“Tax the Rich” Could Be Winning Strategy for Obama, Politico’s Ben White Says

In all fairness, the fact that some people fail to understand giving a fair and equitable share is not only the right thing to do, it is the American thing to do. We have people right now who are defending this country and relying on us to keep it together long enough to bring them back alive, and if you are so self centered that you refuse to do what's right because you don't like it; you don't deserve to call yourself American.

Obama is a "warrior"? LMFAO

What this country needs is a newspaper that tells the truth, banks that service their depositor and, politicians that govern instead of playing the political game.

GOP - Power to the Powerful!

It's time for Democrats and Republicans to get a grip on what is good for the country not there special interest. Let's get rid of the lobbyist so the politicians can do there job!

If we knew that "tax the rich" would work and lower the debt; then I am all for it. But they would only get about half of the "paper savings" because of loopholes and smart tax accountants which is less than 1% of the debt. Then even when they do collect the extra tax money, can you REALLY trust them to apply it to the debt or would they divert it to other "partisan projects". Look what happened over the 50 years of the"Locked box Social Security" fund.....Their first priority is Power, Greed, and re-election.......that's why congress has a 8% approval rating and 80% of the voters think the country is headed in the wrong direction.

The tax revenues increased and employment increased from 2003-2008 because of bubbles - not the Bush-GOP tax cuts. Proof: the revenue increases and employment increases disappeared when the bubbles burst - even though the tax cuts remained.

If the tax cuts had been responsible for the growth, then the revenue and employment increases would have remained - just as the tax cuts remained. However, this did not happen!

Right now the total federal tax burden on US citizens is just 14.8% of GDP - the lowest in 60 years.

The tax rate on the wealthiest 400 incomes - which averaged $345 million in 2010 - is just 17.2% - the lowest rate in at least 80 years - thanks to 15% tax rate on dividends and cap gains. If Conservative GOP trickle-down economic theory had any merit at all, US job growth right now should be extremely high - due to these historically low levels of taxation and tax rates - and the exact opposite is true!

Your party sucks. No your party sucks.
Everyone agrees on one thing.......both parties suck.

Obama's next slogan: "Close the loopholes!"

Any tax increases should be required to reduce the deficit. Do not give these free spending idiots in congress that are clueless in efficiently spending our resources to waste. Congress acts like they don't know how we got to this place. Once a group has proven incompetence they should have their power removed.

It simply won't be enough.

I will pay my 3rd quarter estimated tax on the 4th of October 2800.00. I don't object to paying this, but I do agree with Mr. Buffett, they paid their fair share in the past and it is time to (PONY) up their share of the cost of goverment again. I will also agree on cuts to some of our elected and appointed officils too.

The discussion about taxes always brings up the questions of "fair share", "shared sacrifice" and "fair pay".

Let's look at fair pay. The value of somebody's labor is a funstion of their ability to perform work. Some work is worth more than others (nothing to do with the value of being human). Employers have problems that need to be solved, some are more valuable than others. For example, the fast food franchise owner needs somebody to ask if you need fries with your burger. It is a problem, just not a valuable problem, and one that most people can solve, thus the pay is low. The heart patient, who has consumed too many fries with his burgers, has a problem too, he needs by pass surgery. It is problem and valuable one at that. One that not many people are able or qualified to solve, thus they get paid a lot to solve it. The punchline, there is good reason why the cardiologist makes more than the fast food worker. Do you want to live in a country that tries to force these two people into the same wage class? I don't.

here's a site you can vote and get real numbers. Not bogus poll like media has. Springfielder com

In 2003 - the last time there was a change to the tax laws - 32% of Americans paid no federal income tax. Now 47% (or 51%) pay no federal income tax - without any changes to the tax laws.

This shows how fast free trade/outsourcing/high tech are turning middle class tax payers into unemployed or low-paid welfare cases.

The economy would only improve if we returned to the Clinton Tax rates of the 90s.......does that mean I get to go back to 1 dollar gas too.......

How do you define RICH, as.in dollars?

Another refinery closing in philadelphia metro area. Thats three total and at least 5000 jobs lost if something isnt done soon!!

The rich are where the money is. Many top earners would willingly pay higher taxes for public services that promise high value. Yet trickle-down theory, which is supported neither by theory nor evidence, continues to stand in the way. This theory is ripe for abandonment.

Robert H. Frank, an economist at the Johnson School of Management at Cornell University, is the author of “The Economic Naturalist,”