What do Democrats mean when they say they only want to raise taxes on the rich?

I would say it is "because they know people who vote democrat don't understand economics and they are deceiving them to achieve their own agenda."

The reasons behind this?

Without a doubt, the single most difficult fact of public finance to get across to people is the understanding that the burden for the heavy taxation of the wealthy disproportionately falls on the middle class and working poor. People either cannot, or will not recognize it.

Consider the new taxes imposed in the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990. As part of the new taxes imposed by Congress, the law imposed a 10% luxury tax on high ticket items such as private jets and yachts. While many in the working class and the poor cheered because they thought that finally the rich are going to have to pay, they were wrong. The rich did not pay -- everyone else did.

Because the rich believed the tax was unfair they simply refused to pay it. They canceled contracts for new jets and yachts. The bottom line was that ship-builders throughout New England were forced to close down. A great many hard working men and women who worked in these yards were thrown out of work, and subsequently went on public assistance. So who was hurt? The Rich? No. The working class got hurt.

In a post-expenditure analysis the GAO reported that the tax generated about $75 Million, but cost the government about $125 Million from a combination of reduced revenues and increased outlays to take care of the newly unemployed.

There is a simple proposition in taxation policy that (if it were possible) I'd gladly tattoo on the forehead of every single man and woman in government (federal, state and local)

THE EFFECTS OF TAXATION ALWAYS FLOW DOWNHILL.

If you overtax corporations -- consumers pay higher prices.

If you overtax the wealthy -- the working class pays.

If you overtax the middle class -- consumer buying dries up.

Unfortunately, Modern tax policy isn't about raising revenues anymore; it's about making sure one's constitutents feel good that "the other guy" is getting stuck with the bill. The answer, of course, is tax equity; but in these days of polarized politics, what should be a policy based on reason and sensibility has degenerated into another blood-sport.

Thanks Jack...

Generally those who spew the term "tax cuts for the rich" or who seek to raise taxes on the rich don't understand atleast two things.

(1) The bulk of taxes are already paid by the top 25% of all wage earners (86% total); the poor pay very little in taxes;

(2) Taxing the rich tends to slow the economy down because it is the rich who start business which create jobs; taxing them reduces incentives to invest their money.

(3) It's not just Dems who don't understand basic economics. It's not taught in schools, not required in universities, so people babble about raising the minimum wage without having any idea what it will do in the long run.

The Fed survived without taxing any income from 1776 until 1918. Why would they need to tax anyone's income now? If they tax anyone's income at all it should be a straight rate across the board no matter the level of income. Any other system is completely unfair. The Feds spend in security nearly equal to what is raised in the type of taxes that were collected before the income tax was established. All the income tax does is redistribute wealth from the successful to the unsuccessful or lazy. This is what is known as socialism. Why do Americans sit by and let the government do this? Socialism is an evil way of the government controlling the citizens. It appears some do not mind the control since it fattens their wallet or puts food on their table, drugs in their pipes, etc.

It is a smoke screen on there part, there is a systematic attack on the middle class that was started by the republican and will be finished by the democrats!

They say they will tax the rich but the rich always find loopholes"like off shoe accounts where they put there money so it cannot be taxed "like Nancey Palocie does" they talk a good story but it's just that a story!

Reaganomics works when your rich. You get richer and it "trickles down" to the little guy. You know the one that you would pay less if you could, but that damned minimum wage keeps increasing. Hey last year all millionaires (making over 1 mil/ yr) got an extra 19,000 back to trickle down to us, well obviously not you. If your not wealthy I apologize for the ignorance on both our parts. You believe the extremely wealthy should keep even more of their wealth, and I believe they should pay at least the same percentage of taxes as me. I am lower middle class, a fate worse than death, I can get no assistance from federal/state programs, yet I dont have enough money to turn on the heat in my house this winter. And no Im not a big consumer, I dont waste my money on "material possessions" that all of America seems to try and shove down my throat as "things" that I am entitled by God to own. Of coarse I have children and Im young so I guess I brought this life of poverty on myself. Some people are born into wealth and some fight all their lives to get out of poverty and never do. This world is very random and unfair, you just have to make the best of it.

I happen to know just a little bit of the "Democratian Language" having to take it in school in lieu of French. The words, "We want to raise taxes only on the rich", translated into English would be..,

"It will be a cold day in hell before we raise taxes on the rich. You poor suckers however, are going to get even emptier pockets. Muahahahahaaa"

I should of took the French classes. At least when they say "Surrender" it means, Surrender.

Do they make that statement because they know people who vote democrat don't understand economics and they are deceiving them to achieve their own agenda?

YES

regardless this statement is wrong , bush's tax cuts will be expiring soon and unless congress continues them ( which they won't if they are democrat ) then everyone will get a a tax raise

'Deceiving them to achieve their own agenda' sounds like Bush pandering to the rich for more money in Republican elections by giving them huge tax breaks.

Understand economics? Why do you assume that people who think differently are wrong? There have been two or three economic arguments raging for centuries!

Silly man, Democrats are not saying raise taxes on the rich, just re-impose taxes so the freakin debt won't be so huge. A big debt apparently means nothing to you, economically.

Read more than one economic journal.

If the government confiscated each and every of the wealth of the riches 2% one hundred% tax and one hundred% tax on all supplies, it nevertheless does no longer conceal the government criminal duty. Socialism basically works until eventually you run out of different peoples money. we are there. No money left. Its time to get rid of the socialist and initiate reducing the government.

It is not illogical. Raising the tax for the rich can be a measure to more evenly redistribute the wealth of a country. Danmark has some of the highest taxrates and the same time a very flourishing economy. The gap between the poor and the rich is the lowest in the world and its inhabitants amongst the happiest...