According to that brief, over the last 50 years, the average effective tax rate for the top 0.1% (including both income and payroll taxes) has fallen from 51% to 26%, while the middle quintile’s average burden has risen slightly from 14% to 16%.
Another Argument For Buffett Rule: Fairness Among The 400 Richest - Forbes - 0 views
-
-
t is unclear, however, if the fairness issue is the political winner the White House believes it to be. According to a new poll of independent voters in swing states commissioned by Third Way, a centrist Democratic group, an “opportunity” theme resonates with these voters more than a “fairness” argument does. When given a direct choice in the poll, 51% preferred a candidate who emphasizes “an economy based on opportunity” while only 43% opted for one who pushes “an economy based on fairness.” The report notes: “Swing Indepen
Wealth Distribution - 0 views
-
The democratic argument: The concentration of wealth in a small group allows for anti-democratic influence of social policy. The wealthy have the ability to create their own "think tanks" and astro-turf front organizations. These are then used to create the perception that the public is in support of their self-serving objectives. Recent studies have shown how these techniques were used in the repeal of the estate tax debate as well as in the rise of new factions opposing the liberal social policies of the Episcopal church. When such vast amounts of money are under the control of a tiny group the basic mechanisms of democracy are undermined
-
When the wealth of a society gets sufficiently unbalanced it ceases to valuable since there are no people with the resources to purchase it. During the French revolution most of the furniture in the estates was looted and much of it was used for firewood. It had no value in a peasant's home. It didn't fit, wasn't practical, and the decorative detail was useless.
-
So any plan that is going to shift the balance of wealth has to deal with issues of extracting real value from the accumulations of the wealthy without causing a drop in the marketability of the assets.
- ...4 more annotations...
AmpedStatus - Knowledge Is Power - 0 views
-
t’s time to Occupy Democracy
-
Through a system of legalized bribery — campaign finance, lobbying and the revolving door between Washington and the most powerful global corporations — our government has devolved into a rigged system of exploitation.
-
we will focus our energy on striking at the root of evil by ending the system of political bribery that holds our future hostage.
- ...2 more annotations...
IFG_plutonomy_Part8.pdf - 0 views
1 - 6 of 6
Showing 20▼ items per page