What Motivates the Left, Envy or Greed?

Townhall.com ^ | February 5, 2014 | Daniel J. Mitchell

[Kaslin]

Why do statists support higher tax rates?

The most obvious answer is greed. In other words, leftists want more tax money since they personally benefit when there’s a larger burden of government spending. And the greed can take many forms.

They may want bigger government because they’re welfare recipients getting handouts.

They may want bigger government because they are overpaid bureaucrats administering ever-growing programs.

They may want bigger government because they’re lobbyists manipulating the system and it’s good to have more loot circulating.

They may want bigger government because they’re one of the manyinterest groups feeding at the federal trough.

Or they may want bigger government because they are politicians seeking to buy votes.

But greed isn’t the only answer.

Some statists want higher tax rates for reasons of spite and envy.

Consider this poll from the United Kingdom. It shows that an overwhelming majority of Labour voters want higher tax rates even if the government doesn’t collect any money.

These numbers are remarkable. It’s not just that the Labour Party is filled with people who want to punish success, I’m also dismayed to see that 16 percent of Tory voters and 35 percent of UKIP voters also want class-warfare tax hikes solely as an instrument of envy (though, given the mentality of some of their leaders, I’m pleasantly surprised that “only” 29 percent of Lib Dems are motivated by spite).

What about Americans? Do they have the same mentality?

We don’t have identical polling data, so it’s hard to say. But it would be very interesting to show leftists the IRS data from the 1980s, which unambiguously demonstrates that rich people paid more tax after Reagan dramatically lowered the top rate, and then see how they would answer the same question.

If they’re motivated by greed, they would favor Reagan’s tax cuts. But if they’re motivated by envy, like leftists in the United Kingdom, they’ll be against Reagan’s lower tax rates.

Unfortunately, there’s at least one prominent statist in America who has the same views as England’s Labour Party voters. Pay close attention at the 4:20 mark of this video.

Five Key Reasons to Reject Class-Warfare Tax Policy

Yes, you heard correctly. President Obama wants higher tax rates and class-warfare tax policy even if the government doesn’t collect any additional money.

Which means, of course, that he’s willing to undermine American competitiveness and reduce economic output solely to penalize entrepreneurs, investors, small business owners, and other “rich” taxpayers.

Remarkable.

P.S. By the way, the poll of UK voters wasn’t merely a theoretical question. The previous Labour Party government raised the top tax rate from 40 percent to 50 percent near the end of last decade and there’s very strong evidence that this tax hike failed to raise any revenue. In all likelihood, the then-Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, imposed the class-warfare policy in hopes of gaining votes in the upcoming election.

P.P.S. Notwithstanding their many flaws, at least the folks who work for left-leaning international bureaucracies acknowledge the Laffer Curve and generally argue against pushing tax rates above the revenue-maximizing level.

• Such as the warning from the European Commission that French tax rates were reaching a “fatal” level.
• Or this study from the OECD acknowledging that lower tax rates can lead to more taxable income.
• Or this study by the IMF, which not only acknowledges the Laffer Curve, but even suggests that the turbo-charged version exists.
• Or this European Central Bank study showing substantial Laffer-Curve effects.
• Or the United Nations admitting that the Laffer Curve limits the feasible amount of taxes that can be imposed.

Since it takes a lot to be to the left of the United Nations, that gives you an idea of where Obama (and UK Labour Party voters) are on the ideological spectrum. Which is why I made the tongue-in-cheek suggestion that Birthers accuse Obama of being born in Denmark rather than Kenya.

[KGeorge]

Yep. Revenge is one, too. Imho, liberals (or progressives or whatever they’re calling themselves at the moment) seem to have an affinity for spiraling self destruction. I guess that’s their right. The trouble is that they insist on dragging everyone else down with them & calling it helpful.

[windsorknot]

The left panders to covetousness and envy.

[KGeorge]

It does for me too. I’ve often asked myself if some of these people are evil (possessed) or just crazy.

[xp38]

I always like this quote from Lenin regarding what you said.

“We must hate - hatred is the basis of communism. Children must be taught to hate their parents if they are not communists.”

Vladimir Ilich Lenin

Source: 1923 Speech to the Commissars of Education

[mistfree]

I’m fascinated by this discussion. I have to wonder what the Left would be posting about the right/conservatives if they were addressing the same question.
Any Trolls out there want to respond?

[Ann Archy]

EVIL....THAT”S what motivates the LEFT... the LOVE of EVIL!!!

[Seaplaner]

Having worked with "progressives" for decades, I observe that many have both a desperate desire for power and authority; and also contempt and loathing for the private citizen. (These go together as a matched set.)

I can add that a large proportion of "progressives" possess a feeling of entitlement that knows little bound; and, almost none of them have a smidgeon (to use an Obamanian term) of an idea about from whence money comes.

.

[Texas Songwriter]

Democrats propagate in their followers envy and greed. They abhor industriousness and deferment of gratification by requiring of themselves terminal training. The political preference for the democrat is to look over the production of people who put their money at risk, become entrepreneurs, and produce. The democrat surveys the landscape…."Now what would I like to steal from those producers?"…..and they set about to change mores, laws, and cultural norms to make it politically correct to steal from those who earned and own it. Meanwhile the democrats try to denigrate the conservative for adhering to traditional values, monogamy, non drug use, denigrating the family, God, and American idealism which is bedrock for conservative. AS the democrat takes it marching order and construct from the deep desire to be like Frenchmen, Europeans…because their way is always better than the Amercian way,….. they define ownership in ingenious ways to redefine the Constitutional definition of private property. Once that hook is set they move in to steal what they have redefined as reality. Meanwhile the conservative is standing there wondering …"What happened?"

Conservatives need to go on the offense and become militant in their pronouncements. This is what Andrew Breitbart prescribed before he was killed, or died, or whatever happened.

It is as much a clash of cultures between the democrat and conservative as between the west and the muslims. We had better wake up. It is already late in the game.

[driftless2]

I'd say a great deal of it is envy of people who have a dollar more than they do. Of course, there are many libs who support the "cause" i.e. homo "rights," wymyn's rights, affirmative discrimination, etc. Then there are the libs/Dems who are simply parasites, and vote for Dems because they don't want to work for a living.

But a great many Dem voters I've known simply hate the rich. They even hate superrich libs like Bill Gates. He's a multi-billionaire, and they're not. Simple as that.

[Reeses]

deep desire to be like Frenchmen, Europeans

The politics of envy take control the world over at a population density above 800 people per square mile. Most Democrats live in large unhappy cities where the population density is similar to Europe. They don't own the buildings, token parks, and trains that surround them, they are communal, hence the communism.

[Arlis]

Almost all the left are motivated by 1. self-righteousness (see Luke 18:9ff) and, 2. guilt.

1. because they truly think they are better than non-liberals, their motives are better, they do things to help the poor and needy, etc.

2. Guilt because inside, they know it’s all a lie and they really just want to appear “righteous” to others. E.g., liberals almost never personally give to the poor, and they know conservatives out-give them 10,000 to 1........ i.e. they know they are guilty.

[Islander7]

What Motivates the Left, Envy or Greed?

Neither. Lust motivates the left the lust for power.

[Mamzelle]

Hatred. Spite. Resentment. Greed is too easy.

[Red Badger]

I have known many liberals in my life, some are relatives, most are not. The common thread amongst them all is a smug, condescension and a haughty attitude towards anyone or anything that doesn’t fit their world view. It’s practically medieval..........