04-04-2013, 05:49 PM
Ted King wrote: I think we liberals need to look at the root of the problem - why is our economic system distributing so much wealth to so few hands in the first place? Our economic system should be able to provide anyone who works hard with sufficient living conditions without needing a lot of government assistance. I'm wondering how can we jigger the economic system to accomplish that since I am convinced that that approach is far superior to having the government do more and more taxation to provide for the poor when the system should distribute sufficient resources to them in the first place as they do their work.
I think the answer to that is clear. Significant changes that have been made to cause income disparity are largely based on reduced controls on undue influence through lobbying and campaign contributions, reduced controls on predatory business practices in the financial sector, and shipping US jobs to low cost labor pools in impoverished countries. These factors include: recognition of corporations and individuals; removal of controls on campaign contributions especially PACs and SuperPACs; repeal of Glass-Stegall; refusal of the government to pursue the malefactors in the financial meltdown due to fear of losing campaign money; outsourcing; and enabling of offshore tax havens. None of these things are of any benefit to the citizenry as a whole. They have all come about since the 1970s and many of them need to be put back the way they were.