Rich politicians running down rich people, what gives?
Hey, it’s simply the truth! Think about it for a few minutes – have y’all noticed that lately a lot of politicians are bumping their jaws all across the networks and cable about how the rich are not paying their fair share of taxes? Talkin’ about how terrible wealthy people are for taking tax breaks and then ranting about fairness and various forms of income redistribution schemes in order to correct all that? Well, it’s always good to check where someone’s coming from when they make these type political assertions, so let’s take a quick look at how much some of our main jaw bumpers happen to be worth –
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi – $58,436,537
Speaker “Whether We Wanna Hear Him Or Not” Alan Grayson – $54,966,522
Senator “Where Oh Where Do I Park My Yacht” John Kerry – $238,812,496
Senator “We’re Out Of Money Here In California” Diane Feinstein – $77,082,134
These numbers courtesy of the Center for Responsive Politics. But maybe I’m looking at things wrongly. After all, if you think about it, maybe when a Senator or House member steps into their chambers they just become one of the gang there. Their vote means no more or less than anyone else’s, and they just forget about that all that nasty old money they have that’s apparently unfair for anyone else to have. That just has to be the explanation, less how can someone who’s rich themselves rail about other folks who are just like them? Makes no sense to an old country boy like moi, truth be told.
Far be it from me to be a complainer, though, I’m goin’ to shift into proactive mode here and offer constructive suggestions on what the four esteemed folks above and their counterparts can do in order to get more taxes out of these other damned stubborn rich folks. In no particular order they be:
1. To really “walk the walk,” all they have to do is give their own fortunes away. Talk about making a powerful statement! Then, when they get on TV decrying the rich they’ll have instant credibility as they won’t be rich themselves, they’ll be poor and really in need of rich folk’s money. At least then it’ll be an honest need on their parts, and we all know how much most politicians value honesty!
2. Get everyone together in both the House and Senate who feel exactly the same way that they do and collectively decide on what a fair “tax the rich rate” is. Then, apply that figure against their own net worth and let them cut checks out of their own personal fortunes to give to the Treasury for however much money. Talk about another way of gaining instant credibility in the never ending fight to get more money out of those folks who create most of the jobs!
3. Tax the rich at whatever rate they choose, but also put in a requirement that the 47% of the folks who pay no taxes be required to pay something themselves in order to have a skin in the game. Or, don’t tax the 47% but slip in a requirement that to be allowed to vote that you have to be a taxpayer of record – “pay into the game to play the game. ” It’s not as farfetched as y’all might think, what company would allow someone to vote on how the company runs itself if the person owned no stock in it? If our lawmakers just made this the law of the land we’d straighten out most of our taxation and political problems in record time!
4. They can always do this – shut up. That’s all, just shut up. At least that way we don’t have to listen to them anymore.
Trust me, if these folks will just do one of these four things, well then, how cool would that be? Political figures being privately consistent with what they publicly advocate for us to be doing – it’s an amazing concept, don’t y’all think?
