We've talked about The Donald's presidential publicity stunt quit a bit on this show, but never the other famous character, Donald Duck.
A vintage Disney cartoon from 1943 came up in today's editorial meeting — certainly not the norm, even for us. The old clip starring Donald Duck emphasizes the civic duty of paying taxes, even at higher rates. Posed in the context of World War II, the voiceover asks kiddies, "What are you going to do, spend for the Axis or save for taxes?" In other words, should Donald Duck follow the spendthrift in him or the save his paycheck to help the troops fighting Hitler abroad?
It sort of ties in with Obama's new push to revamp tax code to help reduce the deficit. Both messages are framed under the banner of patriotism. Yesterday, the president proposed $1.5 trillion in new tax revenues, targeting people making over a million dollars a year. He says it's part of "the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share in taxes," as in it's their responsibility for the greater good to contribute more.