I know that most of the eight people who are on this elite list very probably "deserve" what they have amassed, and I am surely not suggesting they don't.
But when we hear Warren Buffet himself allude that things are severely 'skewed', when he pays considerably less income tax (percentage-wise) than his hired help pays, I think we should pay attention to how things got this way, and "fix it". Right. How is that done?
What especially troubles me is how and why all the "loopholes" in our tax laws (etc.) have been allowed to get so far out of control, and for so long. And, who has 'benefited' (for 'questionable' practices, etc.) for pushing through certain legislation or policies which have contributed to things becoming so out of balance?
I can't deny that it "stings" a little to realize our 'leaders' have somehow burdened those of the largest numbers (but with least ability to pay), with so much of the cost of keeping the nation going.
I can't deny that it "irritates" me to know our systems have become so flawed and so deceptive as they have. Transparency has not been one of our best attributes.
Without proper 'checks and balances' in our "hallowed halls of government", and without real and adequate considerations for the "99 percent", how are the 'little-people' supposed to even have 'half-a-chance'?
On a more positive note, it is encouraging to know that many wealthy folks (currently, five of the eight wealthiest, and many others) have pledged to give back in big ways...through The Giving Pledge, begun by Bill Gates and Warren Buffet in 2010. (Ref. also: http://givingpledge.org/).
So, it's clear that some of these folks do understand the disparity is severely skewed, and that the current tax laws and other economic rules really are not for the 'little people'.
And, these eight people (and many of their 'peers') probably have not actually sought out any "special treatment" on their own. I suspect they are well-distant of day-to-day lobbying and 'schmoozing' with political leaders.
More likely, the things that have become so 'skewed' are the results of more wide-spread (and, perhaps even 'sinister' in some cases?) goings-on in smaller clusters, and sometimes (allegedly) using 'suspicious' methodologies (example: "robo-signings" of foreclosure documentation?)...by some of our most "distinguished" and most "trusted" institutions, corporations, and other 'interested person(hood)s'.
Will our new President, Donald Trump, bring some balance to our skewed systems?
I recall hearing him (during one of their 'debates') tell Hillary Clinton she had 30 (or was it 35?) years to change things (but did not), that could have precluded his alleged 'capability of not paying income taxes'.
So, maybe he is planning some real "de-skewing", so the 'little people' can finally get what they deserve, and so President Trump can fulfill more of his campaign promises, too, y'know?
Just sayin'...
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