Taxes

Time for the Wealthy to Pony Up

We have a colossal mess and we need a colossal sacrifice to fix it.

Personal Photo

When I was young, I was much more conservative than I am now. I believed strongly in capitalism and would have reacted angrily to any suggestion of “socialized” medicine. While not totally against welfare programs, I felt that only the hopelessly stupid or desperately ill needed such help — anyone else was just lazy. I was against high taxes and didn’t think graduated income tax was fair to the wealthy. I would have made a good Republican on the fiscal side, though I didn’t like their positions on individual rights even then.

“Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has not heart; and any man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains.” — Sir Winston Churchill

Contrary to Sir Winston’s opinions, I’ve become less conservative as I aged. Today I think we need more social safety nets, far higher taxes on the rich, and I believe we need “socialized” medical care.

My wife commented on this transformation of my ideals and asked why I have changed so much. I thought about it for a minute and answered that actually, I haven’t changed that much — what has changed is this country.