The difference between the Republicans and the Democrats

[DemocratSinceBirth]

The Democrats want to protect and expand the safety net and ensure the rights of the vulnerable. The Republicans want to dismantle the safety net and suppress the rights of the vulnerable.

Please carry on...

[blkmusclmachine]

1. Riiiight. TPP, Catfood Commission, NAFTA, Chained CPI, ACA (a.k.a. RomneyCare), Union busting...

All policies pushed hard for by our lying Democratic politicos.

[rock]

2. The Democrats would like to have you for supper, you look starved

The Republicans would like to have you for supper, they look starved.

[progree]

3. Republicans voting to repeal the estate tax

Here's an email from Ben & Jerry by way of moveon.org. Where things are at on it. Remember the exemption was something like $1 million ($2 million for couples) at the end of the Clinton administration.

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[font color = brown]Republicans in Congress are trying to pass an unnecessary tax giveaway to America's wealthiest citizens.

The estate tax, which the U.S. has had for more than a century, currently affects Americans with estates worth at least $5.4 million, or $10.8 million for a couples -- only 1 out of every 500 taxpayers. And yet, it's been a target of right-wing lawmakers, working on behalf of their wealthy donors.

Congress has shrunk the estate tax in recent years, and now the Senate and House, in advisory votes largely along party lines, have voted to repeal it entirely. When the Republicans press this issue again, Senate Democrats will need to be ready to beat back the repeal and block this latest Republican giveaway to the superrich.

Good grief, Congress. With all this going on, are you really going to give another tax break to those who need it least?

That's why I signed a petition to Senate Democrats, which says:

"If Senate and House Republicans have their way, they will eliminate the estate tax, which affects only the wealthiest 0.2% of taxpayers. Repealing the estate tax would hurt our economy and be fundamentally unfair. Senate Democrats: Stand with us, and stay united against the repeal."

Will you sign the petition too? Click here to add your name:

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/stand-with-ben-jerryby-1?source=s.fwd&r_by=390161
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[font color = blue]A recent similar thread, with the title, "What's your response to the "There's (almost) no difference between the two parties" comment?" is at http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026495181 [/font]

Note: that thread in the archives, so any replies to it will NOT "kick" it, so virtually nobody will see it if you do reply to it. But for somebody looking for lists of what's different (and the many ways they are the same), its a good one.

[progree]

4. By the way, Obama raised income taxes on the top 2 brackets

back up to the level they were under Clinton -- 39.6% for the top bracket on ordinary income, and their long term capital gains back up to 20%.

When the ACA's 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) on the top 2 brackets is included, the actual long term capital gains tax rate for the top tax bracket (which is about where the top 1 percentile begins), is 23.8%, even higher than under Clinton, and 23.8/15.0 = 1.59 times higher than under Bush.

He kept the Bush tax cuts for the lower tax brackets.

Details: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6503186