Polls show that a substantial majority of Americans support raising taxes on the wealthy. The tax increase supported by the Democratic leadership has already been watered down, however, and may fail altogether. Why?
It’s tempting to attribute this to campaign donations, and they undoubtedly are part of the picture, but the story is bigger than that. There are two other considerations. First, even some Democrats buy into the dollar store economy, either because it has been beaten into their skulls over the last 40 years, or because it can help them get re-elected. Second, the kinds of people who run for office and win are largely the kind of people who want to avoid tax increases. If the local car dealer calls you to complain about the impacts of legislation on him, you are likely to listen to him, even if your politics are different, if you went to the same schools and play golf at the same country club. It is a simple matter of identification.