Socialist Democrats Want a 'Wealth Tax'

It’s not much of a surprise that Sen. Bernie Sanders, a self-proclaimed socialist, wants to play Robin Hood and tax the rich to squelch free speech. It’s some surprise that a more mainstream Democrat, Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico, is joining him.

Both write of their desire to undo settled campaign finance law and impose a “wealth tax” to “level the playing field” and work in as many other lefty cliches as they can.

No single issue is more important to the needs of average Americans. If we cannot control billionaires’ power to buy elections, the people elected to office will be responsive to the needs of the rich and powerful, rather than the needs of everyone else.

If either has a problem with billionaires Tom Steyer or George Soros “buying elections,” they don’t express it.

They’re also not good at math.

Americans’ right to free speech should not be proportionate to their bank accounts. This is why we have introduced a constitutional amendment to reform our broken campaign-finance system.

The American people clearly agree with us. Sixteen states and the District of Columbia, along with more than 500 cities and towns, have passed resolutions calling on Congress to overturn Citizens United.

Sixteen states plus DC? There are 50 states — 16 + the Democrat-gripped district is nowhere near a majority. 500 cities is nowhere near a majority of the thousands of cities in the US. Not even close.

Most Americans aren’t fans of super PACs, that much is true. But the settled law — that’s the phrase Democrats use to defend Obamacare, a law that has never enjoyed majority support — is that super PACs exist. Thanks, McCain-Feingold!

Democrats could have some credibility on the role of billionaires in politics when they disavow the work of Steyer, Soros, Warren Buffett, on down the line to the unions and to the millionaires like trial lawyer Steve Mostyn, who is trying to buy Texas elections for the Democrats. There are versions of Mostyn in just about every state.

Until they take such a step, their wealth tax will be seen for the partisan garbage that it is.