Reply #3: Don't forget....

[Uben]

...that a lot of rich people, corporate types too, are rich because they have focused on making money and saving it. They have spent time figuring out how they can pay out less and take in more, which of course does not include paying higher taxes. It just goes against their morals. That does not excuse them from paying their fair share of taxes, which they haven't done for a very long time!

There is a good reason why this has happened, and I'm sure you know it. Wealth and politics seem to go hand in hand. It is very hard these days to win any election without a substantial amount of money or some wealthy backers willing to sponsor you. Many have no choice but to take money from those who are very wealthy or corporate interests, who in turn, have expectations (wink wink, nudge nudge)

So those elected officials take the money, hold their noses, and vote for something they know they shouldn't. Multiply that by thousands for all the politicians and elected officials, and then multiply that by about 30 or 40 (# of yrs since taxation was reasonable on the rich). Forty years of politicians voting for the interests of the rich have gotten us to where we are today. And it is still going on! And as long as we allow them to do this, it will not cease. Money has always represented power.

Unless we can eliminate the legal bribes lobbyists shovel to our elected officials, it will get worse.