Originally Posted By: sinij
My personal point is that tax policy should be about increasing overall quality of life instead of growing numbers of excessive-consumption ultra wealthy. It is about distributing benefits of society in most effective and even way. Concentration of wealth (and power) is a symptom of a bigger problem, any system that encourages it is therefore flawed.

You like to talk about merit-based society. Does a CEO has 1,000+ times more merit than someone working as a rank and file member of the same organization?
This is the crux of our disagreement.

#1 You believe that taxation is a tool for taking from the wealthy and giving to others (also known as buying votes), while I believe that taxation is a tool that should only be used to provide as fair an environment as possible for free and open competition.

#2 If you believe that wealth doesn't concentrate in socialist/communist societies then I direct you to the ruling class of the former Soviet Union. They even had their own lanes on which to drive and their own special shopping centers that actually had food while everyone else was standing in line for a piece of bread.

#3 What business is it of mine or yours how much a CEO makes? To address your wobbley point, while the rank and file do open the doors each day and help the customers, what they do isn't rocket surgery (I ran a crew of those for 14 years, trust me, I can train a monkey to help customers). So, nearly anyone can do those jobs, but not just anyone has the skills or intelligence to ensure that a multibillion dollar company continues to run efficiently and effectively thereby affording the door openers the opportunity to work if that is what they choose to do. I personally am a living testament to the fact that hard work and dedication pay off. I worked my way up, saved enough to quit and finish school and am in school now. All without a degree or student loan debt.

#4 I know that the real American Dream is NOT home ownership. The American Dream is making a living doing what you love and providing every opportunity for yourself and family. It is having the freedom to pursue your dreams, not standing in line with your hand out to get something for nothing from someone who earned it.

That, is the difference between you and me. I believe that all men are created equal and the U.S.A was founded on the premise that they should have equal opportunity to pursue their dreams. You believe that the greatest country the world has ever seen should punish success and reward sloth through confiscatory taxation and a misguided attempt to provide a mythical beast called "social justice." Also known as reparations, wealth redistribution, and social equality. All things neither intended nor guaranteed by our founders. Nor are they guarantee-able by any government comprised of fallible men.

[Linked Image from i30.photobucket.com]