I've been jobless for about a year and a half now. For seven long, agonizing months, my husband was, too. Luckily, he managed to land a decent job with a slight income increase. We're not great by any means. We've suffered the loss of just about every asset--our savings, 401K house and car. We live still with no healthcare, no savings and looming debt. I see a Chapter 7 on the horizon...
Two years ago, our lives were very different. Our combined income was pretty substantial. We had a hefty pot of savings, could travel liberally if we wanted and afforded the "better" things in life. While we had no credit card debt and practiced living within our means, our means were pretty high. I started investing. I started to believe that I, too could be one of those rich people I worked with on "The Hill."
Slowly, I began to drink the koolaid of my coworkers, all who raked in over 6 figures. They told me that I was "wealthy" and needed to act like I was. I needed to abandon that rhetoric of "The middle class" and start to examine why the rich are so successful! Invest! Put your money in with "our guy" He will make you rich like US! I was starting to buy it.
Something kept nagging at me. These coworkers of mine, they seemed to have pretty easy jobs. A corporate overlord for the astroturf non profit I worked for sent us money every quarter. They dictated some policies and my coworkers turned it into various white papers, planted fake websites on the net, paid other astroturfs and organizations to carry the message, filter money to foreign entities...It was all very Abramoff. They flew in "business class" all over the world on these dimes in the name of simply talking at a few conventions. In they're spare time, they made indie movies, soaked in the sights and took awesome pictures.
I ran the Office. I commuted every day--for 20 hours a week. I hardly saw my family. I made sure they were all taken care of. When it came down to it, I worked very hard. I wanted in on their action. An essay monkey? I can do THAT! I told them. I had put in my time as an office worker. I could do what they do. I was smart and can take directions, I proved that. They couldn't even budget and often overspent. They missed stupid little things like negotiating certain contract rates for foreign business transactions, thus becoming slaves(and broke) to the rapid decline of the american dollar.( wasn't a part of that so They couldn't understand) I spoke, but no one listened. To them...I was less of a human being.
Was it because I lacked an MBA? Did I hold beliefs that were counter to their beliefs? was it because my education was less than traditional? I have no idea. More than likely, it was all of the above. I was asked to leave quietly--in the middle of the worse recession our generation has ever experienced. They smiled and said, "You'll be fine. You have savings, you have everything you need. Have a GREAT LIFE!"
They believed they didn't need to be taxed. In fact--they mostly believed that they worked hard and didn't DESERVE to be taxed. I did because I wasn't in their club. I was less of a human being to them and their subtle treatment was message enough. My middle class deductions don't cover what I will owe next year. Since I've lost my home and had to withdraw all my savings, I'll be forced into Bankruptcy because of all of it. I was never rich--and I never had a chance to be.
being Rich is almost all luck. You have to know the right people, the right connections, have the right education. The sheer demonstration of hard work and determination can only take you as far as a figure of authority willing--by their compassion--to recognize your hard work and give you a chance.
The rich have all the advantages that money brings to them. We have to hope that someone in their club can look past themselves and their own selfishness (that they mostly believe to be morally right) to give us a chance. Taxing them at a higher rate says, "Hey asshole, you can't find it in your heart to give a fuck, so here...i'm going to level the playing field just a bit. If your self entitled offspring got beat out by some inner city kid with a brain that was funded by your tax dollars, SO BE IT!" At least that inner city kid got a fucking CHANCE.