John Stossel, defending monopolies on The Daily Show: "Bill Gates got rich giving us software we wanted." There were other preposterous statements, but this one flabbergasted me so much that I forgot the rest.
Ah, yes, I see my question was a little awkward. Of course we need to fund the programs we like and it *is* right to tax the rich to help us do so.
Of course, the wealthiest people are the ones who need government-funded programs like social security, medicare, public schools, public transit, etc etc the absolute least. So why should they pay to help other people, they say?
Actually, I think the very wealthy need these programs dearly. Having an uneducated public ruins the whole economy. As for transportationg, well, private transportation could probably work too... there would obviously be price discrimination to allow the poor to continue to use it. Either way, after we cover the worst off and increase the betterment of everyone (funding education, for example), I think the arguments to take from the wealthy become less convincing. (You could argue for economic justice, but I myself am not convinced by that.)
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Re: But he's right about the Microsoft thing...
Actually, I think the very wealthy need these programs dearly. Having an uneducated public ruins the whole economy. As for transportationg, well, private transportation could probably work too... there would obviously be price discrimination to allow the poor to continue to use it. Either way, after we cover the worst off and increase the betterment of everyone (funding education, for example), I think the arguments to take from the wealthy become less convincing. (You could argue for economic justice, but I myself am not convinced by that.)