End of Liberalism/Return of Fascism

[mrstickball]

scottie said:

mrstickball said:

scottie said:

Except the fact that the total burden of taxes in America for the top 1% is higher today than at any point in the past 60 years.

 

 

The issue with both of your arguments are what actually make up a left-wing or right-wing government. Could you even empircally give a list of actual left-wing governments?

You are just misinformed, I am afraid. The rich are paying much less than they did 60 years ago, when they were taxed 91% of their personal income. 

As for a list of parties, the is European only, but anything on the left of the 'centrist' column is considered left wing, although I would generally describe Liberal Democrats as centrist. That might just be my Australian perspective. Our Lib Dems aren't really left wing at all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_of_political_parties_in_Europe_by_pancontinental_organisation

You didn't bother reading my statement, did you?

You showed tax brackets, not effective rates. I said the total burden is higher today than it was for the rich, which is an absolutely true statement. Yes, they pay less than they did, but that doesn't negate the fact they pay a higher percentage than they did. If the rich used to pay 20% of all income taxes, and now pay 40%, then they are shouldering more of the burden - even if their effective rate is lower.

As for policies of the left - one could argue their penchant for more social programmes would bolster specific businesses and services, should private companies do business in that sector. For example, when the Socialists came into power in Spain, they spent billions of dollars on green subsidies - which went lock, stock, and barrel to private energy companies. Companies that promoted these kinds of power were the ones that were subsidized. I could also discuss many other types of subsidies favored by the left which directly benefit large corporations. For example, America's 'Cash for Clunkers' deal which was pushed by the Democrats in the US was a direct copy of programs devised by left-leaning governments. These subsidies went to the auto industry, which is certainly a pro-corpratist idea.