We Are All in It Together, Clinton Says:

Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton says that the Bush “ownership society” is really an “on-your-own” society, according to Holly Ramer

"I prefer a ’we’re all in it together’ society," she said. "I believe our government can once again work for all Americans. It can promote the great American tradition of opportunity for all and special privileges for none."

That means pairing growth with fairness, she said.

One of the interesting questions when a Democrat ups and says something like this is: Are you saying that the $2.5 trillion the government spends on social programs from education to training to health care to pensions isn’t working?

Everyone believes is fairness. Everyone believes that we’re all in it together.  The question is what do you define by “fairness” and what do you propose to do about it?

Judging from the content of Clinton’s speech, she wants to jiggle around the various special tax breaks and dodges and increase energy taxes. 

I’m not sure what that has to do with being in it together.

Since Hillary Clinton is a Democrat we assume that what she wants to do is spend more money on Democratic voters, stuff like increasing the earned income tax credit.  But Democratic voters are already drowning under $2.5 trillion a year in government programs.  I don’t know if they can stand any more.

Of course, Clinton also wants to increase income taxes, to restore the tax system of the 1990s.

And when the president’s irresponsible tax breaks for high-income Americans expire, we will return to the income tax rates for upper- income Americans that we had in the 1990s, rates that were consistent with a balanced budget and economic growth.

Funny thing.  AP writer Holly Ramer didn’t mention Clinton’s proposal to increase personal income taxes in her article. You would think that would be the most important “news you can use” and that as a professional journalist, Ramer would be anxious to communicate this to her readers. 

I wonder why.