January 15, 2014 by David K. Sutton
Tired Rhetoric: It’s Unfair To Take From The Wealthy
It’s the same old tired rhetoric from Republicans, always looking out for the wealthy, not so concerned about the poor. They say it’s unfair to take from the wealthy and give to the poor. You know what’s more unfair? Going hungry.
And it turns out, Americans who are living in desperation, waiting for their month-end pay check or benefits, have a greater tendency to suffer from hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) at the end of the month. It would seem, once the money runs low, people are forgoing proper sustenance to make sure they can pay the rent, pay for gas, and keep the lights on. Or in other words, people are forced to make a choice between fixed living costs, and a cost (food) that “can” be variable if it needs to be. But that “choice,” means poverty is making people sick.
So to all you Republicans out there crying foul over any proposed tax increases, it’s time for some much needed perspective. Oh, and an attitude adjustment wouldn’t hurt either. Because people don’t choose to be poor. Poverty is not a lifestyle choice.
Republicans can elevate their tired tax rhetoric above helping the poor because the poor have little to no voice in Washington. And it’s also easy for Republicans to dismiss the poor because they believe in the idea of a productive class vs. a non-productive class. To many Republicans, if you are poor, that’s because you are not a productive human being, you aren’t pulling your weight, and maybe we could cut taxes for the wealthy if you would just go ahead and die already. And to that end, Republicans would like to assist, in the form of cuts to extended unemployment benefits and food stamps.
Until we reach a time when every American has enough food to eat, excuse me if I don’t rank concern for tax rates above concern for the poor. And if the Republican argument was true, that we are taking from the wealthy if we raise taxes to pay for things like food stamps and other programs that assist the poor, then guess what, we are already taking from the wealthy now. That is how a progressive tax system works. So it’s really just a question of degree.
So I will say again to conservatives that they need to stop talking in absolutes. We can raise taxes to pay for things, and it won’t cause an economic downturn, or lead to a socialist horror show. But unfortunately this is how conservatives operate, using hyperbolic language and the most extreme examples possible to make their tired points.
