Quote:
Originally Posted by CroFlames
Probably off topic, but I find it so odd when working middle class, especially working poor defend, deflect, and explain away with mental gymnastics why the rich do what they do and how we should be thankful that in their infinite wisdom and kindness, they employ us plebs. It's like they cheer for the rich to remain uber rich, and regular folk should just be happy to live paycheck to paycheck driving a crappy car, living in a crappy apartment, and driving on crappy pothole filled roads.
How about we close tax loopholes, legal or otherwise, and have the uber rich pay their fair share? If we did that, we could probably lower taxes for people making less than $150k a year, and eliminate taxes for people making less than $50k a year. Perhaps have an overall happier society as a side benefit?
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“America is the wealthiest nation on Earth, but its people are mainly poor, and poor Americans are urged to hate themselves. It is in fact a crime for an American to be poor, even though America is a nation of poor. Every other nation has folk traditions of men who were poor but extremely wise and virtuous, and therefore more estimable than anyone with power and gold. No such tales are told by American poor. They mock themselves and glorify their betters.
[...]
Americans, like human beings everywhere, believe many things that are obviously untrue... Their most destructive untruth is that it is very easy for any American to make money. They will not acknowledge how in fact hard money is to come by, and, therefore, those who have no money blame and blame and blame themselves. This inward blame has been a treasure for the rich and powerful, who have had to do less for their poor, publicly and privately, than any other ruling class since, say, Napoleonic times."
- Kurt Vonnegut,
Slaughterhouse-Five