Rant! :What Monkeyleg said and more. Those who rag on or are envious or bitter about wealthy people are uninformed idiots who are not useful to anyone. I am being charitable in my statement and they should be confronted with their ignorance and hate.
I love rich people. I'm not one. They make the world go round. Do they get to take advantage of wealth? Sure they do. Why shouldn't they? Are some of them selfish, self absorbed and even despicable? Sure. Are not those same qualities and sins spread around throughout the entire population?
The thing about rich people is that they use their wealth as a tool to make more money. In doing so, the rest of us, if we have half a brain, can take advantage of that and make some for ourselves. Do some of them hoard their wealth and hide it? Certainly. But the vast majority of them put their money to work and they do so for many reasons.
Here in W. Michigan we have a couple of the most wealthy people in America, the Van Andel and DeVos families; Amway. We also have a grocery chain billionaire as well as several other very wealthy multiple millionaires. They have changed the face of the area for the good many times over in the last 30 years. Thousands of people have jobs and live pretty well on account of these people. We have entertainment venues, pro sport teams, a world class medical and research center that is probably getting to the level the Cleveland Clinic and the Mayo clinic. It's ranked in the top 10 nationally. We have a medical school and a Law School. We have a University than provides a top notch education, to say nothing of national champion sport teams. I could go on. The point is, the people who criticize the wealthy are fools and do more harm to America than good.
As far as an income tax goes, I've often said that anyone making over a million dollars a year should not have to pay any taxes; just file verification that they have invested in America at least at the level of the taxes they would have paid. I have an idea that would be more valuable and efficient than giving the money over to the thieves, carpetbaggers and pettifoggers in the Congress who waste or misappropriate the larger portion.
I am a fan of the Fair Tax. We are a nation of consumers, as well as providers, builders, entrepreneurs, traders etc. The Fair Tax is perfectly tailored to our culture. Everybody has a dog in the fight. That's a good thing, even at the lower levels of the economic spectrum. As for welfare, what I don't understand is this: If I work and am compensated for my work it is not a gift. I earned it. If I don't work and am given tax money to aid me in a time of trouble, tell me why I should not have to exchange something for that support? If a man does not work, he shall not eat. Good notion, that.
End Of Rant.