I just can’t seem to let it go.

In the United States at the end of 2001, 10% of the population owned 71% of the wealth, and the top 1% controlled 38%. On the other hand, the bottom 40% owned less than 1% of the nation’s wealth.

I am not a socialist and do not think that wealth should be distributed equally…..but if 1% of the population controls over 1/3 of the nation’s wealth, you better be damned sure that they should pay more money…it’s simple math.

If I make $10,000 and pay 10% in taxes, I pay $1,000 in taxes.

If I make $1,000,000 and pay 10% in taxes, I pay $100,000 in taxes.

I am not more burdened by taxes if I make $100,000.

 

Oh—and the government isn’t going to steal your bike.  Taxes are a responsibility that goes along with the privilege of being an American.  If the Conservatives hate taxes so much—what is it they love to say, “Love it or leave it.”

(p.s.–I don’t believe that love it or leave it is in anyway a valid argument for anything, I just like to use people’s words against them. It’s how I roll.)

An edit to a previous post

When I mentioned people having “too much” I misspoke (man, I could be a policitian!). I was quite upset when I wrote that as I had just been told that my lack of ownership somehow made me less worthy by someone who said they didn’t care about education because they didn’t have kids.

I don’t really believe that people have “too much.” I do, however, feel there is a responsibility that comes with success, any level of success. In general, folks should do the right thing. Many wealthy would pay someone copious amounts of money to avoid taxes. When my father was in the oil business he had a business acquaintance who figured he paid an accountant $100,000 a year (this was in the 80’s) to avoid about $100,000 in taxes.  His reasoning was he would be mad if the government was going to get his money. I never understood that.

We are so fortunate to live in this country, every damn one of us, whether rich or poor. But there is responsibility associated with this good fortune also, and that is taxes. If 95% of the nation are going to see tax cuts,  isn’t that what a democracy is about? The greatest good for the greatest amount of people?

I hope like hell to one day be part of the top 5% of the economy in the United States and if I am and seriously believe that by bringing home only $162,500 of my $250,000 salary makes me feel that I am poor, please someone smack me!

Thanks for clearing that up!

I just told someone I work with that I am voting for Obama.

Their response, “That’s because you don’t own anything!”

OOOOOO, so that’s it?  It has nothing to do with wanting a president who will tax those who own too much?  It has nothing to do with the fact that I want a president who is concerned with education not just veterans and a war that’s going nowhere? It has nothing to do with the fact that the idea of Sarah Palin being even remotely able to be the leader of the US keeps me up at night?

It’s just because I don’t own anything.

Well, here’s some news. I DO own something. I own my body and should be able to do whatever I want with it. I own my mind and should be able to think what I want, when I want, where I want.  I own my pride in my country, that doesn’t make me blind to the fact that there are issues with it. 

I own my freedom and would like to know how the Iraqi war really is defending it?  I want to know what we win? How do we determine we have won the war?  When all of the Iraqis are dead? How many more of our military men and women have to die before we’ve won? It seemed to me that the objective was to get Sadaam Hussein out of there…he’s been gone awhile and yet $10 billion a month goes there while our financial system crumbles.

I would like to own my future, but I don’t know that I do. I do know this, I own my vote and it is going to Barack Obama. Not because I’m voting AGAINST someone, not because I’m a bleeding heart liberal, not because I don’t “own” anything. I’m voting for him because he exemplifies what this country could be, a place of hope, a place of change, a place of honor and he will be a leader I can be proud of.

So there.