LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – “Tax the Rich” is a popular mantra from Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidates like Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. However, increasing government spending to get the job done is not as well-received.
Raising taxes verse raising spending.
A recent survey from Napolitan News found that just 35% of voters say they would be inclined to vote for a candidate who promised to raise government spending and taxes on the rich over a candidate who promised to cut spending and taxes on the middle class.
“Voters like the idea of raising taxes on the rich, but they draw the line at raising spending,” the survey found.
In addition, the concept of “Tax the Rich” also appears to be partisan. Seven in 10 Republicans (70%) favor a candidate who would cut spending and taxes, while a majority (54%) of Democrats would favor a candidate calling for increased spending and taxes on the rich.
A line in the sand among Democrats.
There also appears to be a dividing line within the Democratic Party. Voters who lean toward the DSA’s “Tax the Rich” policies would choose the candidate proposing increased spending and a wealth tax by a 58% margin, while traditional Democratic voters would favor the candidate proposing spending cuts, 50% to 45%.
That could be a factor in the race for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat. El-Sayed has said he’s in favor of building “a tax system that’s fair for working people and makes billionaires pay their fair share.”
El-Sayed’s financial disclosures.
However, El-Sayed’s latest financial disclosure reveals he would be among the high earners targeted by the “Tax the Rich” policies he advocates. The Washington Free Beacon reported Monday that recent candidate filings show El-Sayed is in the top 1% of Michigan earners. The media outlet reported that El-Sayed is “taking advantage of an obscure tax loophole—derided since then-Democratic vice presidential hopeful John Edwards used it in 2004—in order to lower his own tax burden.”
The financial disclosure covers 2025 and the first seven months of 2026. Those documents show El-Sayed paid himself a $64,000 salary through AME Higher LLC, an entity he founded to collect consulting and speaking fees. In addition, he received $103,000 as a “member draw,” representing company profits distributed to El-Sayed as the business owner.
In April, El-Sayed released his Fair Share Tax Agenda, which focuses on taxing billionaire wealth and ending corporate tax evasion. El-Sayed’s plan also calls for an end to price-gouging and for rewarding companies that do not outsource jobs to AI.
