Spreading the Wealth Around
Charles Babbington has an excellent AP piece noting that John McCain’s newfound notion that progressive income taxes are socialism runs contrary to American history:
John McCain is pouncing on Barack Obama’s call for shifting more wealth from richer Americans to poorer ones, likening it to socialism. His remarks win applause at campaign events. But they ignore the nation’s long tradition of redistributing huge amounts of wealth through tax-and-spending policies.
Placing a heavier burden on the wealthy has been a cornerstone of the federal income tax since its inception in 1913. [...] As for the claim that Obama might turn the Internal Revenue Service into a “giant welfare agency,” liberal groups note that the number of Americans on welfare fell by more than 60 percent after a 1996 overhaul of the program approved by President Clinton.
For several years, a strong economy and social safety net programs helped many families avoid poverty. However, the liberal Center for Budget and Policy Priorities says the recent economic downturn “has coincided with a sharp increase in food prices, which has exacerbated hardship for many low-income families who also face high gas prices (and will face high home heating bills this fall and winter).”
Of course, one might further note that John McCain himself supports progressive income taxes. Back during 2001-2003, he sounded like a downright liberal, worrying about the inegalitarian implications of the Bush administration tax policies that he now supporters. But even in his current right-wing phase McCain isn’t supporting a flat tax or Chambliss/Huckabee-style “fair tax” nonsense.
36 Responses to “Spreading the Wealth Around”
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October 22nd, 2008 at 10:36 am
Sullivan also makes a good point that McCain’s proposals to means-test Medicare and Social Security payments are more redistributive than these programs currently are. Right now everyone pays into SS and everyone gets payments when they retire, even if their net worth is $20m. His proposal, which I don’t actually think is that bad, is that people who don’t need the supplemental income when they hit retirement age wouldn’t get it, and thus the system would need to take in less money too, so everyone would see reduced contributions. This would make the system much more progressive and redistributive, of course.
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:38 am
I’m just glad the RNC is spreading around the donations they get to high fashion shops! And all the trolls at Ezra’s place are defending the expenses, just like they defended Edwards’ haircut.
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:40 am
One might note that the recent “sharp increase in food prices” is something that resulted in part from policies that Obama supports and McCain opposes.
One might also note the difference between progressive taxation to fund government programs intended to provide a safety net for citizens and progressive taxation intended merely to level. Obama has said again and again that for him taxes aren’t meant just for revenue, but also for leveling. That’s why he told Charlie Gibson that even if raising capital gains rates didn’t lead to more revenue, he’d be in favor–the punishment on success for him was reason enough.
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:41 am
When the economy is tanking and people are losing their homes and their jobs, why would you run against “spreading the wealth around”? I thought the whole point of Palin was to bring some Huckabee-ism to the Republican campaign. (Okay, maybe there was no point of Palin, but that would have been a legitimate point.)
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:45 am
And of course, it goes without saying that Palin *does* spread the wealth around by opting for direct transfers of royalty payments to Alaskan residents who do *nothing* to help out on the oil patch. If Palin was really the Ayn Rand of the Arctic, she wouldn’t be charging oil companies royalties at all, just fees to cover services provided by government agencies!
This argument is as stupid as McCain’s new “I am Spartacus” ad.
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:56 am
Speaking of spreading the wealth around and socialism, lets not forget about McCain’s healthcare plan.
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:58 am
Bummer, I wanted to post this last link in my post above but it did not come up.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-schmeltzer/socialist-mccain-spreads_b_136495.html
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:03 am
One might note that the recent “sharp increase in food prices” is something that resulted in part from policies that Obama supports and McCain opposes.
Of course, one might note whatever one wants. Since you haven’t noted anything, I guess it would be silly of me to ask for some evidence. Whenever you do get around to noting things, though, please, bring some along with you.
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:06 am
One might note that the proponents of Reaganite right wing economic mythologies are set to receive an electoral whoopin’.
