In 2001, President George W Bush began to show his political allegiances by putting heavy tax cuts in action for the wealthiest people in the country. It was the first move in many that nearly demolished the middle and lower classes, and allowed a social gap to widen, promoting those who made more, and especially those involved in big businesses like oil, financial institutions, and other tycoons.
While most Democrats are pressing to have those cuts applied to only those who make less than $200,000, or joint filers making less than $250,000, there is a disparity developing among the more moderate Democrats. It would seem that they are making a strike against those in their party that would end the cuts for the rich, and instead make them pay taxes in the same range as those prior to 2001.
The most commonly given reason is the same as that which is given by the Republicans: extending tax cuts will allow a small boost to the economy, while raising taxes could hinder growth. But the still relatively small amount on a group that makes so much above the average American is unlikely to make the difference they claim.
More likely is the desire to entice more moderate conservatives and liberals to vote for them come November. Everything, from the Islamic cultural center in New York to the tax debate, seems to be being exploited for the sake of establishing more votes. This is nothing new, and happens every time Congressional elections draw near.
But the posturing is especially fierce this time around, as Republicans fight hard to regain the majority. For example, they are now claiming that a tax hike on the wealthy will hit small businesses, which is almost certainly not going to be the case. While some businesses may be affected, most small ones owned by individuals will fall into the tax cut range.
Nonetheless, there is a need to establish stricter rules on who will be hit, and who will benefit. A greater cut for small businesses under a smaller size may be needed to appease voters, and to show that this is not an attack on the little guy. The opposite is true, and it is the extension of these cuts that will be a true testament to who is opting to give breaks to Big Business.
If anything is going to get done for the good of the country, an end to bipartisan politics is still needed. Too often values are compromised for the sake of gaining votes, and not for what is good for the country. But this becomes an even bigger problem when the rift develops within the party itself, and any Democrats who is willing to compromise their ethics in order to gain an advantage isn’t worth reelection.
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