Crushing the Middle Class
I was recently in a discussion with a good friend of mine over the subject of income inequality and what it means to bot h progressives and conservatives. It so infuriates me when the talking points of the right spew out that it is all about jealousy and class warfare. It isn't about that at all, in fact I don't begrudge anyone for working hard, putting in their time, getting their degree and moving to the top of a corporation or the ownership of a business that has become successful. I applaud them because they are living their own version of the American Dream. Its the dream we all have, to be successful, happy and proud of our accomplishments. It is the reason why we have been the destination of so many immigrants over the course of our history. For those of us not so fortunate to reach that dream, all we are asking for is to be able to live our lives knowing that we can pay our bills, take care of our children, and have a little left over at the end of the month.
The income inequality in this country is not about jealousy, it isn't about wanting what our neighbor has, and it certainly is not about Class Warfare. In fact it ultimately has its roots in the tax structure and how the wealthy has taken advantage of it to benefit their needs. It allows the rich to have an offshore account loaded with as much money as they can move there and not worry about it being taxed, it allows enough deductions for corporations not to pay any taxes at all, and all the while those of us just trying to get by don't have that luxury. We all want to live in a fair a decent society, we all want to have the same opportunities to be successful and we all nee to pay our fair share of taxes.
In my situation personally I have to work two jobs in order to pay my bills. I don't mind so much because I put myself in a situation where it is what I have to do, and I take responsibility for that. I pay my taxes, I try to be responsible, and I also try to just get by. The shift in inequality is not about how the poor and middle class hate the rich, it's the power that comes with it and money has corrupted Washington increasingly over the last decades, and it began, I believe in the 80's when we saw huge economic growth and into the 90's when the gap increased even more. this is not about who is in power at the time because that period included both a Republican and a Democrat in the White House, as well as periods where both parties had sole control of Congress at some point. It is more about how Money has bought legislation, loopholes, tax breaks, and security for the 1% of those who actually control the country. they say the people are in charge of Congress, or that's how it is supposed to work, but in fact it is the rich and powerful that control what happens in the Nation's Capital, and the 99% are made to foot the bill.
Is that fair? I think not.