Income inequality has crossed the Republican’s radar screen. Up until now their sentiment has been dismissive; full of accusations of class warfare waged by resentful, lazy people unwilling to hoist themselves up by their bootstraps.
As a result of rebounding economic growth and declining unemployment, desperate Republicans have launched their campaign to blame President Obama for income inequality. But the top 1 percent’s share of the national income has been trending upward since Obama was in high school and the income of the richest 1 percent rose a staggering 91 percent under Ronald Reagan. Maybe this is more about reassuring middle-class voters, who might suspect that Republican-led cuts to safety-net programs that help poverty-stricken children, the disabled and the elderly are heartless.
President Obama has pitched tax breaks for child care, assistance for community college tuition, lower mortgage insurance premiums, paid sick leave for working families, an in increase in the minimum wage and more tax breaks for middle-class taxpayers. Republicans need to offer strong middle-class proposals of their own. But seven months from now, will Republican candidates pitch their same old tired rhetoric? Will Americans continue to buy that the only tax cuts that matter are for the wealthy and that just one more will eliminate poverty in America?
Ken Simpson
Vancouver
