**In my opinion,** the rich are those whose income is derived primarily from capital gains. I do NOT have a problem with people who EARN (from actual work) $250K or more. I DO have a problem with “deal makers” who use leverage and connections to access large amounts of money to make deals/trades which DO NOT benefit most working people and society — quite the contrary.
I do believe in progressive taxation, and I believe that ALL income should be taxed at the same progressive rates. Capital should be taxed at least as much as labor. Otherwise, you end up with the top X% wealth controlling most markets and controlling most laws (power=wealth=power).
People are being distracted from what’s really going on, and using the better income-earners as an argument in favor of keeping tax rates low for the upper-class. I am not talking about WORKERS, just deal-makers (hedge fund managers, overpaid CEOs, big traders, etc.) and extreme wealth (hundreds of millions of dollars).
