Your Opinion: Progressive income tax would be fair

Dear Editor:

Here is a fair and simple tax rate: Enact a tax rate of 40 percent but exempt all income below $100,000. The rate is progressive.

That's one answer to what is fair. But neither that nor any other simplistic plan that changes the Progressive Income tax is likely on the federal level without changing the Constitution.

In 1913 the 16th Amendment to the Constitution was enacted. The reason was the widespread belief that far too much wealth had been accumulated in the hands of the wealthy. America has once again regressed to that point.

Dissatisfied with the economic opportunities in front of us, many of us want the massive shift of wealth from the middle class to the upper class to end. That means start with restoring the 4.6 percent Bush tax cut on income above $250,000.

The rich are fighting back through their owned media. News Corp who owns Fox endlessly issues propaganda for the ultra-wealthy.

Numerous think tanks owned by the wealthy churn out pieces for the various media. All major news networks in America are owned by billionaires. These outlets support the ideas of the rich and bash or ignore labor and the unions on a regular basis.

The gentleman calling for a fair number for taxes is: a) Unable to accept that liberals/progressives have a different view or b) He is unable to understand the issues.

Liberal/progressives believe in the Progressive income tax. There is no one number. The more money you make the more responsibility you have to the society that made your wealth possible.

Conservatives believe the rich are special not just fortunate. Conservatives believe the 99 percent are to blame for their situation. Conservatives have rough talk for the 99 percent.

Herman Cain flat out said blame yourself if you are not wealthy like me. Many conservatives are authoritarian. The way they define the role of those is power is by the way they believe children should be treated. "Spare the rod and spoil the child." They see harshness as a corrective for wayward behavior.

On the other hand conservatives see the 1 percent as the beneficent, the job creators, and the saviors. Conservatives accept the Calvinist belief that wealth is given by God to his chosen. With this in mind, tax schemes that are beneficial to the wealthy are acceptable to conservatives.

I have a different view. I see institutional greed not fairness.

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