Comments on: Quote: 4.6% Is The New Definition of Socialism http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/10/29/definition-of-socialism/ Feminist, anti-racist, pro-fat, plus whatever else we feel like talking about. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:39:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: PG http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/10/29/definition-of-socialism/#comment-342678 PG Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:09:56 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/?p=5218#comment-342678 Myca, I suppose I mention that because it indicates that the U.S. had its longest peacetime economic expansion, the explosion of the tech industry and a surge in the stock market all during "socialist" tax policies. But you're right that I'm probably giving too much credit for logical thought by making this argument; if someone just equates "socialist" with "evil" instead of realizing that it is a specific kind of economic policy, saying that we had it under Clinton probably will just make them think that Obama can't keep his pants zipped either. Myca,

I suppose I mention that because it indicates that the U.S. had its longest peacetime economic expansion, the explosion of the tech industry and a surge in the stock market all during “socialist” tax policies. But you’re right that I’m probably giving too much credit for logical thought by making this argument; if someone just equates “socialist” with “evil” instead of realizing that it is a specific kind of economic policy, saying that we had it under Clinton probably will just make them think that Obama can’t keep his pants zipped either.

]]> By: Myca http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/10/29/definition-of-socialism/#comment-342675 Myca Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:51:02 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/?p=5218#comment-342675 Though I agree with the gist of your comments, PG, It's worth nothing that the argument, "It's not socialism, after all Clinton did it too," just might not hold weight with the kind of delusional right-wingers who actually believe Obama is a socialist. I mean, for them, that's like saying, "It's not all that evil. After all, Beelzebub did it too!" ---Myca Though I agree with the gist of your comments, PG, It’s worth nothing that the argument, “It’s not socialism, after all Clinton did it too,” just might not hold weight with the kind of delusional right-wingers who actually believe Obama is a socialist. I mean, for them, that’s like saying, “It’s not all that evil. After all, Beelzebub did it too!”

—Myca

]]> By: PG http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2008/10/29/definition-of-socialism/#comment-342651 PG Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:01:34 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/?p=5218#comment-342651 Which means we've already lived through socialism: Obama is proposing the tax rates that existed 1998-2000 under the Clinton Administration (39.6% top marginal federal income tax rate; 20% top federal capital gains tax rate). Incidentally, the top capital gains rate actually got LOWERED during the Clinton years; Reagan's 1986 tax reform treated capital gains like regular income, which meant it was taxed at a top rate of 28%. The rate got lowered in 1997 to 20%. The only reason the return to Clinton-era tax rates is being hyped as "socialism" is that these rates got dropped by the Bush tax cuts -- which John McCain voted against. He and Chafee were the only Republican senators to do so. Which means we’ve already lived through socialism: Obama is proposing the tax rates that existed 1998-2000 under the Clinton Administration (39.6% top marginal federal income tax rate; 20% top federal capital gains tax rate). Incidentally, the top capital gains rate actually got LOWERED during the Clinton years; Reagan’s 1986 tax reform treated capital gains like regular income, which meant it was taxed at a top rate of 28%. The rate got lowered in 1997 to 20%. The only reason the return to Clinton-era tax rates is being hyped as “socialism” is that these rates got dropped by the Bush tax cuts — which John McCain voted against. He and Chafee were the only Republican senators to do so.

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