Tax Them! Not Moi!

Froma Harrop sez: The People Want Higher Taxes.

Poll after poll shows that the American people want higher taxes. That's not the same as liking higher taxes. The people have simply concluded that higher taxes are preferable to the alternative -- so vividly portrayed in the Republican plan to do away with government guarantees in Medicare.

And Republicans don't even have that ugly option to offer anymore. After voters in western New York rioted over it by handing a formerly safe GOP congressional seat to a Democrat, many Republicans have been jumping ship. Odd that House Speaker John Boehner continues to sail on with nothing in the hold but a vague threat to let America default on its debt if ... if what? If Democrats refuse to make the drastic spending cuts Republicans are afraid to push.

But then she adds this fascinating fact:

...A Quinnipiac poll found that 69 percent, including nearly half of Republicans, want taxes raised on households making more than $250,000. A later Ipsos/Reuters polls shows three-fifths wanting to raise taxes to cut the deficit.

In other words, "The People" are for higher taxes as long as they're imposed on Other People. Only one in 50 households in this country take in more than $250,000 a year. Only one in five take in more than $100,000. It's hardly surprising that "The People," who make less are for raising taxes on those make more. Nearly 50 percent of Americans pay NO federal income taxes. Many get direct subsidies from the U.S. Treasury by way of the Earned Income Tax Credit.

The day the Democrats can up the number of people who pay no federal income taxes to 51 percent of the people, they will have a tough-to-beat majority of voters in this country, but hardly a noble one. When it comes to policies that rob Peter to pay Paul, you can always count on the support of Paul.