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Originally Posted by host
ngdawg, I believe that wealth= power= political control. I believe that voting numbers in a democratic republic, should result in a triumph of the will of the sheer numbers, over the vested interests of the wealthiest few. IMO, that isn't happening in the US, and it hasn't since at least 1948.
I believe that the very wealthy beisiege the rest of us with a strategy of funding lobbies, think tanks, a media blitz to convince enough of us to vote against our own best interests, which is to tax the shit out of the wealthiest one percent, as we did do well, into the early 1960's. Outside of the legalization and enforcement of collective bargaining rights of workers, nothing else has significantly helped to "level" the playing field between the wealthiest, and the rest of us.
If you think that I am wrong, why do you think the records of the TNEC 1938to 1941 hearings and investigations into wealth and power in America, are still sealed?
http://www.archives.gov/research/gui...roups/144.html |
Wealth=power=political control only goes so far. Yea, you likely won't see a welfare mother hold public office because she doesn't have the funds to run, but it's more than likely she also doesn't have the education.
However, that welfare mom can vote, so that wealth/political power is dependent on that.
It's only fair that the wealthiest pay more taxes. People have continuously for decades have touted that flat tax idea, where everyone just shells out, say, 25% of their income regardless. I hate this idea, think it's stupid. I like my tax deductions. My kids are tax deductions, my house is a tax deduction and I get a refund that goes back into the economy because I then buy shit I couldn't afford the preceding 11 months.
Level the playing field? Last I knew, this wasn't a financially socialist country. The majority of the wealthy in the country worked for what they have, are frugal in many ways, are savvy investors and do their part to keep the economy going because that affects their lives, perhaps more than ours down here in the lower quarter. If you mean that, while I pay $105 for health coverage, they should pay $1050, that comes into play in other areas, primarily taxes. But, as I mentioned earlier, if that were to be the case, then I should be able to buy a new Mercedes for 10 grand. Some things are just unrealistic, no matter how you try to spin it.