Not that I watch FNC often, but Shepard Smith has often struck me as a straight shooter, ie. one of the last of the Objective "just the facts" Reporter variety.
SO, when I heard Senator Bernie Sanders make this point today on the Thom Hartman radio show --
It didn't really surprise me, that it was 'Shep' who was driving home this point --
one that SHOULD BE one of the Dems' main Talking Points in the tiresome Tax Expiration vs. Extension debate:
Everyone, even the Millionaires, will be getting a Tax Break,
under the Dems' plan --
a Tax Break on their FIRST 250K of income !
Up to that income threshold, EVERYONE gets a break -- even the Millionaires!
The interview, the only one I could find that focuses on this KEY Fact:
The FOX Report With Shepard Smith
FNC -- Aired on Sep 28, 2010
[Apologies in advance, if my speaker attributions are mis-matched; the source transcript does not make it clear.]
Shepard: Today more fuel for that fire as senators heard from the head of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office on this issue.
Shepard: So what did that one say?
Shepard: Peter Barnes joins us.
Shepard: What did he say about extending these tax cuts?
[...]
Barnes: The problem is that if those tax cuts are not accompanied by other changes in the government budget and are simply funded through borrowing, that that borrowing crowds out other private investment.
Barnes: The CBO estimates that with a two-year extension of the Bush Tax Cut, GDP would be a half a percent to two percentage points higher.
Shepard: But they do plan to extend the Bush Tax Cut for everybody for the FIRST $250,000.
Shepard: Right?
Barnes: That's correct.
Barnes: That is what the president and democrats on capitol hill are proposing.
Barnes: They say that the country cannot afford the $700 billion over ten years that it would cost to extend the bush tax cuts to those making over 250.
Barnes: We'll see that battle fought out in the lame duck session after the election.
Shepard: But just so we're clear, the people who make more than 250 would still get the tax cut on the FIRST 250.
Shepard: Right?
Barnes: That is correct.
Barnes: It's the increases in the marginal rates.
Barnes: They still benefit from the lower tax rate that everybody gets under 250, so yes, they would still get that lower tax rate.
Great Point, Shepard Smith -- Way to Go, drilling down to the crux of the matter!
that doesn't amaze me, given Mr Smith's work ethic, as a old school Reporter;
What does amaze me though, is I had to go to Fox Network, to find anyone making this point -- about Tax Fairness -- on the intertubes.
Dems sure have a LOT of work to do, in their Messaging-PR Dept.
Top on this list, is actually establishing one.
Dems have turned up Lame on that front, to their own detriment,
and to ours too -- we the people.