VIEW VIEWPOINT

Tax the Rich?

Written by Kerby Anderson August 24 - 2026

Betsy McCaughey is probably best known for two reasons. First, she served as the Lieutenant Governor of New York. Second, she wrote several opinion pieces critical of the Clinton health care plan in the 1990s.

Lately she has been in the news warning about the “Tax the Rich” slogans and legislation popping up around the country. She talks about the “Taylor Swift Tax” in Rhode Island, the Connecticut “Mansion Tax,” a similar tax in Washington, D.C., and California Proposition 40 that would implement a wealth tax.

These taxes, and others being proposed across the country, will lead to even more wealthy citizens moving to other states. Perhaps you have seen the map of county-by-county gains and losses from interstate migration. It provides clear documentation of the percentage of citizens in one state that are fleeing to another state with lower taxes. These new “Tax the Rich” proposals are likely to increase capital flight.

The Democratic Socialists of American have a solution. Their official magazine announced that the fight to tax the rich will go on until “there is not a single state that is a safe haven.” I appreciate their honesty about explaining their end goal.

But you aren’t rich, so why should you be concerned? Tax the rich tends to expand to people who don’t think they are rich. She documents one income tax scheme that was supposed to be temporary and only had one bracket. Thirty-five years later, it’s still in effect and has been expanded to seven brackets.

She also reminds us that only 2.7 percent of a billionaire’s wealth is in jewels, homes, or other luxuries. Most of their wealth is tied up in business assets that would have to be liquidated at a loss to pay the tax bill.

I am grateful she is telling us to beware of these “Tax the Rich” slogans.

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