how reagan ruined the economy with reagan-nomics, or greed unleashed

stormson
Some of you say "how can you place a top salary cap on a ceo?" yet you are the same people that say a fry cook shouldnt make living wage because it takes from profits.

Now, that would make a fine signature. Wise words, star and flag. And applause.

stormson
The swiss have a proposal out now called the 1:12. a ceo can only make 12x more than the lowest paid worker. i think thats a little low. however, i dont like the current 1:300 we have now.

I:12 is not bad, but I would rather see a 1:7 rate, and after some time a 1:4 rate. And the lowest payed people would need to earn enough to live a decent live, with proper healthcare, education, transport, housing, clothing and food.

stormson
a side effect of this massive income gap is called the plutonomy. it was written about in 2 memos by citigroup (2009 some articles on ats about it) basically they said that since the top 1% control 50% of stocks, and have more wealth than 95% of americans, why deal with the rest? focus on the 1%. this idea basically turns you into a wage slave, overworked and underpaid.

Greed seems to be the main character treat of the 1%. And as they ARE in power, they will not allow anything to change, other than promote ideas that make them richer still. The only way to change that is to start at the base: educate people. Promote real democracy, in which indeed The People can steer their own destinies instead of having one vote in four years to determine if they would like to be flattened by an elephant or shat on by a donkey - and invariably end up both flat and shat on. Strive for real democracy! And if you have reached democracy - then promote socialism. If you have socialism - promote communism and finally promote anarchism. Educate your people so that they will educate themselves in the end.

But - especially in America - people have been "informed" that all socialist, communist and let alone anarchist systems can not work, have not worked and will never work. Instead, the 95 percent has been lead to believe - and even "proudly" say so - that "work hard to earn your keep" is what should be done. It are the ones that pull the weight that demand more to be added, so they can pull harder!

Educate the people. Tell them there are better systems. Tell them who would benefit from these systems: at least 95 percent of the people. But no, alternatives are routinely discarded as "evil", the 95 percent does not even know how such systems would work, but they already have their opinion on it.

Guess who is leading the movement that spreads these lies..

NavyDoc

Willtell
What baffles me is this.
I have always wondered, if people on forums, talk shows, etc., who always seem so worried about the taxes of rich people, whether they themselves are rich.

If not, then what is the mentality of people who worry about the taxes the rich pay?

Do you look back in history and grieve over the taxes paid by Caesar and Marie Antoinette?

Just wondering…

Simple. Because the "tax the undeserving rich" is simply a smoke and mirrors excuse to raise taxes and increase control over everyone. TPTB need the class warfare angle to get the sheep to agree with an ever expanding and more controlling government under the guise of "fairness." It works because, no matter who you are (Bill Gates aside) there is always going to be someone "richer" than you and that's the guy they want you to envy and "stick it to" because it is "unfair."

A logical person understands that true economic freedom only exists when everyone is economically free. When we defend "the EVIL one percent," we are not "defending the rich" but rather everyone's economic freedom. And no, economic freedom does not mean handouts or artificially mandated "living wages" but true freedom to pursue your economic dreams and to keep the products of your labor, innovation, and talent.

If that were the case, the richer guy would feel the pinch too, but it is not the case. If tax evasiion would be fought efficiently, taxes on those whom can not hide from the IRS, could be reduced severally. Its also a fact that public services and public education in America is severally underfunded. Crony capitalism is rampant in other countries too, but other countries are not home to the companies which posted record profits very recently.

FyreByrd
And I will say it again. Zombieland indeed.

My god .... no wonder Obama got voted in ... TWICE!!! Dude .. you are the zombie.
I gave tons of information about government waste ... and there is tons more ...
and yet you still refuse to acknowledge it?? The government doesn't need more of
our money .. they need to SPEND MORE WISELY. Get real.

DZAG Wright
Sorry but you're delusional...

And here's another one ...

