LD Jackson
Political Realities
In recent days, President Obama has been heard calling for increasing taxes on the wealthy.
In what seems to be a major cornerstone of his reelection campaign, he has been pushing his plan for a “millionaire tax”, which is obviously aimed specifically at anyone making over $1 million each year. In the past, he has coupled most calls for increasing taxes on the wealthy with calls for more spending on his favorite projects. He has made it clear that he wants more money for certain items in his agenda. While I am sure he still desires to use any extra money he can come up with to fund things like green jobs or birth control for women, there is another, underlying reason for wanting to raise taxes on anyone making more than $1 million each year. It’s just the right thing to do for economic fairness, according to President Obama.
It’s not the first time President Obama has fallen back on this line of attack. I was recently called to task for my comment on a post at Steven Birn Speaks, where he was making the case against Barack Obama. In that comment, I stated the following:
This country was not founded on fairness. It was founded on the idea that all men could have the same opportunity to excel. What we do with that opportunity is up to us and it does not include having the federal government take the wealth of those that have excelled and distribute it to those who have not. That is exactly what Obama wants to do and it goes against everything this country was founded on. And yes, I believe Obama is fostering class warfare by going around and espousing the idea that everyone should pay their fair share.
One of the other comments on that post decided to put words in my mouth and try to twist things around to make it look as if I said no one should pay their fair share if they could get away with it. Of course, I said nothing of the kind. I realize for government to function, it has to have revenue, therefore, some taxes are a necessary evil. However, for President Obama to insist on raising taxes on millionaires, just so he can fund certain items on his agenda, is just plain wrong. It’s even worse when he openly says he wants to do it in the interest of fairness.
Honestly, I am sick of hearing President Obama talk about economic fairness and justice I stand by the statement I made in the comment above. I do believe he is fostering class warfare by espousing the idea that everyone should pay their fair share. He is doing so for a number of reasons. First, I believe President Obama really believes taxing wealthy Americans is the right thing to do. He wants to provide for so many people and keep them on the government milk jug and the only way he can do that is with more taxes. Since he is unable to tax the people he is providing for, he has to turn to the people who are working for a living. After all, they are the ones with the money. They should be willing to share the wealth, don’t you see?
Fox News’ Chris Stirewalt has this to say about the strategy of economic fairness.
The president allowed Wednesday that the move was a “gimmick” but that any effort to increase federal income in order to reduce deficit spending was worthwhile. However, with projected annual proceeds from the tax increase not equal to even one day of federal borrowing and conservatives countering that increasing taxes on investment income will further starve markets of capital, Obama needs a more compelling reason to target some 22,000 households with a special tax.
The additional reason, according to the president and his team, is to make sure that everyone is doing their “fair share”: it’s not just the money, it’s the principle.
I have said all along that if Mitt Romney won the GOP nomination, this would be the line of attack taken by President Obama and his reelection team. They will be attacking Romney’s wealth. Given Obama’s dismal record on the economy, they have to do something to divert attention to something else besides that record. Mitt Romney’s economic success is a prime target to accomplish that goal.
So, we know President Obama believes taxing the rich in the interest of economic fairness is the right thing to do. That is no surprise to those of us who have followed his record closely. It troubles me, but not so much as the idea that it might actually work to help him win reelection. He clearly thinks it will and if it does, it is a sad commentary on America and her citizens. It will be a sad day in America if a majority of voters believe it is the right thing to do, raising taxes on the rich, all in the interest of economic fairness. That is a dangerous path to trod.
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