Why is a 3% tax increase on the richest considered "socialism" but a 14% pay cut on the middle class

[BigBearJohn]

is "doing your part?"

just askin...:shrug:

[white_wolf]

1. Because they have no damn clue what socialism is.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

15. That and people hear Socialism and think Stalin.

People are ignorant and scared. My mom was like, that scares the hell out of me. I was like, mom you have no idea what socialism is. There are democratic socialist countries all over Europe. You know how you have no health care and can't get a colonoscopy to find out what is going on with the cramps you have? Well, you'd have it. These countries are far more advanced socially than we are. Stop thinking USSR and start thinking Canada or Sweden. She looked at me funny, rolled her eyes and got that "don't make any sudden moves and my idiot daughter won't talk crazy anymore" look on her face. I hate how I will always be dumb in her eyes, even though I'm way more educated and am far better traveled than this woman. SIGH. Parents, huh?
Duckie

[quinnox]

2. because in our fucked up culture known as America

you are seen as a loser unless you are rich. Therefore, all the goodies should go to the rich and everyone underneath them can suck it up! What a country! <sarcasm>

[ladjf]

14. I believe what you are describing is actually an epidemic of

narcissism. Your comments are valid and significant. Thanks

[AmericaIsGreat]

3. And because they're scumbag motherfuckers

Who are simply shameless as they "protect" their wealth from the middle and lower class.

[pnwmom]

4. And why is it called "redistributing wealth" only when

the middle class and the poor want a larger share of the pie?

Why isn't it "redistributing wealth" when tax policies help the rich get richer while everyone else's wealth declines?

[Cresent City Kid]

8. Everything from buying a pack of gum to the AIG bailout is redistribution

The devil is in the details, how much, in what direction, and is it fair.

Let's look at some other phrasing. Boehner's been repeating "Taxing the very people we expect to create jobs." "Expect" is the key word there. We've been expecting it for 10 years, muthafucka.

The top 2% can pay higher taxes, and still create the same number of jobs, give the same amount to charity, live lavishly, and still have money, just slightly less. This is the sleight of hand in the three card monty game of trickle down. The rich don't have to necessarily reduce the amount they invest in the economy by the exact amount of a tax increase. If one of them did, it would be out of spite. Higher taxes don't reduce their ability to create jobs, just the after tax total. Come to think of it, creating jobs costs them money too.

[Bozita]

5. It's all about shared sacrifice. Here's how it works ...

[anneboleyn]

10. Great. Exactly. Shared sacrifice means the middle class loses wages, jobs, and benefits.

And the rich get an even bigger tax cut.

[krispos42]

6. It's an arbitrary, perjorative term nowadays.

"Assault weapon"


"Partial-birth abortion"


"Socialism"


"ObamaCare"


"Liberal"


"Tax hike"


"Assault magazine" (new one; watch it grow)



All words now with fluid definitions that are designed or have had their definitions modified to create an immediate, negative emotion in the listener.

[TomCADem]

7. Do You Own A Corporate Media Empire?

Well, if you did, then perhaps you would share some of Rupert Murdoch's pain. The corporate media tends to present reality through the eyes of its billionaire owners.

:)

[defendandprotect]

9. k

[unblock]

11. republicans are not about logic, they're about propaganda

as far as they're concerned logic is just some elitist obsession democrats have that trips them up and keeps them from playing brutal strategic politics.

all they are interested in doing is pairing the ideas they favor with happy and positive emotionally laden words like "american" and "patriotic" and "freedom" and pairing the ideas they loathe with rotten words, or words they can make rotten by always saying them with a sneer and derision like "socialism" or "liberal" or "entitlement" or "nanny state" or "big government".

this is how they can label obama a socialist and a nazi in the same breath. they're not bothered by the illogic of it. they're only interested in attached rotten labels to obama.

[upi402]

12. The 'skin in the game' is never their skin n/t

[RKP5637]

13. Because we live in a country that embraces Welfare for the richest! n/t

[xchrom]

16. recommend

[AmandaRuth]

17. my own personal media guide:

tea party/repub media sycophant: Tax cuts for the rich create jobs!

What i would say: Quit lying - no they don't, where are the jobs, other than China? Why has the biggest increase in jobs been in very low wage service sector jobs?

tea party/repub media sycophant: The rich are over taxed, they pay 40% of all taxes paid!

What i would say: Damn Straight - they have over 90% of all wealth-they should be paying more.

tea party/repub media sycophant: Corporation are overtaxed - 35% !!

What i would say: Most corporation pay no taxes, that is widely reported and known, quit repeating meaningless slogans. If you want to talk tax reform, elimination of loopholes and subsidies, I'll listen, but until then, just let me say that even Corps in China pay more taxes to China than US corporations pay to the US. We should penalize those corporations that outsource jobs, and develop tax laws that reward truly small main street American businesses and middle class Americans.

I know it is not this easy, but in my mind it is.

[Lorien]

18. Because Americans believe in "rewarding success" even if that "success" is inherited

or brought about by criminal or immoral behavior. We also seem to believe in punishing failure. "Blaming the victim" is EXTREMELY popular now (more than ever). Perhaps because of religious or New Age beliefs that everyone gets what they deserves, or that they even wished for what they have or don't have. These beliefs promote the idea that charity is not a virtue at all, but a reward for poor behavior, laziness and negative thinking. People are very happy to say "I've got mine, screw you". Their belief system allows them to go through life thinking that because they are "positive" and self confident nothing bad will EVER happen to them, and that they, in due time, will be among the uber rich as well. Therefore they need to protect and advance the wealthy at the expense of the "undeserving and negative" poor.