NO it's not delusional to state the fact that the government has misspent and mismanaged our money. It's COMMON SENSE. Unnecessary wars. Pork. I listed some. There is tons more. They need to get their spending under control before they come back and stick their hand in my wallet for more money. COMMON SENSE.

reply to post by f4andHALFtoads

wrabbit, I don't care how many stars flags or comments you 've made, you are and idiot, sorry x

Well thank you for taking the time to actually write that and only that for a whole post. I can feel the quality of content rise by that effort. Indeed. (The second 'I hate you' note I've gotten in a week. the first public.. I must be doing something right to bring such passion..lol)

Really though... We all have opinions. We're all free to voice them...and yours is every bit as valid as mine to the extent both can be supported, if conflicting. Just as it always has been and always will be. Take care.

stormson

Hoosierdaddy71
It's truly amazing how people can lose perspective or just focus on one little piece of the puzzle.
When my kid studies hard and finishes at the top of her class she's praised for it.
When she practices softball and makes the all star team she's praised for it.
When she works hard and makes a lot of money she's chastised for it.
Hard work is rewarded but if the reward is money then that's called greed.

And as far as the pre and post Reagan debate. A lot of factors have been left out of the conversation. Women entered the work place in force in the 70's.
Foreign products flooded the market as well.
These are just a few changes the economy had to adjust to.
Then the politicians on both sides can't stop spending money we don't have.
We need a balanced budget amendment, that will at least slow the bleeding.

women entered the workforce in the 40's due to a little thing called ww2.

now, lets look at your daughters softball. say shes really good and has all the best equipment, fields, and coaches. oh, and she bought the refs. she then plays a team with make do equipment, shoddy fields, and first year coaches. now she is going to be really good against this team. in the first inning its 20-0, her teams winning.

do you tell her to just slaughter the other team? or do you say enough is enough, youve won? one answer is for sociopathy, the other is for compassion. she will still win, the question is by how much.

Yes ww2 caused women to enter the workforce. And 2 h bombs sent most of them back home. When the men came back the women went home got married and had babies. They did not stay in the job market until the seventies.

Now please tell me how much money is to much. Is it a dollar amount or a percentage of profit?
Everybody complains about gas prices and oil companies making to much money, yup they make a lot of money. Somewhere around 8.5% profit for Exxon. That's not too much is it?
Apple on the other hand make around 40% profit. Nobody complains about that. Why?
Tom cruise make 20 million a movie and nobody complains. No you complain about the price of popcorn at the movie.

I do see what your saying and you make some good points but look at what Obama has done to our debt. And I think your stick to much on republican vs democrat when both parties work for the same goal more power for them and less for us.

reply to post by tothetenthpower

Yup, that makes perfect sense, but you still need to re-adjust and modify the tax code to make the taxes fairer in the end. Otherwise it's still the bottom 90 supporting the top 10, and that's not right.

WRONG!!! It is the MIDDLE CLASS - defined as all us wage slaves no matter the salary. LINK What no one mentions is a entry level minimum wage job in 1970 was ~ $3,000 that is about ~$60,000 now due to inflation. Inflation due to banker manufactured fiat currency has lowered American wages drastically by stealth.

Date.....$ /oz gold.. Money supply....minimum wage.....Pay in gold
1959 .......35.25 .........50.1 billion......$1.00...........0.0284 oz.
1974 ......195.20..........101 billion.......$2.00...........0.0102 oz.
1976 ......124.74 ...... $113 billion.......$2.30...........0.0184 oz.
1985 .....354.20 ........$205 billion.......$3.35...........0.0094 oz.
1994 .....409.80....... $ 406 billion.......$4.25...........0.0104.oz.
2006 .....636.30 ........$808 billion.......$5.15...........0.0081 oz.
2008 .....880.30........ $831 billion.......$5.85...........0.0066 oz.
2009...1,020.28.......$1663 billion........$6.50..........0.0064.oz.



Close to half of U.S. households currently do not owe federal income tax. In 2007, before the economy turned down, 40 percent of households did not owe federal income tax.

The next to lowest group also does not pay taxes because of various tax exemptions. (20% of the housholds) The next 20% of households pays 6.8% in taxes. The Bottom 50% of the wage slave pay 2.25% of the Federal Personal Income Tax.


The MIDDLE CLASS pays 90% of the taxes. To be exact the top 50% of the wage slave pay 97.75% of the Federal Personal Income Tax.


The very wealthy pay less taxes because they have great tax accounts and use tax havens and other methods. Many do not work so they do not pay taxes on wages at all. the maximum tax rate on most dividends and capital gains is 15%. This rate applies to income that would otherwise be subject to the 25% and above income tax brackets.

The very wealthy are also a tax black hole sucking up dollars with no return.
Didn't know that did you? It is called Subsidies. See Mother Jones on the Archer Daniels Midland Co.

