Alan Grayson doesn't want to raise taxes on the rich

[DavidDvorkin]

Florida Rep. Alan Grayson, who is now running for Senate, has loudly insisted for years that he's the Democratic Party's leading exponent of what it means to be a true progressive. So it comes as quite a shock to see him articulate views about taxation that don't sound progressive at all:

He's pledged to make income inequality and other progressive priorities a focus of his bid. And Grayson told NBC he'd like to make eliminating the income tax for the poorest Americans a key priority. But he seemed more reluctant to tackle the tax rate for top income-earners like himself.

"One way that you could try to address [income inequality] is through the tax system, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you tax people who make more money more," he said.

"At the top end, it's a complicated situation," he added. "I can tell you, in fact, there are repercussions and second order effects that come from modifying the tax rates at the top."

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/07/17/1403225/-Alan-Grayson-the-self-described-Elizabeth-Warren-of-2016-doesn-t-want-to-tax-the-rich-more

[bravenak]

1. For himself, then?

[Hoyt]

2. I think there are repercussions for too high taxes, even at the top. But I don't think we are at

that point for upper income people.

[DavidDvorkin]

3. Obviously not, given that their taxes used to be a lot higher than they are now.

[Hoyt]

5. Like I said, we aren't at the point repercussions occur.

[Hydra]

4. Alan stops by here now and then

Maybe he'll outline what he thinks should be done.

I think there are better ways to control wealth than taxation, but we're not doing those things either, so...ya, we need to be taxing the hell out of Wall St and others.

[DavidDvorkin]

6. He doesn't really stop by here

Someone in his campaign occasionally posts a long position paper here. No one from his campaign replies to questions those posts raise.

[Hydra]

8. Thats too bad

Missing an opportunity there. We must be too radical :p

[artislife]

7. That's too bad.....:(

[Recursion]

9. Ouch

Now, sure, everybody agrees there are marginal repurcussions. But then again some of those are good.