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:13 am
Rambuncle, Obama favors subsidies for using corn as fuel, which has raised corn prices and the prices of foods using corn, and of products linked to corn. McCain opposes those subsidies. That’s a fact, even if it’s inconvenient for Obama, and even if the American people don’t know that they’re being asked to endorse it.
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:47 am
The economic and fiscal policies that have led to dollar devaluation trump any specific distortions of the agricultural markets when it comes to explaining the recent increase in food prices.
Oh, and yes McCain is a raving hypocrite, and Palin even worse, when it comes to the issue of “socialism”. Turns out, however, that recent polling suggests telling Americans over and over again that your opponent favors increasing their wealth is not a winning electoral strategy. In other words, “He’ll put a chicken in every pot!”, does not make for a great attack ad.
Speaking of which, I always associated that phrase with Hoover’s 1928 campaign, but it turns out it actually comes from an RNC newspaper ad at the time, which claimed that the prior Coolidge and Harding Administrations had “reduced hours and increased earning capacity, silenced discontent, put the proverbial ‘chicken in every pot.’ And a car in every backyard, to boot.” See here:
http://hoover.archives.gov/info/faq.html#chicken
So, more gosh-darned Republican socialists!
October 22nd, 2008 at 12:07 pm
How does John McCain square the circle of Obama’s plan as “socialism” and his health care plan? After all, his health care plan calls for a tax credit of up to $5,000. A tax credit is a government expenditure, and some of those families that get the $5,000 would likely not have any income tax liability!
October 22nd, 2008 at 12:50 pm
James F. Elliott,
He doesn’t bother trying, that’s how. See, Obama said the magical words, “spread the wealth around”. That right there makes him a gosh-darned socialist. And your questioning it? That makes you a socialist too.
October 22nd, 2008 at 1:03 pm
I suppose this makes “socialist” the new “liberal.”
October 22nd, 2008 at 1:16 pm
BHO said: “When you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody”.
Having a discussion about exactly how that doesn’t indicate a socialistic mindset – as opposed to simply a tax-and-spend-on-infrastructure mindset – is left as an exercise for those who, unlike MattY, are intellectually honest.
(Repurposed from an earlier comment because, of course, MattY continues to be obtuse).
October 22nd, 2008 at 2:19 pm
“Indeed you can usually tell when the concepts of democracy and citizenship are weakening. There is an increase in the role of charity and in the worship of volunteerism. These represent the élite citizen’s imitation of noblesse oblige; that is, of pretending to be aristocrats or oligarchs, as opposed to being citizens.”-John Ralston Saul
Something to ponder.
October 22nd, 2008 at 3:36 pm
What I can’t understand is why the Obama camp doesn’t counter-attack, and ask why McCain and his rhetoric has been desperately spinning 24/7 in advocating for the top 5%.
Obama’s plan gives a tax break to 95% of Americans… but that’s not good enough for McCain. It’s only a problem for “us” when McCain’s wallet (and 7+ houses and 14+ cars) are involved.
Like Bush said: some may call them the elite, but he calls them his base. McSame views his uber-wealthy peers as his base as well, which is why his “Joe The Plumber” rhetoric got him sandbagged at the debate with a fact which has been on Obama’s website for months.
Obama isn’t going to raise “our” taxes, John. He’s going to raise YOUR taxes. Looks like you and all your rich elitist pals will finally be given an opportunity to put “Country First”, if only you would stop crying and whining about it.
October 22nd, 2008 at 4:20 pm
One thought that occurred to me last night is that risk pools (like health insurance) are really just giant “socialistic” enterprises, given the definition that conservatives seem to be running with these days. I go to the doctor, on average, let’s say 2.5 times/year. But my premium is subsidizing my co-worker who is having chemotherapy. She’s getting a relatively good deal, while I’m paying $3000/year out of my paycheck to see a doctor 2.5 times a year. You don’t see people moaning about that, because the whole idea behind insurance is “it’s there if you need it.” It seems to me that the “nation of whiners” Gramm was referring to was his own party.
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