Higher taxes on the ‘rich’ is no solution

Let’s be honest. How outrageous, Froma Harrop’s column of July 10: “The people ... want higher taxes.” Opinion polls that find that 69 percent of “the people want higher taxes on the rich” are cooked.

Just think about it. “The rich” in her column comprise perhaps 3 percent to 4 percent of all taxpayers. Approximately 40 percent of the population in this country pay no income tax at all. With a survey pool of which 96 percent would not be affected by any tax increase, I’m surprised that only 69 percent favored taxing the “rich.” Heck, if I was irresponsible and dishonest I would vote for class warfare, of “soak the rich.”

A much more interesting and objective survey would be to ask everyone, including those who currently pay no income tax, “Would you be willing to pay 3 percent of your earnings in addition to what you now pay in taxes?” What do you think the response would be? That would tell how people really feel about “want(ing) higher taxes.” Watch the 69 percent rate evaporate.

Using cooked surveys is standard operating procedure for liberal Democrats. It’s liberal politics as usual. Ms. Harrop’s columns systematically vilify and demonize Republicans and conservatives. In this article she interjects her brand of wisdom in the current debate on tackling the Obama administration’s enormous deficit and the growing, strangling national debt. If she were honest and educated she would know that raising taxes on the “rich” would do virtually nothing to solve the national debt. Columnist Charles Krauthammer and others have well documented that the unchecked government spending is the problem.

Presenting hate speech and articles that add nothing of value to the national debate is a total waste of space on the Opinion page, which has its aim to “tell the truth.”

Laszlo Stephan

Des Plaines