How do we convince Americans to insist on raising taxes on the rich?

[reformist2]

Everyone here knows this is what needs to happen to restore our government to long-term solvency. I suspect most Americans know this as well, deep down. And yet, we can't get them to vote this way. Why not? Have the Republicans shamed the public into thinking that taxing the rich more is wrong? If so, how do we undo this brainwashing???

I fear that if Democrats don't figure out how to convince Americans to support them on raising taxes soon, we're going to lose twice over: Once because this guarantees trillion dollar deficits that will lead to a fiscal crisis and bankruptcy reorganization of the government, and twice because the bankruptcy proceedings that occur will most assuredly focus on spending cuts and hardly at all on increasing revenue.

Democrats have been losing on the tax issue for years. If we don't figure out a way to turn it around on this issue, I'm afraid we are going to lose everything.

[rhett o rick]

1. Without the media we are lost. nm

[xchrom]

2. Tell them the truth: low taxes on the rich is a theft

From everyone else.

[robinlynne]

3. 70% of Americans are in favor of raising taxes on the rich. It isn't the citizens who are voting

against it.

[reformist2]

15. OK, but is it their top issue? It needs to be up near the top.

[treestar]

18. Where they are from matters

IMO it is convincing the Americans from the red states. No mean feat, that. But there could be a way. If they don't like the debt, they should be convinced it is to their benefit. Maybe they could be convinced that high tax rates on the rich should apply during times when the nation is in the red. And can go back down otherwise. Also they need to learn that they are not the rich - in fact the rich may be crowded into blue states.

[robinlynne]

20. ok. i'm with you both. my point was it is congress, not the people, but i'm with you now.

[OHdem10]

4. This is not your fathr's Democratic Party. We now compete

with Republicans for the same voters. We will do the
same as the Republicans just be kinder and gentler
in doing it. As a conservative Democratic Party
we believe in tax cuts. How often have we seen
Democratic Governors get on TV and boast on the
number of times they cut taxes. I wonder why
the States are in so much trouble. One reason
we had such wrangling over this darn tax bill::
We as a party could not pass Obama's plan. Our
Conservadems would vote with the Republicans.
Thus Obama had to cut the deal with McConnel.

It just might make it a bit easier and not
so frustrating if we accept the fact--we are
a conservative Democratic Party. We can
push back as Liberals but understand we will
never completely win on any issue.

[kentuck]

5. deficits.

They are not paying their fair share and are driving up the deficits.

[bullwinkle428]

6. Most people are already convinced; we can also share a history lesson:

http://www.ntu.org/tax-basics/history-of-federal-individual-1.html

[blindpig]

7. Not much we can do, the rich will do that for us.

As they control the government I don't see how that will happen in any meaningful way anyhow. But as they continue to squeeze the conclusion will become unavoidable, their control of society must end and that an only happen by separating them from the means of production.

[Jack Sprat]

8. Urge House members to strip all the tax cuts

out of the Senate plan and let them all expire. Demand an investigation of the Federal Reserve before adding a thing to the deficit already in place. Since the 14.2 Trillion giveaway by the Federal Reserve to american and foreign banks, we have no way of knowing what the balance sheet really reveals about our debt. Request suspension of the tax cut bill until this is done. Implications of financial fraud on a national scale are very possible if not likely. Freeze all legislation and let the tax cuts expire at the end of the month. A national investigation is needed for the entire federal govt. All 3 branches, including the Judicial. The SCOTUS stands accused of aiding and abetting the financial fixing of elections.

[sarcasmo]

9. Corporations and Bankers run this country, you could convince Americans all you want but the two

tier Plutocracy we now live in will not allow the rich to get screwed.

[Statistical]

10. Majority of REPUBLICANS supported raising taxes on rich.

It isn't an issue of convincing Americans. Americans are convinced.

Congress just doesn't care. They are bought and owned by the ultra rich and vote according to their wishes.

[Speck Tater]

11. Easy. Buy the media from all those that are pushing the opposite message.

Once you own Fox News and CNBC, etc., then you can push whatever message you prefer to have the people believe, and they will all fall in line.

(ED:typo)

[reformist2]

12. Most people don't feel strongly enough about it.

I see what people are saying, that most people already know this is what should be done. And I agree. But as is obvious with what's happened over the extension of the Bush tax cuts, there has been no hue and cry from the public over this. THIS is a problem. We need to figure out how to get Americans to want to punish congressmen for voting for endless tax cuts for the rich.

[stray cat]

13. Propose a flat tax across the board without deductions?

[MadHound]

14. Umm, the public overwhelming favors raising taxes on the rich,

It is the Senate Dems and the President who are the ones who need convincing. They are the ones who are going against the will of the public, the ones who are doing the wrong thing.

[T Wolf]

16. I believe we are fighting against a basic American characteristic - greed. EVERYONE, or at least a

sizable proportion believe that they, somehow, will eventually wind up in that elite group. This is fed by the "American exceptionalism" bullshit that they are fed by the media and others. So, those breaks better be there when they get there.

In addition, enough are comfortable enough to blunt any widespread revolt.

Only when government is so impoverished that basic services become scarce will enough people wake up. But by then, it will be too late.

[Jack Sprat]

17. I don't think people understand.

The people have no say-so in their government now. None. The oligarchs are running this show with their will be done. The Fed just recently handed out 14.2 trillion in Treasury funds and Bernanke refuses to answer who got the money or why. They also refuse an audit. There is widespread financial corruption and the American news media won't even cover it. It's a nation that should be in crisis, but the people stand with their mouth agape wondering what's going on.

[The Backlash Cometh]

19. We would have to prove how they use their money for illicit reasons.

Like, show them how they use it to continue a shadow network where they keep benefiting at everyone else's expense, and you might have something.