They may want bigger government because they are overpaid bureaucrats administering ever-growing programs. Posted on 02/05/2014 2:33:05 PM PST by 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.
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.
POWER......................
and hatred
Mental illness.
There are two kinds of people in the world.
Those who just want to be left alone, and those who just won’t leave them alone.
Most of the Left fits into the latter category, which is, basically, power.
They want to have power over others.
-— POWER -—
The leadership. The rank and file is motivated by base desire and their vices.
Definitely envy, complicated by the will to power and megalomania.
Linda Loooooo ... knows.
Psychosis.
Jealousy is both reasonable and belongs to reasonable men, while envy is base and belongs to the base, for the one makes himself get good things by jealousy, while the other does not allow his neighbour to have them through envy. ~Aristotle
They’re the types that want someone else to do things, so they can completely abdicate responsibility for their lives and that of others. As long as they can, they will look for someone to take care of them and handle ‘unpleasant’ things. If someone like a family member needs help, they turn their backs because they ‘just can’t handle’ things and another facet is a kind of wanting someone else to do the necessary, but at the same time, don’t like ‘ugly’ methods or ‘ugly’ words or again, ‘unpleasant’ things.
Each and every single day is about being surrounded by pretty pleasant things. They want to make no effort. This is why a lot of suburban housewives vote Democrat, even as their husbands slave away to continue to provide a nice life, even as taxes climb more and more upwards. They also think that they can uplift the losers, but don’t want to do the work themselves and like to leave things to other people. It’s a chronic determination to be ignorant about what other people (like the working class) think and go through.
As for their kids, they’ll fight against busing and integration since their brats (future world leaders) are the ones that would face it. They’re the types that won’t believe that THEIR kids are capable of bad things and could end up being bad people. They just want others to foot the bill for their free ride in life. They don’t WANT to know about the realities of day to day life for working class whites; they don’t mind a member of the working class to fix things and work, but the idea of letting them socialize with them is abhorrent.
It’s a deliberate immature ignorance that makes them unwilling to grow up.
Exactly
I think hatred is the biggest factor.
They hate anyone who doesn't think like them.
They even hate anyone who suggests there might be a valid alternate view.
I think for a lot of lefties the fear of not being included. Whether it is the all important cocktail party or friends at Starbucks.
I don’t think that is what motivates them. This is what they suffer from
NEITHER! The basic principle liberals operate under is that there is a giant ball of wealth which is constant and stagnant. The rich 1% own lion’s share of that wealth ball.
What the liberals do not understand is that wealth in any country is not stagnant and constant. Wealth has to be created every hour, every day, every month, every year. Manufacturing, mining, agriculture and applied research are the major wealth creators. All of them must be nurtured and encouraged. And that requires there must be a reward to those who work to keep the effort going.
Taxes and regulations are hindrance to wealth creation.
BTTT
Envy and greed are merely attributes of the same sin.
Hatred of God and love of Satan?
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