Rep. Ilhan Omar calls for sharp tax increases on the wealthy: 'We've had it as high as 90 percent'
“Through Her Eyes” is a new weekly half-hour show hosted by humanitarian and women’s rights activist Zainab Salbi that aims to explore a hot button news issue through the lens of a female newsmaker. You can watch “Through Her Eyes” every Tuesday at 8 p.m. on the Roku channel, and see full episodes at yahoonews.com.
Weeks after Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., made headlines by calling for a top marginal income tax rate of 70 percent in an interview with “60 Minutes,” her fellow freshman congresswoman, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., suggested that the rich could pay even more.
“There are a few things that we can do,” Rep. Omar said in an interview with “Through Her Eyes.” “One of them, is that we can increase the taxes that people are paying who are the extremely wealthy in our communities. So, 70 percent, 80 percent, we’ve had it as high as 90 percent. So, that’s a place we can start.”
“The one percent must pay their fair share,” she continued.
Rep. Omar mentioned the tax increase as a way to pay for programs like Medicare for All and the Green New Deal being championed by Rep. Ocasio-Cortez.
The national defense budget is another area Rep. Omar has her eye on.
“I’m also one that really looks at the defense budget that we have, Rep. Omar said. “That has increased nearly 50% since 9/11. And so, most of the money that we have in there is much more than with we spend on education, on healthcare.”
Rep. Omar also spoke with “Through Her Eyes” about her Somali culture and Muslim religion, and about her very personal decision to wear a hijab.
