Class Warfare

When it became apparent there was a need to raise revenue to reduce the deficit, many Republicans including Boehner, Cantor, Ryan,. and McConnell called this class warfare. Their claim that repealing Bush tax cuts for those who would pay the top marginal was discriminating and the Democrats were trying to drive a wedge between the wealthy and the rest of America. What is interesting is their failure to reach similar conclusions when the House of Representatives voted to pass the Ryan Budget plan which pays for even more tax cuts for the wealthy by cutting spending on programs like food stamps, allowances for home heating, welfare, unemployment insurance, and many other programs considered “safety nets” for those living in poverty. Although since 1980, the top 10% of Americans have experienced raises in both income and wealth while the remaining 90% have, at best, remained stagnant or fallen behind, the Republicans refuse to consider their cuts in the safety net to also be class warfare. It appears that the Republican dictionary has a singular definition of class warfare which says that raising taxes on those most able to pay is defined as class warfare while reducing spending on those with the greatest needs is balancing the budget. The American people need to tell Republicans they need a new editor for their dictionary.