Obama vs. McCain on Taxes: A Simple Video Explanation

I don't say this often, but one of the major news networks did a really good job of digging into policy recently. Specifically, CNN was excellent when discussing the effects the Obama tax plan and the McCain tax plan would have on different income brackets. The numbers make things simple to understand:

This puts the lie to many McCain campaign claims. The most brazenly false ones are from McCain economic adviser and failed Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, who claimed that Obama has not proposed "a single tax cut" and wants to "raise every tax in the book." "Everything he’s proposed is a tax increase, not a tax cut," she told Fox News. That's self-evidently false, if you (1) know anything about Obama's economic plan, which centers around a $1,000 tax cut for working families, or (2) have watched the video above.

The point here is not to get into a "our tax cuts are bigger!" argument, because tax cuts don't substitute for sound economic policy. And "tax relief," which the Obama campaign likes to say it is offering everyday folks, is most commonly used as a right wing framing device that justifies tax cuts for people who don't need them. Obama's economic proposals include much more than tax cuts: he is also proposing a stimulus package, help for struggling homeowners, and greater and more effective oversight of the financial sector.

But people tend to focus more on taxes than on any of those things, so let's make sure everyone knows how Obama and McCain stack up. The differences are stark.

Update: More here for those who want to dig deeper.

Comments

Thank you for posting something of substance regarding the policy differences between the two candidates.

Posted by: JP on 06/13/08 at 10:08 AM Respond

Wow, Jonathan actually offered something of substance. Nice job for once.

Posted by: dan on 06/13/08 at 10:35 AM Respond

OBAMA IS CHANGE, thanks for your post, Jonathan. That is enough to brighten up a gloomy day.

Posted by: MarthaA on 06/13/08 at 12:57 PM Respond

Yeah, and the ones bitching the
most are the ones that have the most to lose. The Rush Limbaughs. The Sean Hannitys. The rich Republicans that have talked us into this mess and want to talk us into continuing this mess by voting for John McCain. They want to make you believe YOU are the target. Believe me, when these pigs squeal this loud, they are the targets, not you. Keep that in mind, people!

Posted by: steppenRazor on 06/13/08 at 3:17 PM Respond

The Obama campaign is putting together a team whose sole job is to respond to internet rumors, and has just launched their Web site, Fight the Smears. The Democratic nominee has been inaccurately characterized as a Muslim and a black supremacist, while his wife has been called unpatriotic.

Clearly, the response team has their work cut out them. Why not test the campaign's smear response chops by asking them about your worst Obamian fears? http://www.236.com/news/2008/06/11/the_obama_smear_response_team_1_7101.php

Posted by: eliana on 06/14/08 at 11:55 AM Respond

This kind of information you will never hear from a REPUBLICAN, who never want you to know that they take and never give.

Posted by: MarthaA on 06/17/08 at 10:15 AM Respond

Big-bucks Obama should get his team working on the way their candidate's flip-flop on public financing is being "exploited" by people who resent the way he battered "bitter" voters in Pennsylvania with his aggressive Glitzkrieg.

Posted by: kathy Giannini on 07/01/08 at 7:05 PM Respond