Evolution of Consciousness

Robert Scheer sees the “crisis” for what it is: “Debt Madness Was Always About Killing Social Security“

Driving along the other afternoon, I turned on the radio to catch the tail end of this exchange (on NPR) betwixt Robert Siegel, Cynthia Tucker, and David Brooks…

SIEGEL: Here is a finding in that New York Times CBS news poll. People were asked about raising taxes on those who make over $250,000 a year. That is ending the Bush tax cuts for the well-to-do. The number who said, yeah, you should do that to help ease the deficit is 72 percent. That is not an insignificant number, but can Republicans in Washington just ignore that?

TUCKER: Well, so far it seems that they are. And while there’s plenty of blame to go around here, one of the reasons that the deficit debate hasn’t moved at all is because most Republicans have absolutely taken increasing taxes off the table. It is hard to see how we move from where we are, how we get the deficit under control if you say no taxes were raised ever on anyone. And it is another sign of dysfunction, I think.

BROOKS: Yeah, though I would blame the American people a little here. I mean, they want to see other people pay to balance the budget. A poll today underlines, once again, they don’t want it to have any pain for themselves. And so cutting defense is popular, raising taxes on the rich is popular. Everything else is unpopular. And unfortunately we really can’t make much headway without doing that other stuff.

At this point, I was giving my radio the finger, with verbal accompaniment.

Brooks has long been a mouthpiece for the Forces of Evil (Upper Twit Division) at the New York Times. I’ve read his nonsense before. So it wasn’t what he said as much as the sheer brazenness of it. It reminded me of Dick Cheney’s dismissive “So?” when told that a supermajority of Americans opposed his never-ending invasion of Iraq. These guys have been in power for so long, they feel invincible, like they can say and do anything they want, and suffer no consequences. Look at Goldman Sachs, outright criminality followed by outsized bonuses. This is the ruling class taunting us, flaunting their absolute power, daring us to revolt.

So here’s how the insipid chat concluded…

SIEGEL: And changing Medicare is sort of popular, sort of unpopular?

BROOKS: No, but I think pretty unpopular. I mean that’s – there is no education process that’s been done by people in Washington or anywhere else to educate the American people about what needs to be done.

SIEGEL: OK. Have a good weekend.

BROOKS: You too.

TUCKER: You too.

Upon re-reading this, what boggles me is the absolute lack of response (from Siegel or Tucker) to the outrageousness of Brooks’ declamations. “OK. Have a good weekend”? Is that the best we can do? Why not: Enjoy your extra dose of radiation, complements of GE, who paid no tax this year! or Have a nice vacation, flying over the polluted Gulf in your private jet! or Don’t let all those homeless people out on the streets get you down!

There comes a time to stand and fight. Methinks it approaches.

Tax cuts, deficits. Tax cuts, budget cuts. Tax cuts, service cuts. Could there be a connection?

Funny how there’s so much hand wringing about lack of money for public services yet so little talk about raising taxes. This is basic accounting — money in, money out — but powerful interests are intensely focused on the general populace NOT making the simple connection. That disconnect is a testament to the power that advertising and propaganda hold over the collective herd.

13 August 1981

The dynamics at play here have been well enumerated by Grover Norquist over the years: starve government by cutting taxes, then eliminate public services. We’re now well into the second, painful part of that plan. They like to call it “austerity,” like it’s good for us. But don’t be fooled, this medicine only works for sociopathic greedheads like the Kochs.

The pathetic part is that America had this figured out long ago. Under FDR the country made great strides toward an egalitarian state. After a couple decades of those New Deal policies, the United States boasted the largest middle class ever seen. But selfish greed, hiding behind the twisted mask of Ronald Reagan, crept back in, and since then money (and power) have been rushing back to the top (to the exclusion of everyone else).

A look at the top tax rates over the past century is interesting, particularly the volatility. In 1929, at the advent of the Great Depression, the top tax rate (on income over $100,000) was 24%. By 1945, the end of FDR’s run, it was up to 94% (over $200,000). The next two decades were extremely stable, such that in 1963 the rate was still at 91% (over $400,000). But once Reagan was finished, in 1988, the top percentage was back down to 28%, with the maximum amount set at a ridiculous $30,000! The dark cloud of Me-first now covered the land.

Fast forward to 2011, where Obama tells us we’re stuck with Bushy’s cushy top rate of 35% (over $370,000). Combine that with the decimation of the estate tax, throw in countless loopholes and exceptions favoring extreme wealth, and the current tax code is a regressive shambles. This is the Norquistian dream come true, and until a majority of Americans admit they were duped by a greedy few, and come together against that faction, the nightmare will continue.

Don’t be afraid to tax the rich! It’s Robin Hood time in America.

7 June 2001

Taibbi tears into the self-serving hypocrites: “Tax Cuts for the Rich on the Backs of the Middle Class; or, Paul Ryan Has Balls.”

• “Why the United States Is Destroying Its Education System” by Chris Hedges
• “And Now, For The Kill” by David Michael Green