December 06, 2007


IMPEACH BUSH


IMPEACH CHENEY

MONEY FOR NOTHING

In their never-ending quest to give everything to the rich, right-wingers even reshape the language. The inheritance tax suddenly became the "death tax." You're taxing the money twice! they wail. It was taxed once when Rich Person #1 made it and then taxed again when it was passed on to the Heirs. It's a stupid argument. We're all paying taxes on money that has already been taxed. When you get your undoubtedly modest paycheck you're paying taxes. Your employer has paid taxes on the income that trickled down to you in your paycheck. What right-wingers want is a rich aristocracy that doesn't pay taxes like you and I do. This article by R. J. Eskow talks about Whoopi Goldberg buying into the "death tax" nonsense. The article is at www.smirkingchimp.com:

Why, you may ask, do wealthy children get a tax break that others don't? Because our country's lawmakers have traditionally favored the idle rich over working people. Whoopi, I think you understand that. And while everybody understands the desire to leave our wealth to the children we love, hardworking Americans aren't really happy about the 'tax-free' part.

This "death tax" phrase was designed and marketed by conservatives to confuse people into supporting the idea that rich kids shouldn't pay any tax at all on their unearned multi-million dollar income. And it won't go away. I saw a headline the other day that read "Dexter: Let's drop death tax." I thought it was referring to the serial killer on TV named Dexter. If he paid taxes for every victim he murders, that would be a "death tax."

(Actually, "Dexter" is a Canadian politician who's using the phrase for its intended purpose, which is to confuse voters.)

"If I have to give something to my kid I (when) already paid the tax," says, Whoopi, "why do I have to pay it again because I died?" Er, Whoopi ... you don't. They do. Just the same way your gardener and maids have to pay taxes on the money you give them, even though you paid taxes when you earned it. (Except for the fact that they don't get the first two million tax-free.)

THE BUSH ECONOMY IN ACTION

Worker confidence in November hit a record low. We're seeing exploding costs in health care, food, and energy, but our wages remain flat. Jobs are being shipped to other countries, but no one tells us what is supposed to replace those jobs. George W. Bush and right-wingers are creating an economic perfect storm. This article from Reuters is at news.yahoo.com:

Worker confidence stumbled to a record low in November, reflecting growing pessimism over jobs and personal finances stemming from housing and credit troubles, a survey released on Wednesday shows.

The Hudson Employment Index dropped to 91.9 points, the lowest ever for this gauge. The November reading was lower than the 100.8 in October and 105.3 a year ago.

"Simply put, U.S. workers are worried that job growth is going to slow significantly in the coming months," Robert Morgan, co-president of recruitment and talent management at job placement firm Hudson Highland Group (HHGP.O), said in a statement.