HRC and Capital Gains

New York Times: In 2008, Then-Senator Clinton “Said She Would Not Raise The Capital Gains Rate Above 20 Percent ‘If I Raised It At All.’” “If she runs for president, it will be very interesting to see whether Mrs. Clinton takes a position substantially to Barack Obama’s right on capital gains taxes, as she did in 2008. In a debate in April of that year, Mrs. Clinton said she would not raise the capital gains rate above 20 percent ‘if I raised it at all.’ At the time, the top rate was 15 percent, as a result of the Bush tax cuts.” [New York Times, 3/13/15] New York Times: Then-Senator “Clinton’s Position [On Capital Gains Tax] Was In Line With The Economic Policies Of Bill Clinton’s Administration, Which Called For Much Higher Tax Rates On Wage Income Than Capital Income For High Earners.” “Ms. Clinton’s position was in line with the economic policies of Bill Clinton’s administration, which called for much higher tax rates on wage income than capital income for high earners. In 1997, Mr. Clinton signed a law that cut the top capital gains tax rate from 28 percent to 20; in 1993, he had raised the top tax rate on ordinary income from 31 percent to 39.6 percent, and imposed a Medicare tax on high earners that effectively pushed their top tax rates above 40.” [New York Times, 3/13/15] New York Times: Due To The Affordable Care Act And The 2013 Fiscal Cliff Deal, “The Top Tax Rate On Capital Gains Has Gone From 15 Percent In 2008 To 23.8 Percent Today, Higher Than The Red Line Mrs. Clinton Set.” “The Affordable Care Act created an additional 3.8 percent tax on capital gains for high earners, and the so-called fiscal cliff deal of 2013 added another 5 points to the rate, so the top tax rate on capital gains has gone from 15 percent in 2008 to 23.8 percent today, higher than the red line Mrs. Clinton set. In his most recent budget, Mr. Obama proposed to further increase the rate to 28 percent.” [New York Times, 3/13/15]