While I’m used to politicians saying and doing stupid things of epic proportion, I think this one takes the cake. Apparently, Hillary thinks that there’s a causal relationship with having the highest taxes around and strong economic growth.
Take a minute to watch this…and then see just how stupid these assertions are:
“The Rich are not paying their fair share in any nation (taxes)”
Well, that’s a matter of perspective. First of all, who are “the rich”? Next, I guess when you and your husband have guaranteed meal tickets by giving speeches at 6 figures a pop (between Bill and Hillary, they’ve netted OVER $100 Million in income from speeches and books [source: NPR]), it’s real easy to volunteer everyone else’s money, even small business owners that actually create real jobs that make less than 1% of that annually. To the contrary Hillary, when half of the American public consuming federal services pays No Federal taxes annually, perhaps Nobody’s paying their fair share. After all, how could anyone be paying their fair share when we have a $13 Trillion debt load?
“Brazil has the highest tax to GDP rate in the Western Hemisphere…and it’s growing like crazy”
Umm, in correlation does not equate to causation. That’s like saying the US is the world’s sole military and financial superpower because we have the highest incarceration rate in the world. Are they related? Surely not. Does this correlation exist? Yes. But any 4th grader can conceptualize that while all bananas are yellow, that does not necessarily mandate that all yellow objects must be bananas. Apparently Hillary believes the higher the taxes, the stronger the growth?
By this logic, why not just raise taxes to 99% and beat the hell out of all your competitors?
“The Rich are Getting Richer but they’re pulling people out of poverty”
Boy, I didn’t know Brazil was the poster-child for what modern societies should aspire to. They are completely raping their country’s rain forests and natural resources to the point that it is destroying our entire planet. That’s how they’re achieving growth – with no regard for future prosperity or environmental/human impact. Oh, and poverty? While they’re “improving”, the country is imfamous for its massive slums where untold horrors occur unlike anything in the developed world. I don’t know how she said that with a straight face. People live in constant fear of poverty.
I get that for some reason, the Secretary of STATE (OK, I have no idea WHY she’s talking taxes in her role), feels compelled to beat the same drum about “failed Bush policies”, “Right Wing Conspiracies” and taxing rich people.
But seriously, how stupid does she think people are when making statements like this?
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Darwin, but you have said it yourself that you make 6 figures and only pay a sub 10% effective tax rate. So aren't you working the system quite well?
Hi Sam,
Sorry, just found this comment since it's a new domain and had to approve manually – but to your question…
Did I say that? I dunno, maybe I did. But that sub-10% tax rate is Federal tax only remember (add on state, local, FICA, etc). And that's after tons of deductions – like a sizable home mortgage interest deduction, 3 kids getting child tax credit, business expenses, etc. So, am I working the system? I don't think so. I'm easily paying more to the federal government than the share I receive – in light of the fact that close to 50% of Americans don't pay a dime – and in many cases, actually get credits. So, I have no qualms about our family's contribution.
But the article was really about her notion that somehow Brazil's (current) high tax rate is responsible for their (perceived) success. Look how well lavish spending and high taxes is working out for Europe right now. Theres just gotta be more skin in the game for all involved and not just the top 10% of earners fronting the bill for the rest of the country – because it's too easy to keep running up the debt and spending when it's not on your tab, right?
I've never seen any of the clintons say something that make sense.