Why have we made it possible, especially in recent years, to continue favoring the wealthy with our financial laws? The wealth spread grows wider and wider. Have we come to believe the wealthy are smarter, harder working and more worthy than we? Do we really believe the wealthy, with money to burn, will create jobs. They continually remind us they are the job creators and have our financial interests at heart.
Past actions, however, speak much louder than words.
They claim to use our work efforts to make more money to share with us and others. There are wealthy people, such as Warren Buffett, who will to do that; they don't live lives of arrogant, splendiferous spending. Such spending is outlandish to most of us in the lower income brackets -- expensive art pieces, larger yachts with a plane on the back deck, more vacation homes in numerous countries where they spend a few days yearly. There are so many trophies for the wealthy, we can't list them all in this limited space.
Such personal spending becomes a mark of distinction to be able to spend more than other wealthy fold. "One-ups-man-ship" we'd probably call it, but it never seems to stop if you have the money and that inclination.
Evidently, they will have no deity on earth more revered and honored than money. There can be none, more royal than they.
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But, with all these job creation, money sharing proclivities, why has the minimum wage stagnated for less fortunate workers? How about the top brackets who are not willing to pay a fair share of progressive taxes? Why use banks in foreign locations known for hiding their wealth, evading taxes and demonstrating their brilliancy?
Their trophies plus an exceedingly expanding investment portfolio is evidence so grandly displayed. Why is it never, never, enough?
Have I been exaggerating? Maybe, I'm understating the growing inequality in our caring nation, known for its great wealth and generosity.
We cite in moral speeches and comments such as all men are created equal -- all for one and one for all.
Where is it shown that wealthy saving and spending is helping the poorer working folk who helped them gain their wealth? They should be promoting progressivity so the lower economic end gets fairer treatment, but they continue to bribe legislators for subsidies, lower taxes and tax gimmicks the most talented tax revisionist, expensive tax accountants can obtain.
Historically, religions were lords and masters. They explained questions to the satisfaction of most. Today religion is less worshipped. Then came monarchies with years of kings and queens who were granted idolatry. Today, wealth has come to be the idol. Why else would the bottom 1 percent people with limited funds spend their hard-earned money gambling for wealth. Those options do provide the remote opportunity of becoming one of the wealthy. Smaller rewards are available with much greater odds for winning, but too many people of the 1 percent are going for the big money and voting for their best interest.
Why else would poor hard working people vote for the political party receiving the most re-election bribe money and thus maintain this inequality? There has been little recent evidence to show that the tide is turning.
Bernie Hughes, Ed.D, is a retired educator who resides in Superior. He can be reached at bernie3024@
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