Or Federal Grants: Remember the Green Energy companies funded with tax payer dollars that are supposed to replace those coal fired plants going off line? They are going bankrupt at an alarming rate. So far, thats 34 companies. LINK

In 2011, income taxes paid by individuals (as opposed to corporations) comprised 47% of the taxes collected by the federal government.... In 2011, individual income taxes comprised 21% of the taxes collected by state and local governments.... In 2011, corporate income taxes comprised 8% of the taxes collected by the federal government and 3% of the taxes collected by state and local governments.

In 2011, Social Security payroll taxes accounted for 69% of federal social insurance taxes.... Employees and employers both pay social insurance taxes, but payroll taxes levied on employers are predominately borne by employees in the form of reduced wages."

In 2011, Medicare hospital insurance payroll taxes accounted for 23% of federal social insurance taxes...

Merinda

NavyDoc

Willtell
What baffles me is this.
I have always wondered, if people on forums, talk shows, etc., who always seem so worried about the taxes of rich people, whether they themselves are rich.

If not, then what is the mentality of people who worry about the taxes the rich pay?

Do you look back in history and grieve over the taxes paid by Caesar and Marie Antoinette?

Just wondering…

Simple. Because the "tax the undeserving rich" is simply a smoke and mirrors excuse to raise taxes and increase control over everyone. TPTB need the class warfare angle to get the sheep to agree with an ever expanding and more controlling government under the guise of "fairness." It works because, no matter who you are (Bill Gates aside) there is always going to be someone "richer" than you and that's the guy they want you to envy and "stick it to" because it is "unfair."

A logical person understands that true economic freedom only exists when everyone is economically free. When we defend "the EVIL one percent," we are not "defending the rich" but rather everyone's economic freedom. And no, economic freedom does not mean handouts or artificially mandated "living wages" but true freedom to pursue your economic dreams and to keep the products of your labor, innovation, and talent.

If that were the case, the richer guy would feel the pinch too, but it is not the case. If tax evasiion would be fought efficiently, taxes on those whom can not hide from the IRS, could be reduced severally. Its also a fact that public services and public education in America is severally underfunded. Crony capitalism is rampant in other countries too, but other countries are not home to the companies which posted record profits very recently.

How do you know that they are not? I'm one of the "the evil one percent" and my taxes have gone up quite a bit this year. Being that I am self employed, I'm getting a double whammy. The upper tax brackets pay the majority of the income tax already.

Public education underfunded? We spend the most money, per student, of any education system in the world with the worse results. The truth is that the majority of our tax money is wasted.

reply to post by NavyDoc


I can't speak for others but unless you are a Wall Street banker or a multi-millionaire several times over then you are not the problem.

There is "rich people" and then there is "RICH PEOPLE" - the latter are the problem.

ETA: But you are right about education, the problem is not with the funding.

reply to post by Hoosierdaddy71


I complain about all of them and don't forget idiot sports figures. The wrong people are running this world, that's for sure....

NavyDoc

Merinda

NavyDoc

Willtell
What baffles me is this.
I have always wondered, if people on forums, talk shows, etc., who always seem so worried about the taxes of rich people, whether they themselves are rich.

If not, then what is the mentality of people who worry about the taxes the rich pay?

Do you look back in history and grieve over the taxes paid by Caesar and Marie Antoinette?

Just wondering…

Simple. Because the "tax the undeserving rich" is simply a smoke and mirrors excuse to raise taxes and increase control over everyone. TPTB need the class warfare angle to get the sheep to agree with an ever expanding and more controlling government under the guise of "fairness." It works because, no matter who you are (Bill Gates aside) there is always going to be someone "richer" than you and that's the guy they want you to envy and "stick it to" because it is "unfair."

A logical person understands that true economic freedom only exists when everyone is economically free. When we defend "the EVIL one percent," we are not "defending the rich" but rather everyone's economic freedom. And no, economic freedom does not mean handouts or artificially mandated "living wages" but true freedom to pursue your economic dreams and to keep the products of your labor, innovation, and talent.

If that were the case, the richer guy would feel the pinch too, but it is not the case. If tax evasiion would be fought efficiently, taxes on those whom can not hide from the IRS, could be reduced severally. Its also a fact that public services and public education in America is severally underfunded. Crony capitalism is rampant in other countries too, but other countries are not home to the companies which posted record profits very recently.

