by Joann M. Weiner
Posted:10/22/09
Rightardia has published many excerpts from Joan M. Weiner's articles on taxes. She had been following the UBS tax evasion cases closely.
We have also mentioned that the majority of taxes such as sales tax, municipal tax and Sicial Security are regressive taxes that have more impact on the middle class than the affluent.
Of course, the one progressive taxes that Americans have--income tax--is the one the right wing complains about the most and tries to convince Americans that what is really needed is a fair tax or flat tax that is regressive.
It's not often that an elected official is applauded when he promises to raise taxes. That's exactly what happened in Washington on Wednesday night when Democratic Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan said, "We ought to have a 3 percent surcharge on those who make more than a million dollars."
Levin's call was cheered by the 100-plus attendees at the Royal Phoenix Hotel to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Citizens for Tax Justice (CTJ) and to recognize its director's achievements. Robert McIntyre is the director of CJT.
Levin was speaking to honor the work of a nonpartisan research and advocacy group with a long and proud history of fighting for fairness in taxation. As Levin said, "CTJ has been a voice for fairness and a voice for those who believe that closing special-interest loopholes is essential not only for tax justice but for justice in general."
Bringing that about is difficult, as Levin recognized. "The odds are against us" he said. As an example, he cited the obstacles faced by the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations as it tries to shut down abusive offshore tax shelters that abet tax evasion.
"These tax havens siphon off some $100 billion in revenue each year" from the Treasury, said Levin, who chairs the Senate committee. "Yet, the Congressional Budget Office scores our proposal as raising about $20.95."
That joke aside, Levin said he'll work with the Senate Finance Committee to find ways to fund the overhaul of health care coverage, offering one specific plan to raise revenue: "We should have a 3 percent surcharge on incomes above $1 million. We need to collect those revenues so that we can create a health care bill that has adequate funding."
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) focused on a slightly different aspect of the tax problem -- loopholes that grant far too many tax breaks.
"Everybody knows that there are a gazillion tax breaks out there for everything from buggy whips to rock stars," Wyden said, asserting that "more than 10,000 tax breaks have been added to the code" since the 1986 Tax Reform Act.
See the rest of the article at http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/10/22/sen-carl-levin-calls-for-tax-increase-on-millionaires/
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