Hatred for the Rich?

A friend of mine posted:

Still trying to wrap my head around this growing disdain and hate for the rich. Our economy is based 100% on people starting businesses, thus creating jobs. Small business, big business, it doesn't matter. They create jobs. Our great experiment in self governance was based on people from all walks of life given the ability and opportunity to pursue their dream and break free of the chains Monarchs imposed on them for thousands of years.

It's really very simple... more businesses = more jobs = more tax revenue for the states and the federal government. With more people working, you can lower their taxes without comprising tax revenue.

The Federal government creates NOTHING. It is a parasite. Always has been, always will be and that is why the founders severely limited its function in the Constitution. It needs to get out of the way and let mankind do its thing. It needs to let businesses conduct business without oppressive taxes and regulations. It needs to let those who have the courage and fortitude to strike out on their own to pursue their passions because those people are the ones that drive our economy. Without them, there would be no jobs. It's a delicate system that is being destroyed by class warfare.

But he was wrong, here's why:

It's not a hatred of those who make money, or those who have money, but those who ABUSE money. Nobody begrudges someone who has worked hard and deserves what they have made nor their contributions to the nation, should they make them.

But here's the failing:

"It's really very simple... more businesses = more jobs = more tax revenue for the states and the federal government. With more people working, you can lower their taxes without comprising tax revenue."

That isn't happening anymore. The rich have used various loopholes in the tax and legal system to avoid paying that fair share of tax revenue. They have used offshore accounts, capital gains declarations (even when they are revenue), and other accounting tricks to avoid paying. 

The second part of that is that they helped pass those laws by using their wealth to lobby (bribe, the real word) politicians to allow those loopholes or bypass processes. They gamed the system for their own good and bought the politicians to allow for it.

In the meantime they have been creating jobs, overseas, at the rate of millions while cutting them back drastically here. Either jobs here are outsourced or made part time to diminish the benefits to employees.

In the end all of the above put the burden on the working Americans who have to pay those taxes they aren't, can't pay politicians for their own breaks, and have to pay exorbitant health care because they can't get benefits.

This is why money must be pulled from politics. No lobbying, no payoffs, no perks, make it illegal for a politician to take a corporate job for a minimum of ten years and the same with corporate leaders. We have officers of Monsanto, Behr Sterns, Goldman Sacks who are currently running the very administrations that should be ensuring that those entities to not endanger the national economy or health.

That is why the rich are being hated. That and massive bonuses for failed banks and corporations, no penalties, where as you or I would be jailed in a heartbeat.

But let's be clear, I do not know anyone that begrudges someone who's worked hard for their money, who has done a good job their bonuses, it's the greedy thieves who have not worked hard but made their money off these tricks and scams, off the backs of others (look at what happened to the employees of the companies as compared to the officers when they failed) that raise people's anger. There are many wonderful, good, corporate leaders who have done their businesses and employees well, who embody the very ideals you're talking about, but it's the others, pretty much the 1% of the 1%, who have gone too far.

And then he said:

The term "Fair share" has always bewildered me. Who can truly determine what "fair share" is? You ask one million people what fair share is and you'll get one million different answers. Those who are in power to administer fair share can only do so from their own belief system. That in itself is far from fair.

But...

Nope, fair share is easy, it's those who don't want to pay it and those who protect not paying it that make it hard. 

For example, if I work 40 hours a week and get paid a salary I agreed to, that's fair. If a CEO works 30 hours a week and gets a salary he agreed to, that's fair. But if I pay 35% on taxes, can't have it declared something it isn't, would go to jail for trying, and the CEO pays 15% taxes he's declared capital gains, put the rest overseas so it won't be taxed, not go to jail for either, that's not fair.

You, and too many others, speak of a nirvana free market, but it is impossible and never really existed. What you are describing is a time when the government was not *controlled* by business but rather business and government worked together for the good of the nation and the profitability of the business. The Industrial Revolution changed that. Over time business realized it could buy government. Over the years they bought more of it to pass laws to buy even more of it until it reached the point we have today where they are so financially intermingled and business is so in control of government that the nation is failing.

The reason a free market can never work, the reason government must have some control over business, the reason there must never be money allowed into politics, and the reason our nation is screwed is one, single thing. Human greed.

Unless you have government bust oligopolies and monopolies you'll never have actual choices. Price fixing, speculation, the housing collapse, TARP, etc. all go back to one thing. A greedy, very powerful group of people who prey on the greedy wants of the politicians and make sure the laws go their way.

And the people will keep having Clintons, Obamas, Bushes, Romneys, etc. because they want the people divided on emotional issues so they can conquer and control and get richer. Just follow the money through history and politics. It's a road map to Corporatacracy...and we're almost there.