We have become a nation of entitled. I think this began with the creation of social security and the belief the government had to provide a national retirement system and safety net for the elderly. Shifting the burden of care from the family to the state. From there it was a simple leap to create social welfare for the unemployed and the unemployment compensation for those who’ve lost their jobs and are in temporary need. Each of these is arguably a good thing and something a socialist country does to maintain its hold on the people and legitimize its role.
When the nation is populated by young people earning a living and paying taxes the system can work, but as the workforce ages, and the ratio of those paying in to those drawing out decreases there is an inevitable tipping point where the system must fail. Couple this with a large segment of the population that has grown up believing they need not work or pay taxes and we accelerate towards that tipping point.
Tie in the social system that says if you don’t earn sufficient dollars you not only don’t pay taxes but the government owes you an earned income credit, how can we not believe we are entitled to whatever we want?
Finally, create a tax system that is so labyrinth in its rules and regulations that if you can afford a good accountant you need not pay any taxes. Once you accomplish this you have a financial system that mirrors the US.
If you made over $33,000.oo in 2008 you were in the top half of all wage earners in the US. This half of the population paid 97.3% of all the personnel income taxes collected. The other 50% paid the remaining 2.7% or collected from the top half, because they were entitled.
Somehow our elected representatives and senators see nothing wrong in this structure, and wonder aloud about the radical Tea Party movement.
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