How would Frank Luntz frame Warren Buffett’s Tax Debate?

The Secretary-Billionaire Tax Equality Principle

Warren Buffett wrote an op-ed recently that suggested that the top 0.3% of yearly earners were paying too little in taxes.
One of his favorite illustrations of this point is that his secretary pays a much higher tax rate than he does.

His prescription is:

  • undefined cuts to entitlement programs
  • higher taxes on the top 0.3%

The Power of Framing

The idea that a secretary should not pay a higher tax rate than their billionaire boss
is hard to argue with and shows the power of “framing”.

Here’s an other tax framing idea:

It is often said that we don’t want to push the burden of current spending onto future generations.

Reihan Salam: During the Bush years, it was often said that the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts represented redistribution from future taxpayers to current taxpayers.

You might reframe this as:

Those older Americans, who can afford it, should not get a better deal their grandchildren’s generation

But how would Frank Luntz say it?

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