How do you know that they are not? I'm one of the "the evil one percent" and my taxes have gone up quite a bit this year. Being that I am self employed, I'm getting a double whammy. The upper tax brackets pay the majority of the income tax already.

Public education underfunded? We spend the most money, per student, of any education system in the world with the worse results. The truth is that the majority of our tax money is wasted.

I agree with you completely. Taxes have bit me in the butt too.
And the schools are not under funded. The reason they produce so many stupid kids is that the parents of those kids tend to be stupid. If a school could expel the 3% of trouble makers from the classroom the schools would improve greatly. One kid can disrupt the whole class. Only we can't do that because of PC crap. And heaven forbid we separate the kids by their abilities, my kid can't be in remedial math!

reply to post by Hoosierdaddy71


the fault of the parents, you say?

you mean the ones that were raised in the raygun era of "who cares about you, i got mine"?

stormson
reply to post by Hoosierdaddy71

 

the fault of the parents, you say?

you mean the ones that were raised in the raygun era of "who cares about you, i got mine"?

I was raised in the "raygun" era, and i was raised to care for others and give to charities. But I was also raised to believe you live with the choices you make. people today do not take responsibility for their behavior. Somebody else is at fault. They can't balance a checkbook. Dont discipline their children. Can't understand why their kid is stuck in right field. So yes! Parents are very much to blame for their children.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


I quite like you x

It's just neocons makes me really mad, and I get all into myself and selfish and start to stop loving people...

Please stop putting the twat on a pedestal... for me?

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Well, just to add something to the chat about Reagan and not just spout off with the muck slinging (again I got heated... I love you Wrabbit), I shall admit that I am a believer in the notion that there is a shadow government, most likely still based in the city, and consequently all politicians and diplomats and made men are actors on their behalf (if perhaps just fed with missinformation) .

When you say that leaders should 'stand up to their convictions' that's all well and good. But it is quite clear to me that the conviction to skew the playing field towards the benefit of those with the most is no great conviction at all. Government should support the little guys (that's you, me and everyone else on ATS - I very much doubt that trillionairs hang out here), as the rich and powerful will always look after themselves.

In terms of his efforts with the supposed 'cold war', I would finally admit that my belief is (in line with my propensity to believe in puppetry, as divulged above) the whole stand off was an act to keep us, The People, cowed, frozen ridged and buggered. No man with real convictions such as to foster cooperation and the spirit of humanity within their people would ever make it into power, unless those convictions were well concealed.

It's really simple, the collective government's in America made over 16 Trillion last year via investment (Not shown in the general budget, but in the CAFR) and took in about 6 Trillion in taxes which is shown in the general budget. Likewise the American people after taxes took in 5 Trillion in income!

The money is hidden in plain sight, and no one wants to learn about it. Walter and I had a chat the other day about what's up now, and what he sees coming which he targets 2015 for the collapse given current indicators. Walter has an elegant plan that could get rid of all taxation in every form throughout the country by utilizing the already existing system of our investment managers within the government. It's called the TRF fund, learn more watching this trailer:



Or the full movie:



He also told me about his views on gold which he wrote and has given me permission to repost:

SO YOU WANT A GOLD BACKED CURRENCY - THE 50-YEAR PLAN IS COMING TO A CLOSE..

by Walter Burien - CAFR1.com
Thursday, 24-Nov-2011


People seem to forget that the dollar’s barter exchange value has been circulated for decades and hundreds of trillions of dollars worth of products and commodities have changed hands through the use of dollars every decade. The fact that the dollar is “just” an exchange barter tool since 1963 (the date when they pulled the coinage in circulation taking the silver and gold out of the public's hands) has not changed.

Does anyone think the massive expansion of the economy would have taken place using gold as the barter tool over the same time period?

Individual’s assets in 1955 were rather sparse and bare compared to the individual’s assets today. Inflation has taken root over the last 20 years due to the spiral of run-away growth and the effect of greed and unethical oppertunity applied from and due to the boom periods where cash flowed as king and as time went by he who could cheat the other guy first walked with the kingdom of the booty. (within government expansion the before mentioned was done quite well)

The ethical and honest were pushed to the shadows to be ignored and the greedy opportunists walked with the booty and became the power base who now called the shots.

