I like the fact that you’re willing to create a post that goes against the zeitgeist of the inequality story-line, even if you’re mostly agreeing with it (and I’m someone who totally agrees with it). We live in a culture where you have to be all in on one side or another and if you say anything that undermines your side, you’re letting d…
I like the fact that you’re willing to create a post that goes against the zeitgeist of the inequality story-line, even if you’re mostly agreeing with it (and I’m someone who totally agrees with it). We live in a culture where you have to be all in on one side or another and if you say anything that undermines your side, you’re letting down the team. But your post made me think more about the messaging that goes along with fighting inequality.
I’m particularly thinking about the idea that “billionaires shouldn’t exist.” I’m all for taxing billionaires more than we do here in the US so we can have a functioning society. If that means they’ll be taxed so much that they’re no longer billionaires, then fine! But I don’t think that should be the end goal in itself. (I still need to read your essay about your alternative idea to address inequality.)
I do think there’s a link between the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer when you look at the policies most of the rich in this country support, like abolishing or suppressing the minimum wage, fighting unionization, pushing for a more regressive tax code, scaring people about universal healthcare, etc. And globally, at least historically, the profits of Dole and the oil companies were linked to the immiseration of people in Central America and Africa. But maybe that’s changing? I’m not sure!
I do think a wealth tax and higher corporate tax can help with inequality in the US (it worked in the past!), but I also want to see the money better distributed up front. As in, don't just tax the rich and give the money to the government to redistribute as they see fit, but pay the rich less and their workers more upfront.
In either case, capitalism is the system that will make those at the bottom wealthier. So to demonize it and the people that got "too rich" from it seems antithetical to that goal! I like your approach, don't hate the player, fix the game!
I like the fact that you’re willing to create a post that goes against the zeitgeist of the inequality story-line, even if you’re mostly agreeing with it (and I’m someone who totally agrees with it). We live in a culture where you have to be all in on one side or another and if you say anything that undermines your side, you’re letting down the team. But your post made me think more about the messaging that goes along with fighting inequality.
I’m particularly thinking about the idea that “billionaires shouldn’t exist.” I’m all for taxing billionaires more than we do here in the US so we can have a functioning society. If that means they’ll be taxed so much that they’re no longer billionaires, then fine! But I don’t think that should be the end goal in itself. (I still need to read your essay about your alternative idea to address inequality.)
I do think there’s a link between the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer when you look at the policies most of the rich in this country support, like abolishing or suppressing the minimum wage, fighting unionization, pushing for a more regressive tax code, scaring people about universal healthcare, etc. And globally, at least historically, the profits of Dole and the oil companies were linked to the immiseration of people in Central America and Africa. But maybe that’s changing? I’m not sure!
TL;dr: Tax the rich, don’t hate the rich.
I do think a wealth tax and higher corporate tax can help with inequality in the US (it worked in the past!), but I also want to see the money better distributed up front. As in, don't just tax the rich and give the money to the government to redistribute as they see fit, but pay the rich less and their workers more upfront.
In either case, capitalism is the system that will make those at the bottom wealthier. So to demonize it and the people that got "too rich" from it seems antithetical to that goal! I like your approach, don't hate the player, fix the game!