Trump: You Bet I Support Raising Taxes on the Rich

Townhall ^ | 04/21/2016 | Guy Benson

[Responsibility2nd]

GUTHRIE: Do you believe in raising taxes on the wealthy?

TRUMP: I do. I do – including myself. I do.

That was...this morning, in an interview that featured some other controversial statements.  In fairness to Trump, he's been using the "raise taxes on rich people like me" line for months, embracing Obama-style class warfare tax gimmicks like the 'Buffet Rule.'  But raising taxes on anyone, an outcome Trump just re-endorsed, is not what his formal policy agenda proposes.  Just the opposite.  As we've seen on issues such immigration, abortion and foreign policy, Trump routinely makes clear that he isn't familiar with his own positions.  His stances aren't rooted in conviction, coherent ideological underpinnings or governing philosophy.  They "evolve" and morph depending on how Trump is feeling in any given moment.  Some professed conservatives may be perfectly comfortable voting for a tax-hiking, entitlement reform-opposing critic of Ronald Reagan's tax cuts.  But many Republicans, including a 62 percent majority of GOP primary voters thus far, aren't eager to turn the keys of the party over to someone whose record and current statements build a strong case against the proposition that he's reliable conservative -- or much of a conservative at all.  Parting thought: It's astonishing that this man appeals to people who loathe establishment "insider" types.  Earlier in the answer above, longtime Democratic donor chuckles with multimillionaire celebrity newsman Matt Lauer about all the fancy parties they've attended together with hotshot bankers in New York.  Man of the people.

[Responsibility2nd]

You believe in taxing the rich?

Here. This should interest you.

https://go.berniesanders.com/page/content/contribute

[central_va]

Have you been to this thread and expressed your opinion yet?

Congratulations to our presumptive nominee, Donald Trump!

[thule]

If you’d told me just one year ago, that Freepers would be defending raising taxes, abortion “rights” being included in the party platform, and perverts in the bathroom with little girls, I would have thought you were insane...

Real, old school, Freepers or just the ones that The Donald brought in?

[HiTech RedNeck]

It’s the New York Blues.

[ScottfromNJ]

“Truth is the rich have many, many loopholes and some don’t pay as much as regular people working - they get all the tax breaks.”

Especially the rich limousine tax thumping liberals.

[kjam22]

Trump was bragging about a pathway to citizenship. Wonder how many of his voters realize what he is for when it comes to immigration?

They hear what they want to hear.... to me it's plain ignorance.... but maybe it's something more noble than that....

[DrewsMum]

I know, right?

They’ve lost their ever lovin minds

[altura]

A trump supporter on another thread called all these Trump missteps a ‘nothing burger.’

So how many ‘nothing burgers’ does it take to give you a bad case of indigestion.

Eat up, more nothin burgers coming up.

[XEHRpa]

As a side note, it will be interesting to see how the reverse psychology plays out in this case of raising taxes on the rich. Libs always scream for more taxes on the rich, but are usually stymied by the Republicans. But since most rich these days are Democrats, it will be interesting to see if that was mere rhetoric or if they actually mean it. I am reminded of a Medicare premium increase that they championed in the early ‘90s. Within months after passage, they repealed it with tail between legs, because of uproar from the seniors.

[diamond6]

“He’s always said the very rich will be paying more under his plan, especially hedge fund managers. Have you watched any of his interviews or listened to any of his speeches?”

Yes! I’ve been screaming about him for months!!!

How are you OK with this???

This is just a soak the rich scheme!

How is that CONSERVATIVE?!!!

[Nervous Tick]

>> My family makes a lot of money, and we pay a lot of taxes.

You can cut those taxes by having more kids.
I’m available for adoption. :-)

[fooman]

To be fair to Trump, Matt Lauer made him do it..

[amnestynone]

I used to agree on here with most of you guys about cutting taxes on everybody but especially the rich.But, as we get nothing but treachery, duplicity and fecklessness from the country club elite I changed my mind and think they should pay more. The more we lower their taxes it seems like the more they want to spend(big government is big business) so the less they pay the more they want to spend. I thought it would be the other way around that they would then be motivated to cut government spending so they could keep their lower taxes. The last straw came over immigration. They want to bring in more Democrat voters just so they could have cheap labor. Seems their is a connection. The more they want to “work with the Democrats to get things done”. The less they care about cutting waste in government. But, even that the MSM (the corporate media) just smears us to death. If that is the way it is going to be that is another reason to raise their taxes. If they want to do something about these three issues then I would accept considering tax cuts on them, but not until then. No one here does not think that rich Democrats should and deserve to pay higher taxes. But, given the treachery,duplicity and fecklessness of rich Republicans they should pay them as well.

[Leto]

Imagine the outrage if Cruz bragged about a pathway to citizenship.

[HiTech RedNeck]

What do you call a bunch of strawmen raised by oldies? A bunch of strawmen raised by oldies?

If you want color commentary go watch ESPN. I had really hoped this was a place for grownups to talk about grownup things and disagree in a grownup way.

Instead I wonder if FR has found the fountain of youth. So many people are 14 and 15 now.

[diamond6]

“Did you just label Jim as one of those “Cruz people?

lolololol

You tattled on the boss TO the boss. You are insane!”

He’s using Jim as a skirt to hide under, like Deceptive Donnie does with Hannity and Fox News.

[kjam22]

yep

[Theodore R.]

I would have thought you were insane...

The socialist programs are what the American people say they want.

[Parley Baer]

So you really like that added value tax that Cruz wants?

[HiTech RedNeck]

It’s a “don’t pretend you are soaking the rich when you are giving it right back with the other hand” scheme.