Per gold, what we are seeing at this time is the culmination of the “50 year plan” . People in general are not too bright. The public owns percentage wise very little gold. In 1963 / 64 when we went off the gold and silver standard, the 50 year plan began. The commercial banks; large international families; and a few countries started the focus and organized effort to buy all of the gold each and every year. Hundreds of tones per month as they manipulated to keep the price low.

Come 1999 they were very successful in their focus and plan. I would estimate their stockpile of gold increased by over 20,000 tons AND they did so right up until 2000 getting the gold at an average price of $134 to $175 per oz.

When looking at gold the parties mentioned above would own over 80% of the physical gold and the general population less than10%. Independent commercial interests the rest.

Well, it does not matter if you own all the gold in the world, if you can not unload it in barter for other commodities or property the value is nil.

So, here we go with 2001 and the stage is set and the play begins. Circumstances are forced to create fear; the sky is falling; economic doom and gloom come 2008; the propaganda begins to condition many with Parrot sound-bite conditioning to belittle the dollar and “gold is what is needed as the barter tool with ever increasing fever”.

Again, the general public is not too bright. Those commercial banks; large international families; and a few countries with gold hovering in the $1600 to $1800 per oz pricing are standing on a potential profit of over 1000%. They can not sell tens of thousands of tons of gold, the gold they own, that 90% of what is held by them on the open market or gold would plummet down to $10 per oz over-night, possibly to $5 per oz.

The volume of actual “physical” gold sales taking place at these levels over the last year is very light compared to what has been stockpiled by the cartel.

What you will see take place over the next two years is the promotion by the cartel to make the public believe “it is essential to have a gold backed currency”. The parrots will be saturated with sound-bites to Parrot away screaming and demanding a gold backed currency. **International Circumstances will be created to bring the fear level to the brink.**

Then in 2014 or possibly 2013, the Powers-That-be, will say: We have heard your cries and we must in good consciousness yield to your demands, so here is your gold backed currency… Bait; Hooked; landed; and fried.

** Now the cartel will have the liquidity ** to unload what they have stockpiled for 50-years as the country obtains the physical gold to back the currency… 1000%+ profit locked in and the public now becomes the bag-holder.

After the conversion is complete and the horde unloaded, then the collapse in gold prices begins (2015-16), with the true and real collapse of the dollar now taking place backed by the quickly diminishing value of gold.

The 50-year plan is complete. The wealth transfer accomplished for the cartel, and the public will be screaming and looking at who to point the finger of blame upon.

The only one to blame in reality will be themselves for so easily being masterfully entertained by Bait; Hooked; landed; and fried.

Break the conditioning! Look at “who” owns all of the gold. That old adage: “He who owns all of the gold makes the rules” applies and believe me, you DO NOT WANT them making the rules.

But then suicide is on the rise now a day…

Sincerely,

Walter Burien – CAFR1
EX Commodity Trading Advisor (CTA) or 14 years (1978 - 1992) and commodity futures trader of 33 years.

The article can be found here.

toolgal462
reply to post by NavyDoc

 

I can't speak for others but unless you are a Wall Street banker or a multi-millionaire several times over then you are not the problem.

There is "rich people" and then there is "RICH PEOPLE" - the latter are the problem.

ETA: But you are right about education, the problem is not with the funding.

edit on 11-10-2013 by toolgal462 because: (no reason given)

However, the class warfare, the demand for high taxes, the increased regulation and restriction, the increase on inheritance taxes, the suggested raiding of investment and retirement accounts all pile on people like me, not the "uber rich." The rhetoric is against the Bill Gates of the world, but the actions always end up against the high wage earners, working men and women. The ultra ultra rich will always make certain that they have their protection. It is the professionals and small business owners that get stuck with the bill. George Soros and John Kerry could give up their massive wealth tomorrow if they wanted to, but they don't and won't. They want me and people like me to fund their schemes. "Wealth for me but not for thee" is the motto of the limousine liberal.

reply to post by LoneGunMan

....The loss of the middle class began with Reagan....

No it actually begain in 1913 when the European Bankers FINALLY got control of US banking. The president who really booted it along was FDR when he confiscated the personal gold of Americans and gave it to the FED who then gave it to foreign banks. The Great American Disaster: How Much Gold Remains In Fort Knox?

Not only did FDR steal our gold he also grabbed power from the people and states and gave it to the Federal government.

The most critical act was the 'New' translation of the Commerce Clause.

