Taxes, infrastructure, and 5 links worth your time
We can have nice things. They usually cost a lot of money.
If you keep up with popular culture, you probably know that the Met Gala happened a week ago on Monday. The annual event provided (as it usually does) plenty of images of all sorts of celebrities dressed in all kinds of outfits.
On Tuesday morning, much of the discussion was about the white dress Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (A.O.C.) wore that was customized with big, red letters that read, “TAX THE RICH.”
Common ground
The congresswoman from New York is a polarizing figure, though why that’s the case would depend very much on who you ask to explain it.
Even though she often divides opinions, in this case, people on both sides of the political spectrum found common ground in condemning her actions.
The Met Gala wasn’t the only big thing that happened last Monday. That was also the day that the House Ways and Means Committee released a draft proposal of a $2.9 trillion tax increase.
If you want to start an argument, talking about taxes is a good way to do it.
Improving infrastructure
Much of that tax increase would be used to pay for the proposed infrastructure improvements. Though spending for that hasn’t cleared the House, a $1 trillion infrastructure bill did pass the Senate in August with bipartisan support. That bipartisan support may reflect the fact that many Americans agree that we need improvements to our roads, transportation, and internet access.
We disagree about how to get it done, how much we want to pay, and how to get the money to pay for it, and, while a majority of American adults do support infrastructure improvements, that differs significantly based on political affiliation. Interestingly enough, a majority of Americans apparently also agree with the message on A.O.C.’s dress, but that doesn’t mean that we, as Americans, love the idea of government intervention in the economy. Below, I’ve included an article from a Gallup senior scientist who studies opinion polls on taxes, and I think you’ll find his conclusions about American’s opinions on “taxing the rich” interesting.
It’s complicated
Our well-reasoned judgments on taxes can’t be captured in sound bites, on dresses at the Met Gala, or even by opinion polls. This week, in addition to the articles I’ve mentioned above, I’ve included a roundup of articles from the left and the right that our friends at The Flip Side have pulled together, an opportunity to attend an online event this Thursday about “Infrastructure: Past, Present, and Future,” and a link to AllSides’ “wealth tax” page that highlights the most recent news on the proposed taxes from the left, right, and center.
5 links worth your time
- Congresswoman’s “tax the rich” dress sparks controversy on the right and the left.
- A look at reactions to the Dem’s tax proposal from both the left and the right.
- Taxing the rich is…complicated. Recent Gallup poll on American’s views.
- FREE VIRTUAL EVENT: All you ever wanted to know about America’s infrastructure.
- Pick and choose views on the wealth tax; here are AllSides of the issue.
Photo by chones on Adobe Stock