[quote=asianautica][quote=SDEngineer]
It is a very popular, however, almost entirely incorrect belief among conservatives that the rich work harder for what they have than the poor. This seems to be largely because conservatives like to think that our current capitalistic system is both fair and impartial, and rewards work.[/quote]
Did you even read the example I’ve made of some couple who does work 2X harder than most and are being considered as rich?
I do agree that CEO these days are getting paid way more than their employee and they also get paid to fail as well. That’s not right. But the point at hand is increasing tax on those who you consider as rich (those making >$250k). I can say with certainty those who work 2x as hard as you and I deserve every $ they make just as you and I do. Try working 6 12 hours shift as a RN and tell me if that’s not hard work.
[/quote]
I certainly did read your example. That does not void any of the points I made. You’re absolutely right – if someone DOES in fact work twice as hard as someone else, they do deserve more income. However, they ARE getting more income, just not twice as much (although even under the existing tax plan WITHOUT Obama’s planned increases, they would STILL be not getting twice as much). That may be marginally unfair, but certainly not completely unfair. Welcome to life.
It is also not right that someone makes a ton of money for never having done anything in their life either, and from the point of view of someone who has earned everything they’ve gotten, that’s not just marginally unfair, that is extraordinarily unfair. It is also unfair that someone who DOES work twice as hard as someone else, but lacks political or social connections that someone else has, is passed over for promotions or other potential income which goes to the other person who didn’t work nearly as hard, but had those connections (helloooooo George Bush). Again, welcome to life.
My point is simply that capitalism does NOT in general reward work, it rewards wealth. It CAN reward work (as in your example), but it does NOT require such (for example, if someone salaried worked twice as many hours, that salaried person would NOT be getting twice as much money). A progressive tax is simply one method of preventing a very bad long term outcome of capital accumulation in a very small segment of the population.
It is NOT fair, it is, in fact, deliberately BIASED. However, it is biased in the opposite direction of the natural bias of a capitalist economic system, and acts as a check on the accumulation of capital.
