Martha Coakley: “We need to get taxes up”

[HughMoran]

No no no no no no no!!

This was not much discussed at DU (at least I don't recall it), but I think this one statement was an important part of why Martha was ambushed in this campaign. Besides the fact that a Senator has limited power to raise taxes (so it's stupid to discuss anyway), when the unemployment rate is at 10% and people are worried about their jobs & bank accounts, you do NOT talk about raising taxes. The people at the 99 celebrating her loss tonight were saying "she was going to take our money". Of course in my head I said "bullshit", but I then remembered her saying, and getting called on, the "raising taxes" comment. Does anybody else think this was probably more significant than previously thought?

[KittyWampus]

1. yes.

[HughMoran]

7. Direct and to the point

I like that ;)

[KittyWampus]

8. the more I read about Coakley and MA Democrats the more I get bent out of shape.

[HughMoran]

11. My GF and I agreed that Capuano would have mopped the streets with Brown

This was a "seniority" win for her in the primary and it didn't serve us well. Let's hope we can retake the seat in 22 months.

[cbdo2007]

2. That's true.

Of course both of them are going to raise taxes but only an idiot would say that during the campaign.

[notesdev]

3. people aren't going to want to pay more taxes

without some semblance of restraint (or common sense!) in the way the money is spent

[HillbillyBob]

4. You are wrong we need to reinstate the taxes on the rich

my taxes go up they get to move their $ overseas while our house hold is trying to figure out how to live on 75% LESS than we were making in 1995 and 45% less than in 2002.

[HughMoran]

6. I agree, but she didn't make that clear and was called on it and didn't deal with it well

This was a classic mistake IMO.

[sendero]

5. Only a fool..

... would talk about raising taxes in the first depression since the 30s.

If she had scoped it to multi-millionaires maybe that would have worked.

[krabigirl]

9. Oh yeah, we should just keep CUTTING taxes in a time of war. lmao

[HughMoran]

10. You should run for office!

;)

[Statistical]

12. Nobody said anything about cutting them and taxes do need to go up.

Hell I will take it one further taxes need to go up on all brackets to Clinton levels PlUS two new higher tax brackets for even wealthier individuals (not just raising top bracket but adding another 2 brackets) PLUS spending needs to go down.

Thats right IMHO all taxes need to go up PLUS extra taxes on rich PLUS spending goes down.

However right now is not the time. Lets at least wait for unemployment to peak.