If you’ve spoken to a Republican in the recent past about taxes, no doubt you’ve heard them say that “47% of Americans don’t pay taxes”. This canard gets repeated often on talk radio, Fox News, and other like minded media outlets. Some claim that more than 50% of Americans pay no taxes, as Sean Hannity did when he interviewed Michael Steele, RNC chairman on Fox News. Steele did not dispute the 50% figure and went on to disparage those Americans who pay no taxes as lazy and dependent on others for welfare.

Of course, the truth is that most all Americans pay taxes, but this truth has no place in promoting the Republican agenda. The 47-51% statistic mentioned by the Republicans is a statistical manipulation and obfuscation of the facts. It refers only to federal income tax owed under certain conditions. In reality, the number of Americans who don’t pay any taxes at all is less than 15%. This group of non-taxpayers of any kind is, for the most part, the elderly and disabled.

So, why do the Republicans keep repeating this myth? The answer is clear. What better way is there to defend tax breaks for the wealthy, an end to social welfare, and the continued privatization of our nation’s wealth, than to portray the non-wealthy as immoral? Americans believe in fair play, in honesty and responsibility. If 50% of us are not paying taxes and simply taking advantage of the hard work and generosity of others, is it right for America to continue this course, or should we follow the Republican plan that rewards the wealthy “job creators” and punishes the idle poor?

Now it seems that the other shoe is about to drop as the Republicans refine their message in an effort to take the White House and Senate while retaining control of the House in 2012.

Recently, a top Republican strategist announced a new list of talking points that Republicans will use to convince the American voters that they are on their side. Frank Luntz, in a coaching session for Republicans about how they should communicate to the public told them, “Don’t mention the middle class because Americans don’t trust Republicans to defend it”, deservedly so- I might add. Luntz then instructed the audience with “We can say we defend the ‘middle class’ and the public will say, I’m not sure about that. But defending ‘hardworking taxpayers’ and Republicans have the advantage.”

Did you catch that? Republicans are now on record as defending “hardworking taxpayers”, and on record as saying that only 50% of Americans are “hardworking taxpayers”, meaning they only intend to defend and represent 50% of Americans. The rest of us are undeserving of representation because we are not wealthy. The recipe for a New America under Republican leadership is one of economic apartheid where only the wealthy have a voice in their government and the non-wealthy are seen as parasites, undeserving of compassion, equal rights, social justice, or food itself as Michelle Bachman said in a recent interview, “Our nation needs to stop doing for people what they can and should do for themselves,” …Self reliance means, if anyone will not work, neither should he eat.”

And they accuse me of advocating class warfare…..