Tax hikes on the rich “negligible” for growth on the economy

Washington- A recent report was re released after Republicans tried to claim that tax hikes on the wealthy would be detrimental to growth in the economy. The report states that revoking the Bush era tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans will have a “negligible” impact on the economy. The report also states that the the Bush Era tax cuts did very little to help spur the growth of the economy. The report also stated that the Bush Era tax cuts helped fuel the income inequality among income classes.

“Analysis of such data conducted for this report suggests the reduction in the top tax rates has had little association with saving, investment, or productivity growth,” the study says. “It is reasonable to assume that a tax rate change limited to a small group of taxpayers at the top of the income distribution would have a negligible effect on economic growth.”

The study takes into account tax rates and economic growth that dates back to the world war 2 era. Needless to say Democrats pounced on the opportunity to prove to Republicans that tax cut for the wealthy don’t necessarily equate to growth and that the top two percent of earners should go back to Clinton Era tax rates when growth was substantial. Republicans, as they always seem to, complain and swear that raising taxes on the wealthy will only bring gloom and doom for the US economy.

“What this report demonstrates is at the core of the debate we’re having right now,” said Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen, the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee, adding that it “put a stake in the heart of the Republican argument that small increases in marginal tax rates for wealthy individuals somehow hurt economic growth.” He also noted that during the Clinton years with tax hikes the US economy was doing a lot better off than when Bush introduced his tax cuts.

“What this CRS report does is take away the last little fig leaf that [Republicans] had to justify big tax cuts for very wealthy individuals,” Van Hollen said.

“Republicans have simply failed to face up to the reality,” said Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mich.), the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee. “I hope that this CRS report will add further impetus to the speaker to sit down with Republicans, because when I’ve talked to a few of them, I don’t think they’ve had this discussion.”

Republican lawmakers claim that the report was written by a left wing study group and that its findings are biased and therefore fallacious.

This is a continuing trend with Republicans denying the facts when they stare them point blankly in the face.  Maybe this report will be the wake up call needed to raise taxes on the top 2 percent.