RE: The Top 1%
November 24, 2013 at 8:42 pm
(This post was last modified: November 24, 2013 at 8:47 pm by Ryantology.)
I don't get why so many people seem to think that it has to be either capitalism or communism, as if it's not a spectrum and there cannot exist an ideal balance between government-rendered services and private industry, between extreme communism and anarcho-capitalism.
Competition is good. It drives advancement in almost every facet of society. I accept and embrace that, as liberal as I am. But, because I'm liberal, I think that competition produces better results when there is a certain leveling of the playing field. I don't believe in total wealth redistribution. I simply think that there should be a certain minimum level under which nobody falls, so that every person has a legitimate fighting chance to succeed in life, and I do think that it is the responsibility of the very wealthy to provide that, both because they are capable of doing so and because, after all, that wealth exists only because of the labors of many small people have made it possible for big earners to earn big.
With wealth inequality as it is, the odds of a person achieving the so-called American Dream are rapidly eroding.
Thing is, I don't mind if I have to pay more taxes to make sure that my fellow citizens have a place to live, food to eat, health care and an education. People who have those things are very likely going to contribute to my well-being in one way or another.
Competition is good. It drives advancement in almost every facet of society. I accept and embrace that, as liberal as I am. But, because I'm liberal, I think that competition produces better results when there is a certain leveling of the playing field. I don't believe in total wealth redistribution. I simply think that there should be a certain minimum level under which nobody falls, so that every person has a legitimate fighting chance to succeed in life, and I do think that it is the responsibility of the very wealthy to provide that, both because they are capable of doing so and because, after all, that wealth exists only because of the labors of many small people have made it possible for big earners to earn big.
With wealth inequality as it is, the odds of a person achieving the so-called American Dream are rapidly eroding.
Thing is, I don't mind if I have to pay more taxes to make sure that my fellow citizens have a place to live, food to eat, health care and an education. People who have those things are very likely going to contribute to my well-being in one way or another.
