TAXING THE RICH

The rich tell us that if we make them richer, we will all be richer. This is incorrect. Generally, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Even the middle class has less money.

It is not true that if we tax the rich they will move somewhere else. As far as I can tell, the rich like opera, fine restaurants, fancy cars, fancy boats, fancy parties, and showing off. These pleasures are generally not available in places where there are no taxes.

It is not true that the poor are poor because they are lazy. Generally, the poor work much harder than anyone else. Many of the poor are sick or disabled. Many of the poor work two or more jobs just to pay the rent.

You all must understand that "Atlas Shrugged" is fiction, written by a woman traumatized by the Russian Revolution (read "We The Living"). The Russian peasants had a reason to be angry. They were basically slaves, bought and sold with the land, but their masters did not even feed them, they had to grow their own food.

I do not agree that we should tax the rich until they are poor. But to tax the rich is not an evil act. To tax the rich will not make them run and hide. I do not understand why a rich person needs to buy another expensive toy rather than pay taxes. Sometimes I think that the very rich are also very greedy.

The rich have access to politicians and the media. They can easily tell us their wishes to be richer. The poor are generally quiet and meek, afraid to speak on their own behalf, because they fear retaliation. They fear losing their jobs, and what few privileges they do have. Have you ever noticed that it is mostly the poor that go to prison for drug use?