- Obama speaks to congress about the rich needing to pay their fair share.
As expected by many, Obama’s job speech last night consisted of recycled rhetoric and finger pointing. One of the key phrases he uses is:
The rich need to pay their fair share.
The ambiguity of this statement is astounding. Clarity is needed, not Ambiguity. As G. K. Chesterton said, “Evil always takes advantage of ambiguity.”
So the questions are:
Who are “the rich”?
“Rich” and “Poor” are arbitrarily defined by the government. President Obama picked a number $250,000. If you make that much or more in a given calendar year, you’re rich.
“Poor” is also arbitrarily defined. I recently heard a reporter say that one out of seven Americans is “poor.” I don’t think the reporter was lying, but they are speaking according to whatever income dollar amount the federal government picked to define the poverty level.
There’s nothing to stop the government from saying that the “rich” are those who make a million dollars per year or those who make more than $40,000 per year. Likewise, there’s nothing to stop the government to adjust the numbers to show that 50% of Americans live in poverty.
The terms are meaningless. They are only used in order to create angst between American citizens and to create a class warfare of classes that the government arbitrarily picks to pit against each other for the benefit of the politicians in power.
What is a person’s “fair share”?
The consequence of falling into the group that Obama calls “the rich” is that you are to be despised by all other Americans. You are wronging all Americans by not paying your “fair share.” The problems that citizens experience are your fault.
What is the fair share of the rich? Let’s take a look at some numbers
The richest half of tax payers have 100% of the taxes. The less wealthy 50% pay nothing – in fact, they have net gain from the government, usually through social programs where the taxes paid by the 50% that pay is paid to them through welfare, social security, etc. Is it fair that only half of the country pays taxes?
The richest 5%, those who made over $160,000, paid 59% of the taxes. 5% of people paid more than half the taxes in America.
It’s startling to look at the numbers and and realize the president thinks the top 5% paying about 60% of the total tax revenue is not their fair share. If they have to pay more to pay their fair share, how much would the top 5% have to pay?
Tomorrow: Tax Cuts for the Rich.
