Clinton: Rich aren't paying fair share
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/05/28/art.clinton.gi.jpg caption="Clinton waded into tax policy Thursday."](CNN) - Hillary Clinton struck a strong populist chord while wading into territory secretary of states rarely go Thursday: Domestic policy.
During a conference at the Brookings Institution on national security, the nation's top diplomat bluntly aired her own views on the nation's tax policies, saying she feels "the rich are not paying their fair share."
"The rich are not paying their fair share in any nation that is facing the kind of employment issues [like the U.S.] – whether it's individual, corporate or whatever the taxation forms are," Clinton said after clearly stipulating that these were her opinions, no those of the Obama administration.
Clinton went on to cite Brazil, long known for its high taxes, as a model of a successful economic policy.
"Brazil has the highest tax-to-GDP rate in the Western Hemisphere and guess what – they're growing like crazy," Clinton said. "And the rich are getting richer, but they're pulling people out of poverty."
"There is a certain formula there that used to work for us, until we abandoned it, to our regret in my opinion," she added.
I'm glad she made it clear that her statements were her opinion and not that of the Administration. I also happen to agree with her. The middle class in this country is being decimated. Over the last decade, the rich have gotten far richer and the rest of us have gotten tinkled down on.
Social Security, Medicare, Military, and Interest on the debt represent 80% of our budget. We must either raise taxes to pay for this or admit we'll need to screw our seniors and soldiers. For you Tea Baggers: cutting taxes makes the problem worse instead of better.