The politics of envy....

[CurlewKate]

It's such an offensive concept, isn't it? And shuts down discussion.
"I think rich people should pay more tax." "You're just jealous."
"I think private schools should be subject to VAT."
Ah, the politics of envy."
"The grammar school system is inherently inequitable." "Jealousy again."

The first three examples that came to mind.

It completely rules out any suggestion that people can be motivated by altruism or have principles, or make choices for the greater good, rather than their own personal advantage.

And it also relieves the people saying it of any motivation to think about their own standpoint.

I don't find it offensive

I also find it's more likely to open up discussion rather than close it down.

Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it’s not what drives many others. Tax the rich frequently means taxing anyone richer than themselves. Some people are indeed altruistic but not everyone who votes Labour are.

We should all be voting to close tax loopholes and bring as many schools up to a standard so all children can reach their potential.

Instead of dragging the top down drag the bottom up.

If you're poor then it's the politics of envy. If you're rich it's 'champagne socialism' so doesn't count. Ergo you can't be left wing

@frozendaisy "Instead of dragging the top down drag the bottom up"

Why do you think anyone wants to "drag the the top down"?

What I hate more is the continued race to the bottom and the fact that so many posters seem to endorse that attitude. We need to raise the poorest/most disadvantaged/education/NHS up!
That doesn't automatically happen by targeting the rich unless proper policy/laws are in place (I am 100% pro-the highest earners paying the highest level of tax + would fully support paying more tax if it was ringfenced for education and health before anyone starts).

What does "race to the bottom" actually mean?

I will give you an example from Education discussions: the view that "my child struggles to learn in a state comp because of all the disruptive behaviour and because of that I am against grammar/privates because all children should struggle at their local underperforming state school rather than go to a grammar/comp".
Obviously that is massively paraphrased but instead of actively trying to drive standards up at their local school, complaining to their local MP etc posters would rather point their ire towards grammar/private settings.

I tend to think of "race to the bottom" as "let's pay staff as little as possible".

I agree with this as an example of "race to the bottom".

My local Tory MP loves this phrase. I see it as a way of saying the worse off should be happy with their lot.