Tax the Rich

I will vote for any politician in 2012 who promises to do just that. And by rich, I mean any politician who specifically goes after multimillionaires. Anyone making over $1MM/annum after deductions should pay a higher marginal tax rate than just about everyone I know. Anyone over $10MM should, by law, give more of it back to our citizens through our elected government than anybody else, for the privilege of living in a country where they can have the most taxes taken away of anybody with the least diminution of lifestyle. As in none.

The superstar on arrival House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) 10-year budget that arrived with fanfare today kills Medicare for good in return for a paltry voucher system offloading, once again from Republicans, more risk onto individuals. Than any other industrialized nation. It is based on fantasy 4% unemployment projections and ultimate increases the deficit without reducing medical costs -- dumping it all back in the private sector for more gouging and C-level salary packages. Per the White House:

The White House rejected Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-WI) "Path to Prosperity" budget blueprint for fiscal 2012 Tuesday, arguing that it unfairly guarantees the prosperity of wealthy millionaires while overburdening seniors and the poor.

While President Obama is committed to dramatically reducing the country's long-term deficit, White House spokesman Jay Carney said, Ryan's plan is exactly the wrong approach.

"The President believes that dramatically reducing America's long-term deficit is essential to growing our economy and winning the future," Carney said in a statement. "Any plan to reduce our deficit must reflect the American values of fairness and shared sacrifice. Congressman Ryan's plan fails this test."

The Republican slogan, "Path to Prosperity." Through a return to Robber Baron era Social Darwinism. As the NY Times asks, "Prosperity for who?"

We don't have a spending problem, we have a revenue problem, and we need to return to the still historically mild tax levels of the successful Clinton Presidency, rather than the disastrous Bush Presidency. Return those revenues, make America healthy again.

Read my lips:

Tax. The. Rich.

And win my vote.