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About time to pay fair share; Russell W. Hilliard, Jr.; Beaver County Times; October 5, 2011.
The only previous letter from Mr. Hilliard of which I’m aware was entitled “Obama must undo a lot of damage.”
Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.
“The Republicans want to call raising taxes on millionaires class warfare! I’ve got a news flash for them. They invented it.”
[RWC] Central to lefty strategy is grouping people based on things like skin color, sex, age, income, ethnicity, et cetera, and Mr. Hilliard believes Republicans “invented it?”
Just to make sure you know what Mr. Hilliard likely means when he writes about “millionaires,” President Obama’s definition of millionaires and billionaires is people earning $200,000/yr and above for single federal income tax filers and $250,000/yr and above for joint returns.
Why does Mr. Hilliard want to pick on “millionaires” to have their taxes raised? Does he believe “millionaires” deserve what they earn less than the rest of us? I know nothing of his financial status, but could Mr. Hilliard be jealous of “millionaires” and believes increasing their tax rates is a good way to get even?
“Throughout the Bush years, they were attacking the poor and middle class. And for their claim millionaires create jobs, where are these good-paying jobs? Are they here in the good ole USA or does one have to move to China or some other Asian country to get one?”
[RWC] Note Mr. Hilliard provided no examples of “Republicans … attacking the poor and middle class … throughout the Bush years.” Could Mr. Hilliard be referring to the “Bush tax rate cuts?” On December 6, 2010, Mr. Obama finally had to concede, “Make no mistake: Allowing taxes to go up on all Americans would have raised taxes by $3,000 for a typical American family. And that could cost our economy well over a million jobs.” Quoting the Tax Foundation, “Despite the charges of critics that the tax [rate] cuts enacted in 2001, 2003 and 2004 favored the ‘rich,’ these cuts actually reduced the tax burden of low- and middle-income taxpayers and shifted the tax burden onto wealthier taxpayers.” The TF further stated, “7.8 million low and middle-income families had their entire income tax liabilities erased by the cuts.”
As for “And for their claim millionaires create jobs, where are these good-paying jobs?”, “millionaires” don’t become wealthy by being stupid. Given the government’s complete bungling of the economy and no end in sight, what sane person would make huge investments?
“Ever since the days of FDR, they have hated any legislation or programs that benefit the poor or middle class.”
[RWC] Again, Mr. Hilliard provides no examples. Drive-by accusations are typical of people who know they will lose a debate. Then again, perhaps Mr. Hilliard simply couldn’t find “any legislation or programs that benefit the poor or middle class.”
Is Mr. Hilliard trying to tell us increasing tax rates for “millionaires” would “benefit the poor or middle class?” If so, how?
“As far as I am concerned, it’s about time the wealthy started paying their fair share. They have had it too easy for too long.”
[RWC] Based on 2008 income tax data, the top 1% (AGI greater than $380,000) of filers paid 38% of the total and the top 5% (AGI greater than $160,000) paid 59%. Since that’s clearly not enough for Mr. Hilliard, it would be interesting to learn his idea of a “fair share” for “the wealthy.” In comparison, the bottom 50% (AGI less than $33,000) paid less than 2.6% of the total.
You’ll recall for a full two years Democrats in Congress and the White House had the power to increase tax rates for “millionaires” and there was nothing Republicans could do to stop it, as with Obamacare. If increasing tax rates on “millionaires” is such a great idea, why didn’t Democrats do it when they had the chance? As far as I can tell, Mr. Hilliard wrote no letters pounding Democrats for not “raising taxes on millionaires.”
Finally, did you note what Mr. Hilliard never mentioned? If you noted Mr. Hilliard never mentioned what good it would do the country to increase tax rates for “millionaires,” you are right.
© 2004-2011 Robert W. Cox, all rights reserved.