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A solid majority of the country favors the “Buffett Rule” which would require people making over a million dollars a year to pay at least 30% in taxes. From Gallup:
This is why President Obama and the Democrats have decided to make this one small tax on a limited number of rich people a huge part of their campaign messaging as of late. The proposal is broadly popular and supported strongly by Independents.
Beyond just being relatively popular, the proposal also serves two other important political functions. Democrats feel it serves to highlight the extremism of the modern Republican Party when it comes to taxes. Even when beating the drums for deficit hysteria, the Republican still think it is unacceptable to ask millionaires to pay more.
In addition, every time Democrats talk about the Buffett Rule they can easily pivot to talking about how rich Mitt Romney is and how little he pays in taxes. Continuing to push down Romney’s already extremely low favorable numbers by depicting him as rich, privileged, and out of touch looks to be part of the Democrats overall 2012 strategy.
22 Comments
Have you checked the Fox polls yet?
So easy to spend other people’s money. Frankly, I’m surprised its only 60%. Think Hitler used a similar boogeyman strategy in Germany during the 1930s.
David Brooks really pooh-poohed this idea as a puny effort this evening. Mostly saying, I think, b/c that what we need is serious tax-reform….We know what that means, I guess.
Okay, if Congress passes such a tax increase I’ll eat every hat in all the million-dollar households.
Just going to relay that too…Very serious people think Buffett rule is not serious.
we need tax reform because then the 1% know it will never happen. status quo.
actually I know the Buffett rule is not going to happen either.
meant to add that it’s because 60% favor it that Obama says anything about this at all. Then he’ll forget. But it sounds really really great right now.
The Buffett rule is this year’s version of the Public Option. A slogan that will be discarded as soon as the campaign is over.
Independents, who are the largest bloc of voters, with over 40% of the votes at their disposal, want this more than other groups. Democrats want it most next, although they are only 34% (if even that – most of my Dem friends have given up on the “D” party)
And the Republicans (who are a mere 22 to 24% of the voting public) want this least.
This is just another example of how shallow the Obama administration really is. They play cute politics instead of implementing policies that have a positive effect. The Buffet rule sounds good until you realize tht Obama pays a lower rate than his secretary also. Who is the goober that didnt think this out? Had Obama put thru a sound Medicare for all health care system when he was elected and had the opportunity to accomplish it the republicans wld be hard pressed to attack a hlth care plan that covered everyone for less. By passing a bill that does not go into effect until 2014 he didnt give the people anything to lose. O is a great politician, he is as slick and calculating as they come but when it comes to governing he needs a lot of improvement. Just doing like Bush did it wont be enough next November.
Gad.
I don’t know what’s worse, the constant drone of “Gimmee!”, or the idiocy of thinking a new tax is going to make those people better off.
Then we have the fact that the proceeds are but a drop in the bucket of debt Obama creates. This isn’t about finances, this is about revenge for an imagined grievance.
Tsk.
How could anyone other than a millionaire not want this? Are 30%+ of the population really sycophants (look for alternatives of toady) of the rich?
Oh shit, is shooter on, I’m leaving.
Ike had it at around 90%. Ike was a sane Republican something you don’t find anymore.
Fixed it for you.
The so-called Buffet Rule doesn’t go nearly far enough in terms of making the tax rates even remotely close to being fair. That said, whether 60% or even 99% of the
serfspopulace wants the Buffet Rule, the resounding response of the 1% is: NO!This is just Kabuki show; entertainment for the masses. I don’t know why our resident trolls get their frickin’ knickers inna giant wad when they know, as well as the rest of us, that it’s all talk & no action, jackson, on this.
Hitler? Yeah. Geez the KenyanSocialistCommieNoBirfSirtifiKat is just so like Hitler… got it. thanks. we all know who ya work for, ya wanker.
You think the world in 2012 looks like it did 50 years ago? who is being naive?
You’re nothing but a parasite feeding off of others hard work. Please kill yourself.
I have to point out that it’s my tax money that being blown on corporate susidies and offensive weapons, and I don’t like it either. At least the 1% are getting something for their money. You don’t like the higher rates, move to china.
And when are the gas bag religions going to pay their fair share.
Bye.
Yes and with Obama he wouldn’t fall under his own proposed rule either. It isn’t really a logical rule in how someone making $999K would make more after taxes than someone making $1000K rather than being an incremental tax like all the over taxes are. Looking at like Obama et al who paid around 20%ish they’d pay just under $200K in taxes on $999K, but if they reported that they made $1K more their taxes would go up to $300K. This is of course all for PR and it doesn’t even seem like it would be good PR as all Mitt has to throw back is how much Obama makes yet wont subject himself to his own rule for high earners.
well, yes exactly. You look at a satellite photo from 1962 and today, the earth looks the same pretty much a dead match other than particular cloud locations on that particular day 50 years ago. OR are you talking politics and that crap looking different…world economies. I’m keeping it simply in terms you can understand. IT looks the same.
The Buffet Rule, like banking regulation, will never survive the sausage factory that is Congress.