security disability roles and are either under reporting or not reporting income that would make them ineligible for those payments. The "rich" that have to contribute? Well, the wealthiest 10% of earners in the U.S. paid 71% of all income taxes last year. The bottom 50% of earners? Just 3%. So, why are the so-called rich being asked to pay more when they already pay the lion’s share? Why is half the population barely paying any taxes at all (shouldn’t such people, by virtue of not contributing to the country financially, give up their right to vote?). Why, why, why? Because, as Reid so eloquently puts it, Americans simply aren’t into "these austere things."
Noted Reid, "The American people are on our side. The American people don't believe in these austere things. We believe that the rich should contribute. We believe we should fill those tax loopholes - get rid of them, I should say. And that's where we need to go. And I've got a pretty good fan base for that: the American people. Republicans, Democrats, and Independents." By "these austere things," we’re guessing Reid couldn’t figure out a better way to say "responsible spending." Americans don’t like responsible spending. Or at least they don’t like it when the spending is done on someone else’s dime.
We also have to address an official, "no, duh" to Reid. Of course Americans aren’t into "austere things." They buy things on credit in massive amounts and worry about the debt later (if at all). The more scurrilous are on Social Security disability roles and are either under reporting or not reporting income that would make them ineligible for those payments. The "rich" that have to contribute? Well, the wealthiest 10% of earners in the U.S. paid 71% of all income taxes last year. The bottom 50% of earners? Just 3%. So, why are the so-called rich being asked to pay more when they already pay the lion’s share? Why is half the population barely paying any taxes at all (shouldn’t such people, by virtue of not contributing to the country financially, give up their right to vote?). Why, why, why? Because, as Reid so eloquently puts it, Americans simply aren’t into "these austere things."