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Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Protecting The Wealthy

The tax plan proposed by President Trump is constantly derided as being designed to give money to the rich.  One "expert" said the plan's impact would be to wrest millions from the US Treasury and give it to the wealthy.  An analysis of the plan makes clear that this charge is bogus, but let's not focus on that analysis for the moment.  Let's look instead on what the wealthy think about it.

One undeniable fact is that around the country, wealthy areas have moved to the Democrats over the years.  Forty years ago, the Upper East Side of Manhattan was both the wealthiest and the only reliable Republican area of that island.  Today, it remains wealthy, but it and all the other wealthy areas of New York City are Democrat.  Westchester County in suburban New York was likewise Republican for almost ever.  It was the wealthiest suburban county in the state, and today it is normally Democrat.  When I moved to Fairfield County Connecticut, it was solidly Republican.  Presidential, congressional and all other elections went routinely Republican.  Now, the Congressman is a Democrat, the senators and governors are Democrats, half the local governments are Democrat, and only in the Legislature does the Republican majority remain.  In Pennsylvania, Montgomery County has been the wealthiest county for at least the last fifty years.  Forty years ago, it was staunchly Republican.  Now, it is staunchly Democrat.  For example, in the wealthiest township in that county, Lower Merion, the Republicans used to rule unopposed.  In the post Watergate elections, a Democrat won a seat on the local council for the first time in 100 years.  Today, the township is routinely Democrat.  In all the wealthy suburbs around Washington, the vote goes strongly to the Democrats.  Beverly Hills and other wealthy areas near Los Angeles are all Democrat.  Chicago suburbs with big bucks have likewise moved to the Democrats.

Consider this fact when you look at the arguments against the tax plan.  If the Republican view on taxes is just shoveling cash to the rich, why are those same rich supporting the Democrats?  Have they all become altruistic?  Do they want to have their wealth reduced or would they like more?  Sure, there may be a few who can put aside their personal interests, but not a majority.  These wealthy voters understand that it is the Democrats who protect their interests, even at the expense of the rest of the country.  The bogus charge leveled by the Democrats against the Trump plan is a lie.  The wealthy know it and act accordingly.  The rest of us should understand it too.

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