The highly publicized Tax Day tea parties lacked a coherent message; mostly, it appeared, because the organizers didn't really care what you were angry about or who you were angry at, just so long as you were willing to show up and make it look like you agreed with their anti-(something) sentiment.
However, one message that I did hear from some people interviewed was "taxing the rich is a bad idea". They couldn't really explain why, but it's a time-honored talking point that the rich have gotten others to spout. I wrote about it shortly after the election, and looking back it only seems to have gotten more relevant in the face of this demonstration against increased social spending and progressive tax rates.
It's generally something along the lines of "Why punish people for being successful?" Those more callous and brazen may phrase it differently: "I worked hard for my money, why should you take it away and give it to someone who didn't?"
Recognizing that the discussion is not simply about individual tax returns, but about economic philosophies and frameworks through which we view our nation and world, I have set out to answer these questions (since I keep hearing them)--or more accurately, to show why they are misguided.
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