Occupy Republicans

“We’re going to close the unproductive tax loopholes that allow some of the truly wealthy to avoid paying their fair share.“

– President Ronald Wilson Reagan, June 6, 1985, speaking at Northside High School in Atlanta, Georgia

Here’s the rest of his remark in context.

“In theory, some of those loopholes were understandable, but in practice they sometimes made it possible for millionaires to pay nothing, while a bus driver was paying ten percent of his salary, and that’s crazy.”

When Reagan asked the crowd whether millionaires should be paying more or less in taxes than a bus driver, the crowd resoundingly responded “more!” Reagan also told an Illinois crowd about a letter he had received from a man who said that tax loopholes allowed him to pay a lower tax rate than his secretary. “He wrote me the letter to tell me he’d like to come to Washington and testify before Congress as to how that’s possible for him to do and why it is wrong,” Reagan said.

Just moments ago, I downloaded an episode of Fresh Air, with hostess Terry Gross, in which she interviewed Tim Dickinson, who explained how the tax policies pursued by the Republican Party have changed in the past 14 years — and says those changes have led to greater economic inequality in our country. Specifically, it addresses how the mantra of “no new taxes” and “don’t raise tax rates” upon the über-wealthy, have come to figure prominently – if not dominate – Republican/GOP politics. You will recall that Reagan and George H.W. “Papa” Bush raised tax rates upon the wealthy, and upon their toys – jets, yachts, ermine fur coats, gas guzzler cars, etc.

What the Republicans in large part – especially the “TEA Party” lunatics – have forgotten, is their populist standard bearer Ronald W. Reagan, because there is now as clear a case of misguided ideals in the GOP as ever there was.

The program is available for download free of charge, and airs daily on WLRH 89.3FM in the North Alabama, South Central Tennessee Valley area.

The story is available here:
http://www.npr.org/2011/11/16/142353732/how-u-s-tax-policies-increased-economic-inequality