Brad Bannon

GOP Wants the Best of Times for the Rich, the Worst for the Poor

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December 2, 2010 RSS Feed Print
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In the Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens wrote, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Why in Washington is it the best of times for wealthy Americans, and the worst of times for poor people and unemployed Americans?

Why is it so easy for Republicans to throw millions of unemployed Americans out on the streets and under the bus so bankers and billionaires don’t have to pay their fair share of taxes on their incomes?

Why does the media pay so much attention to the extension of Bush tax cuts for rich people and so little to the end of unemployment benefits for working families? [Check out a roundup of GOP political cartoons.]

Are we really going to end unemployment benefits to 3 million jobless Americans to pay for Bush bonuses for the bankers and billionaires and corporate bad boys who scuttled the economy in the first place?

What’s wrong with this picture? The poverty rate at 14.3 percent is higher than it has been since 1944, and corporate profits are at an all time high. So why is the Party of Tea (POT) so concerned about the problems of business people while caring so little about the problems of the poor?

Why do Republicans describe the end of the Bush tax cuts as a job killer when companies are already making record profits and not using any of that money to hire more workers anyway? [See an Opinion slide show of the GOP's rising stars.]

Will the POT, formerly known as the GOP, be the Grinch that stole Christmas for millions of unemployed Americans who can’t make mortgage payments or feed their families?

Will Mitch McConnell play Scrooge in the Senate Christmas pageant? Will Tim Cratchitt get anything more than a lump of coal in his Christmas stocking this year?

Since pols and pundits have all the answers, I’m just asking the questions. Inquiring minds want to know.

Tags:
Tea Party,
income tax,
Republican Party,
unemployment,
federal taxes

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Apparently, the thought never occurs to Progressives that there are two sides to a balance sheet. They complain that not stealing more money from the wealthy will add $700 billion to the deficit. Maybe we ought not spend so much on worthless or redundant programs. If extending unemployment welfare is so important why don't you come up with a real spending offset for it (and then keep on going). It is the Progressives who are sucking us all dry - not the wealthy who already pay way more than their fair share of taxes. By the way, what is fair? I always thought it meant paying the same percentage of income. I guess they call it Progressive taxation for a reason.

Jim of MI 8:54PM December 03, 2010

I agree with you regarding Contract with America, both parties begrudgingly worked together balancing the budget and it worked.

You can throw statistics about the success of the Bush tax cuts but the bottom line is it was the first time in the history of our country that the USA cut rather than increased taxes in a time of war! Short term thinking that built a budget deficit that is still growing because of it. Much larger than the stimulus package placed under Obama which avoided a depression!

The growth in wealth was a mirage after the crash in 2008, long term thinking was not part of cut tax's and spend trillions for war. If you cut all the government spending needed to start to bring the budget balanced without bringing back the tax rates before Bush cut them then the poor and middle class will get clobbered again with State Budgets for education slashed, 1,000's of employees laid off, increased crime due to police layoffs, and cost for mass transit and tolls raising, to name a few.

Let us also remember with the Republicans in power they forgot about balancing a budget which since out of power they have apologized for, claiming to see the light, to get themselves back into power. I noticed a recent article that shows Tea party members have taken over 1 billion $ in ear marks, nothing changes that quickly, does it?

There idea, cut government cost and let the private sector run those areas of the country. Unfortunately more often then not that simply is a way for the few to make tremendous profits off the government; too often with much more greed and corruption then we had while the government ran those areas. Two examples, Haliburton and Blackwater, facing lawsuits for 100's of millions of dollars.

In 1973 the average CEO made 75 times the average worker.

In 1991 the average CEO made 145 times the average worker.

In 2001 the Average CEO made 500 times the average worker.

These statistics are staggering, creating a ruling class whose $ buys power, not what I believe the founding fathers had in mind.

Neither party gets it right by themselves, they must work together for this country to be strong. Strong compromise works, not forceful capitulation.

BFine of NY 5:28PM December 03, 2010

Give link where the so called Millionare Tax increased State revenue from rich...

How about Federal...

I can give evidece reducing tax rates increase revenue...

Will when you don't. Raising loses revenue

Bill Hedges of MO 3:04PM December 03, 2010

Brad Bannon

Brad Bannon

Brad Bannon runs Bannon Communications Research, a political polling and consulting firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups, and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. Brad guest hosts Leslie Marshall’s nationally syndicated radio talk show and is a commentator on America’s Radio News Network. Follow him on Twitter @BradBannon.

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