Evan Bayh: Best Friend Of The Rich
This Jason Linkins' post describes Evan Bayh's preposterous posing as a deficit hawk. But it leaves out the most important part of the story - Evan Bayh is a profoligate budget buster through other means - namely his obsession with cutting taxes for the wealthy. Ezra Klein described it back in April 2009:
What politicians say or think they want is less important than how they actually vote. [. . .] Sen. Evan Bayh cast a difficult vote against Obama's first budget, [saying] "Under this budget, our national debt skyrockets from $11.1 trillion today to an estimated $17 trillion in 2014."[. . .] Sens. Jon Kyl and Blanche Lincoln [. . .] sought to reform the tax to exempt estates valued below $10 million and lower the rate on holdings above $10 million from 45 percent to 35 percent. This change would cost $440 billion over 10 years and accrue entirely to the wealthiest 0.28 percent. [. . .] The Kyl-Lincoln amendment, however, was quickly passed. Ten Democrats crossed the aisle to vote in its favor. Among them was Bayh. [. . .] Bayh [voted to] cut $300 billion of revenue-neutral money for health reform from the budget. He then promised to find $440 billion in the budget and, rather than directing it toward debt repayment, cut taxes on the top two-hundredths of the income distribution.
(Emphasis supplied.) Evan Bayh is no deficit hawk. He is first and foremost, the wealthy's best friend.
Speaking for me only
< Monday Afternoon and Evening Open Thread | Name, Rank And Serial Number > |