The Commerce Clause: Route to Omnipotent Government

...After President Roosevelt threatened to pack the Court to dilute the influence of the uncooperative “nine old men,” a majority of the justices took to the most expansive definition of the commerce clause like a drunk to drink. The Court blessed the secretary of agriculture’s power to set minimum prices for milk sold intrastate . “The marketing of intrastate milk,” wrote the Court in the 1942 Wrightwood Dairy case, “which competes with that shipped interstate would tend seriously to break down price regulation of the latter.” Yes, so? What was the Court’s point? Only that nothing — especially not liberty — should be permitted to get in the way of the national government’s power to regulate the economy....

Enter Roscoe Filburn, an Ohio dairy and poultry farmer, who raised a small quantity of winter wheat — some to sell, some to feed his livestock, and some to consume. In 1940, under authority of the Agricultural Adjustment Act, the central government told Mr. Filburn that for the next year he would be limited to planting 11 acres of wheat and harvesting 20 bushels per acre. He harvested 12 acres over his allotment for consumption on his own property. When the government fined him, Mr. Filburn refused to pay.

Wickard v. Filburn got to the Supreme Court, and in 1942, the justices unanimously ruled against the farmer. The government claimed that if Mr. Filburn grew wheat for his own use, he would not be buying it — and that affected interstate commerce. It also argued that if the price of wheat rose, which is what the government wanted, Mr. Filburn might be tempted to sell his surplus wheat in the interstate market, thwarting the government’s objective. The Supreme Court bought it.

The Court’s opinion must be quoted to be believed:

[The wheat] supplies a need of the man who grew it which would otherwise be reflected by purchases in the open market. Home-grown wheat in this sense competes with wheat in commerce.

As Epstein commented, “Could anyone say with a straight face that the consumption of home-grown wheat is ‘commerce among the several states?’” For good measure, the Court justified the obvious sacrifice of Mr. Filburn’s freedom and interests to the unnamed farmers being protected:

It is of the essence of regulation that it lays a restraining hand on the self-interest of the regulated and that advantages from the regulation commonly fall to others.

After Wickard , everything is mere detail.... Under this maximum commerce power, the government has been free to regulate nearly everything, including a restaurant owner’s bigotry. The Court has held that if Congress sees a connection to interstate commerce, it is not its role to second guess.

This means with the new Food Safety Law the US Government can now REGULATE YOUR GARDEN! And no I am not kidding.

Trojan Horse Law: The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009
... DeLauro's own bill includes a broad jurisdictional provision that creates a presumption that home gardens do affect interstate commerce. Section 406 of the bill reads as follows: “PRESUMPTION. In any action to enforce the requirements of the food safety law, the connection with interstate commerce required for jurisdiction shall be presumed to exist.”...

ori Robertson of FactCheck.org, who is not a lawyer (she has a B.A. in advertising), claims the bill doesn’t apply to “that tomato plant in your backyard.” As a lawyer, I am skeptical of this claim (I co-represented the prevailing defendant in the last successful constitutional challenge to federal regulation under the interstate commerce clause, United States v. Morrison (2000), one of only two cases in 70 years in which a challenge was successful). Congress's power under the Constitution's Commerce Clause is almost unlimited in the eyes of the courts, and thus can reach the "tomato plant in your backyard."....

So when the SWAT team shows up and bashes down your door, shoots your dog cowering in the corner and holds a gun to your head for hours, you can thank FDR.
“Oh, God, I thought they were going to shoot me next” Local law enforcement's often using SWAT teams to do regular police work. The results are frightening -- and deadly

And no I am not kidding about your garden:
The police raid of a small organic farm in Arlington, Texas, which lasted for more than 10 hours and included aerial surveillance and a SWAT team, resulted in a confiscation of vegetables and plants... The raid resulted in all adults being handcuffed and the residents held inside at gunpoint for at least half an hour... "They destroyed everything,”

reply to post by NavyDoc

...However, the class warfare, the demand for high taxes, the increased regulation and restriction, the increase on inheritance taxes, the suggested raiding of investment and retirement accounts all pile on people like me, not the "uber rich." The rhetoric is against the Bill Gates of the world, but the actions always end up against the high wage earners....

Yes, that is what I was trying to say in an earlier comment. Taxes are not on the Elite but on WAGE EARNERS. You would not be working if you were independently wealthy now would you?