So, is a graduated income tax a Marxist ideal?
Yes, it is. Its even one of the Planks from the Commie Manifesto. But feel free to call him a Progressive... not really much difference between a Marxist and a Progressive. They say the same things, have the same enemies, use the same tactics, advocate for the same ideas and policies.
Going back to Obama's quote... he laments that there isn't more "freedom" granted to the federal government to redistribute wealth because he, and all progressives, see income inequality as a social and economic injustice most easily rectified through the Progressive system of a graduated tax.
Remember what I said, the tax system, to the progressives, is about "Fairness", not revenue. Class warfare is the agitation of the "have nots" against the "haves" in order to gain support for policies that promote "Fairness". Of course this notion of "Fair" is never defined and, at best, is antithetical to the idea of individuals being treated as equals under the law.
Here's Obama from the campaign:
The moderator is discussing capital gains tax and Obama's stated interest in doubling the tax to Clinton levels. The moderator points that every time the rate was raised, revenue went down, every time it was lowered, the government saw more revenue as a result. Obama knows this is the case, so the moderator asks why Obama would raise the rates if he knows it will result in less revenue.... Obama's answer:
"Well Charlie, what I've said is that I will look at raising the capital gains tax for purposes of fairness."
There's that nebulous term "fairness", there's his admission that the tax system is a weapon for social justice and not a necessary evil who's sole purpose for existence is the funding of government.
He then launches into a class warfare spiel about hedge fund managers... Typical class warfare rhetoric.
While Marx would certainly be proud that his ideas are so well accepted in America, he'd probably be disappointed that Marxists have to call themselves Progressives because Americans instinctively know that socialism doesn't work and Marx couldn't hold a candle to a single founding father.
