who think we can't pay for social programs, or that it would be unconscionable to tax the wealthiest any more, is that they simply haven't a clue how huge the gap is between ever the upper 10% and and the rest of us, particularly the lower 50%. And that as you move up in that upper 10%, the gaps in wealth and income get larger and larger.
Plus, of course, it's true that if you live in a very high cost-of-living place like NYC or Los Angeles or San Francisco, the cost of housing in such places means the rest of your salary doesn't go as far as it would in Dubuque or Hattiesburg. But that cost-of-living difference often makes people in the expensive cities feel put upon, and those in a low cost of living place think they're idiots for living where they do. Neither attitude gets to the heart of the problem, which is whether or not higher income people should pay more in taxes.
I happen to think they should.
I also think corporations shouldn't ever get away with paying no taxes. Nor should they be able to move jobs out of this country without some sort of repercussions.
If we're going to have a minimum wage, maybe there should be a maximum wage, or at least limits on how great a multiple of the lowest worker in the company a CEO should make. And no loopholes. Nothing that ultimately enriches him, such as stock options or a company car, should be excluded from that calculation.
Of course, I'm also genuinely horrified that cities let themselves be held hostage by major sports teams and grant them major tax concessions even if the local schools are badly funded or the roads are deteriorating.
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