CNN's Ali Velshi Insists 'We Don't Tax Too Much,' Rich Aren't 'Taxed Sufficiently'

CNN's Ali Velshi called out "hold on" five times at a Republican before he repeated liberal talking points on tax policy on Thursday's edition of American Morning. "We don't tax too much. Let's just stop that for a second," Velshi said after cutting off Republican strategist Jim McLaughlin. McLaughlin had  told the American Morning panel. "We spend and we tax too much."

[VIDEO BELOW THE FOLD]

Velshi also trotted out the typical left-wing complaints about tax burdens. "There's a whole part of our population here who doesn't get taxed sufficiently, and there's general agreement that it will not cripple any part of our economy to tax those at the highest end properly and to tax corporations consistently. Why won't Republicans just get off the talking point and say 'we do not have a fair tax system in this country?'" Jim McLaughlin responded by describing the detrimental effects of raising taxes on a bad economy. "When you raise taxes, it takes more money out of the economy."

Democratic political analyst Robert Zimmerman then somewhat curiously gave credit to Ronald Reagan. "Ronald Reagan raised taxes eleven times in his presidency, Bill Clinton raised taxes, they had very successful economic presidencies." Despite the dubious nature of Zimmerman's claims regarding the former Republican president, it is interesting that he gave Reagan credit for anything at all. Democrats now only give recognition to the economic successes of the Reagan years when they need to justify tax hikes.

CNN
AMERICAN MORNING
06/30/2011

6:41 am EDT

CHRISTINE ROMANS: But Jim, it's about leverage, though. What the Republicans are saying is that they - this is a moment that they can use to - the reason why we are in this position is because we spend - we borrow 38 cents of every dollar we spend. We can't do that anymore

JIM MCLAUGHLIN: We spend and we tax too much.

ROMANS: But that's the bigger picture.

ALI VELSHI: Jim, Jim hold on a second. Hold on. Hold on a second. Hold on. Jim, hold on, let me - let me get in here for a second Jim. We don't tax too much. Let's just stop that for a second.

MCLAUGHLIN: We tax way too much, we tax way too much.

VELSHI: There's a whole part of our population here who doesn't get taxed sufficiently, and there's general agreement that it will not cripple any part of our economy to tax those at the highest end properly and to tax corporations consistently. Why won't Republicans just get off the talking point and say "we do not have a fair tax system in this country?"

MCLAUGHLIN: Because they get it just like the American people get it. When you raise taxes, it takes more money out of the economy. It costs - let me ask you something -

ROBERT ZIMMERMAN: Jim, 70% in every poll point out that they support increasing taxes for the top tier earners in our country. And let's remember, Ronald Reagan raised taxes eleven times in his presidency, Bill Clinton raised taxes, they had very successful economic presidencies.

ROMANS: Our revenue problem is that the economy isn't growing very strongly. And we need to have this economy growing strongly. When I hear people railing about "this is a revenue issue, you know, we're not going to raise taxes, we're not going to raise taxes," there isn't enough money, and we have to figure out how - what I hear from Washington right now is the same old Republican - Democrats, entrenching in their talking points, and I don't know that they get it this this has got to be solved near term.