Camille Walsh: “’Taxpayer dollars’ — the origins of austerity’s racist catchphrase”

IAS faculty member Camille Walsh published “'Taxpayer dollars' — the origins of austerity’s racist catchphrase” in MotherJones.com. “The phrase 'taxpayer dollars,'” Walsh writes, “has a populist, even democratic ring to it. Gone are the days when we referred to the treasury as 'the king’s purse' or treated taxation as a tithe or gift to the crown. 'Taxpayer dollars' suggests that the money spent by the federal government is owned by 'the people.' … [But] the question of who counts as a taxpayer is not some neutral, empirical consideration.” Happy tax season, everyone!