Taxing Those Who Can Least Afford It

by Dick Mac

One of my criticisms of supply-side economic theory is that it unfairly removes the tax-burden of running our society from those who can most afford it (the rich) and places that burden squarely on the shoulders of those who can least afford it (the middle class, nee working class).

Since the implementation of Reaganomics in the early 1980s, and its reaffirmation in the early 2000s, our nation has been unable to support its infrastructure, social welfare programs, education, intelligence and law enforcement agencies.

We are promised (still) that if we relieve the wealthy of their tax burden, they will take the money they save, invest it in the economy, and provide ample economic opportunity to those less fortunate.

As you may have noticed, this isn't working. In fact, the more the wealthy are given, the more they keep for themselves.

I don't blame them. This isn't a criticism of the privileged.

Municipalities are hurting more than any other level of government.

In an effort to raise funds, the City of Pittsburgh has embarked on a campaign to tax those least able to afford a tax, while avoiding the obvious tactic of taxing the rich, who are most able to afford this.

Pittsburgh's new idea is to tax college tuition.

I don't know about the students in your neighborhood, but I grew-up in Boston and my experience is that students do not have extra money to pay taxes. And, generally speaking, neither do their (mostly) middle class and working class families.

When will America wake-up and tax those who have the money, and stop taxing those who do not have the money?

Pittsburgh Sets Vote on Adding Tax on Tuition