UNDERSTANDING POLITSPEAK

As the political "season" is set to seriously begin around Labor Day (although with 17% unemployment it may have to be renamed Layabout Day or something like that) Ned thought it was not inappropriate to warn his many followers about the danger of listening to right-wing (and to a lesser extent) left-wing) politicians without a translator. First, Ned will pick the low-hanging fruit and deal with the right-wingers.
The next time you hear a right-winger say he/she is for "less" government, "lower" taxes, and "less" regulation, be on your guard! Either the speaker is so stupid h/she doesn't understand that they are speaking gibberish or they have an enormous contempt for the intelligence of anyone who might be even a potential supporter. Because, friends, such phrases, representing moving targets as they do, are completely devoid of any intellectual content. Ask such persons how much taxation is appropriate and do not be satisfied for the typical waffling answer. Also ask them to itemize the government spending they would eliminate, and do not be satisfied with those crusty old canards, "waste," "fraud," and "abuse," meaningless as they are.
Recall that John Kennedy lowered the income tax rate on income over $200k from 90% to 70% in 1961, and this was accepted as reasonable taxation then, and should be now.
Next, when you see "statistics" purporting to show that the highest earners pay most of the income taxes, ask yourself "why not? Why shouldn't they pay most of the taxes, since they have appropriated most of the wealth?" And, do not be confused by "statistics" that show that low earners pay almost no income tax, since they pay most of their taxes as payroll taxes, which the rich may avoid entirely if they get their income from "investment" income, like stocks and bonds their daddy gave them.
Right-wingers will also refer to any attempt to restore normal levels of taxation, like rescinding the Bush tax giveaways to the filthy rich, as tax increases, and figuratively scream in horror at the very thought of raising taxes.
Left wingers usually reserve their Newspeak for immigration issues, insisting on referring to illegals as "undocumented" workers, even though many of them don't work at all. Perhaps Ned's more conservative readers can suggest additional Newspeak used mostly by left-wingers.
Ned wonders if we will ever get politicians courageous enough to advocate raising taxes, but, in a country where most citizens support wars of aggression as long as someone else's kid has to carry out the killing or getting killed, he isn't holding his breath.