Why Don't The Deficit Hawks Want To Tax Wall Street?

The intensity with which the country's leading deficit hawks continue to ignore financial speculation taxes (FST) is getting ever more entertaining. While deficit hawks like Wall Street investment banker Peter Peterson, Morgan Stanley Director Erskine Bowles and The Washington Post never tire of preaching the virtues of shared sacrifice, somehow sacrifice for Wall Street never features as a part of this story.

The refusal of this group to consider FST is becoming more striking because most of the world appears to be moving in this direction. Last spring, the European Parliament voted by an almost four to one margin in support of FST. The European Commission, the executive body of the European Union (EU), is now making plans to implement a modest tax beginning in 2014.

Even with the low tax rates being considered by the commission (e.g. 0.05 percent in each side of a stock trade), it is estimated that an EU-wide tax could bring in as much as $60 billion a year. Two of the leading proponents of a FST in Europe are German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicholas Sarkozy, both of whom are leaders of the conservative parties in their countries. Still, even liberal deficit hawks here do not want to talk about FST.

We learned from Ron Suskind's new book on the making of economic policy in the Obama administration, that a FST was considered at the very top levels. According to the book, Obama himself even leaned in this direction. But the deficit hawks never discuss FST.

Last week, Bill Gates added himself to the list of FST supporters. In a report that he was asked to prepare for the G-20 on funding development assistance, he cited an FST as one possible mechanism. But the deficit hawks never discuss FST.

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