Letters to the Editor
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More class warfare from the GOP
Thank you Salon for publishing this article and raising awareness on Huckabee's "Fair" Tax proposal. It's important to know that Huckabee's Republican brand of populism is all about shifting even more of the tax burden on to the middle class, lower middle class and working class while lightening the load of the upper middle class and wealthy. That's typical. Reagan did the same, as Social Security taxes (or payroll taxes) have skyrocketed since 1980 to compensate for total income tax cuts. Since Americans are only taxed on the first $88,000 they make, this is a nifty little way of giving the little guy a break (in the neck) while making him think you're doing him a favor because he thinks ... great, last year I was paying 30 percent federal income tax; this year I'm paying 25 percent. If the press was covering Republican tax policies in any sort of depth for the past 30 years, the American public would have never let the GOP get away with the evisceration of the strong, healthy middle class created by FDR's New Deal policies. If this article is accurate, the Fair Tax is a way to *really* stick it to those of us who primarly work for our livings rather than invest inherited wealth. Just one question ... if the Fair Tax is so great for the wealthy, why is the GOP monied establishment treating Huckabee as if he is the second coming of Joseph Stalin? If there is one thing I've learned about Rightys after reading their publications for all of these years is they know money; they know it really well. When it comes to what policies will put the most dollars in their pockets, even the most casual Righty gets terribly wonkish. So shouldn't they be embracing Huck? You'd think a national sales tax would be their wet dream come true because they could do most of their shopping during overseas trips, saving them thousands and thousands and giving them an excuse to travel to boot. Anyone have any idea why not more of the Greedy Old Party is on board with Huck?