If you want to read between the lines for politicians, it helps if you know what book they’re reading. In the case of liberal would-be tax fixer Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), it appears to be Mao’s “Little Red Book.”
Wyden, according to the July 24 Washington Post, “has made it his mission to force Congress to rewrite the entire tax code.” Wyden’s plan isn’t particularly new – it’s another left-wing attempt at soaking the rich. According to the Post, “Wyden’s Fair Flat Tax Act would lower taxes for millions of middle-income families, in part by raising taxes on some corporations and also on wealthy people with significant investment income.”
Post writer Jeffrey H. Birnbaum did his best to put a positive spin on the traditional liberal game, but he did enlighten readers about the origin of the plan through this Wyden quote: “This is the beginning of the long march.”
History buffs will recall that the term “long march” dates to 1934 and refers to the massive retreat by Communist forces in
The event became part of the Mao myth as he went on remake
The Post column, entitled “Oregon Senator Wants to Take On the Burden of Fixing the Tax Code,” didn’t mention that. It didn’t even take issue with a liberal senator (2005 Americans for Democratic Action rating of 95) trying to co-opt both conservative tax-fixing plans – the FairTax and flat tax by using both in the name of his own bill.
Instead, Birnbaum depicted the tax battle as one between Wyden and “lobbyists, especially corporate lobbyists.” According to the Post, Wyden said “It’s past time, ‘to take on the special interests.’” Apparently, he didn’t cite Mao’s solution for dealing with opponents.
