plutocracy
Bill Moyers & Company S1E23: Capitalism’s ‘Sacrifice Zones’ [New]
Bill and journalist Chris Hedges talk about parts of America “that have been destroyed for quarterly profit.” (56:46) (Hedges’ segment only video is 51:31):
Episode description:
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The Jobs Act – Brought to You by Taxes [New]
I’m not entirely sure what this says about either myself or the president, but I was shocked to hear that his proposal for paying for the American Jobs Act out of existing spending will come entirely from cuts in “tax giveaways.” That is to say, he wants to raise taxes on the plutocrats and their various pseudo-monopolies.
White House budget director Jack Lew outlined Obama’s proposals for paying for the plan, targeting the rich and corporations as the president has in the past to no avail.
The biggest item would raise $400 billion by limiting deductions and exemptions on individuals who earn more than $200,000 per year and families who earn more than $250,000.
He also proposed raising $18 billion by treating the earnings of investment fund managers as ordinary income rather than taxing it at lower capital gains rates.
He would eliminate many oil and gas industry tax breaks to raise $40 billion and change corporate jet depreciation rules to bring in another $3 billion.
According to Lew, The Hill notes:
[T]he total measures proposed by the administration would bring in $467 billion, $20 billion more than the cost of the bill.
Previously the leftist consensus seemed to be (and I would say I agreed) that he would look to cut spending from areas that were a sure thing with Republicans, like the American welfare state. This would have offset any good that his plan did by an equal amount of evil distributed elsewhere. Instead, it turns out he’s targeting tax loopholes, an unjust tax code, and corporate welfare. Whatever the reason for this shift, I’m pleasantly surprised. The Anarcho-Militarist Party, the president’s primary opposition, will not be.
Dennis Kucinich is fired up! [New]
