In my honest opinion, that's what the Debt crisis is about. We have a two class system where some people have a lot of money and are above the law, while everyone else supports the system.
The social security tax is a regressive tax. It applies only to the first $106,800 of annual income. Above that, it doesn't exist.
The federal income tax, on the other hand, is theoretically progressive. That is, it not only applies to all income, but the tax rate increases with higher levels of income.
If we could run the country on just SS taxes, the effective tax rate for upper income "taxpayers" would be a flat rate of $4,485.60 per year for employees, plus $6,621.60 for employers. Self employed people pay both sides, of course, but you see my point. Low pay employees are taxed at 10.4 percent or less, but higher paid employees have a tax rate that rapidly approaches zero.
Oddly enough, the people who want to cut or eliminate the social security system, medicare and medicaid don't talk about reducing the taxes that support them--just the benefits. It's those OTHER taxes that need to be cut. The progressive ones. Just those.
I can think of a lot of other ways rich people are above the law these days. It's easy if you can buy politicians, pay lawyers, own the news media, and fly in private planes.
It's not just the money, it's the principle--the principle that rich people are above the law. And don't forget it, if you know what's good for you.
