President Obama and Tax Increases on the Top FIve Percent of Americans

President Obama has created a firestorm with his proposal to increase taxes on the top five percent of Americans, those who make more than $250,000 as a couple and $200,000 if single.

While it is true that this five percent pays a substantial tax bill already, it must be pointed out that they have as a class become very wealthy in recent years due to the Bush tax cuts, along with the earlier Reagan tax cuts.  During these years since 1981, the rich have gotten richer, the poor have become poorer, and the middle class has had a horrible decline in their fortunes.

Meanwhile, we have seen much evidence of greed and malfeasance by the top group in society, and much evidence of avoidance of taxes and corruption on a wide scale.  The attitude that has been promoted is ME, instead of WE.  This ugly atmosphere needs to be reversed, and everyone must share in the sacrifice that is unavoidable because of this maldistribution of wealth that has occurred in the era of conservatism.

Our country has so many problems internally that needs to be addressed, and it is fair, therefore, to increase the commitment expected from those who have had good fortune and success because of our system of capitalistic democracy.  The harm to this elite class will still be far less than the daily sufferings of the declining middle class and the deprivation faced by the poor.

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