Loons across the ocean

While we have our own leadership election this year to keep our attention, the French are also in the process of selecting a president.  Two of the leading candidates from the left have truly redistributionist views.  First, there is Francois Hollande, the main Socialist candidate.  He advocates a tax rate of 75% on income over €1,000,000 ($1,327,000).  Talk about a disincentive to success.

But that's a piker in the world of European left-wing thought.  Jean-Luc Mélenchon is a hard left, anti-capitalist activist who is rising in the presidential election polls.  He advocates capping "fat-cat" salaries at €360,000 ($477,000), after which income tax would be set at 100%.  Think about that.  The government says, "You have earned enough.  Anything more you make goes to us."

The scary part - there are many who think this is a good idea.  The even scarier part - many in the Democratic Party think that the USA needs to be more like Europe.