House Dems: Tax the Wealthy to Pay For Health Reform

I keep having to pinch myself. House Democrats have proposed a modest income surtax on individuals with incomes above $280,000 and couples with income over $350,000. The tax would raise around $540 billion, and would be used to pay for nearly half of the proposed health care reforms. Just a few years ago, this modest idea would have been laughed out of the halls of Congress. Even these days, the blue dog democrats might kill it. But it's at least refreshing to see that some in the halls of power appreciate the idea of progressive taxation.