Interesting Phrasing, Mr. Klein
Ezra Klein engages in uncharacteristically evasive language.
A truthful way of phrasing the fight over taxes is that Republicans are fighting to stop a sharp tax increase on a small number of rich people and the White House is fighting to stop a tax increase on most everyone else. Or to put it still more bluntly, Democrats want to raise taxes on the rich, Republicans want to raise them on the poor and the middle class.
Considering that Klein himself acknowledges congressional Democrats are willing to sunset the payroll tax cuts, it's a tad unfair to engage in such sophistry, no? Allow me to rewrite the final sentence: "To put it still more bluntly, all Democrats want to hike taxes on the rich, some are fine with ending the payroll tax cuts, and Republicans are negotiating for dear life."
For the record, I'd just as soon abolish the payroll tax and fund SS and Medicare via general revenues, but that's about as likely as Howard Schultz convincing partisanship to leave Washington. But it's all just wordplay, no?
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.