patrick.net

Did you post this tongue in cheek? From the article you cited Quote "Who would get hurt? IRS data show that retirees and near-retirees who depend on dividend income would be hit especially hard. Almost three of four dividend payments go to those over the age of 55, and more than half go to those older than 65, according to IRS data.

But all American shareholders would lose. Higher dividend and capital gains taxes make stocks less valuable. A share of stock is worth the discounted present value of the future earnings stream after taxes. Stock prices would fall over time to adjust to the new after-tax rate of return. And if investors become convinced later this year that dividend and capital gains taxes are going way up on January 1, some investors are likely to sell shares ahead of paying these higher rates.

The question is how this helps anyone. According to the Investment Company Institute, about 51% of adults own stock directly or through mutual funds, which is more than 100 million shareholders. Tens of millions more own stocks through pension funds. Why would the White House endorse a policy that will make these households poorer?

Seldom has there been a clearer example of a policy that is supposed to soak the rich but will drench almost all American families."

morecowbell says

Seldom has there been a clearer example of a policy that is supposed to soak the rich but will drench almost all American families."

And that is because Wall Street tethered American retirement and investment to the market, then turned that market into a high speed casino where little real world value is expressed in the price of a financialized asset. Previous generations had defined pensions and even basic savings accounts would generate interest that consistantly beat inflation. The rich made sure that if their taxes were ever raised, they could take it out of the collective American hide. This will not change without some pain, but there will be more pain down the road if we stick with the status quo. Rip off the band aid and make the rich pay their fair share.