President Obama and congressional Democrats brokered a deal with Republican leaders to avoid a government shutdown which would cut $38 billion in federal spending from this year’s budget, and severely impact America’s working poor and middle class. But there is one group of Americans that seems to be skating by without being called upon to make any sacrifices—the very wealthy.
According to this chart from the Common Good Shows, the top 400 taxpayers–who have more wealth than half of all Americans combined–are paying the lowest taxes than they have in a generation. In other words, the tax responsibilities of the wealthiest have been steadily declining since the New Deal era, while working families have been asked to pay more and more in taxes.
Repeatedly, at the national, state, county and local levels, it is middle-class Americans and the working poor that are being asked to shoulder the burden and bear the consequences of budget cuts–overcrowded classrooms, furloughs of public employees, lack of access to medications for poor families and more.
Mr. Obama speaking from the White House on Friday night after the budget deal was reached said the cuts “will be painful” and “programs people rely on will be cut back.”
Obviously Mr. Obama was not speaking to the wealthy when he observed that the cuts will be painful.
Why is it only Main Street Americans who must suffer the consequences of program cuts? Whatever happened to burden sharing in reducing the gargantuan budget deficit?
Whatever happened to change you can believe in?
Who will defend America’s middle-class and working poor?
Mr. Obama has repeatedly failed to do so.
