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by JoshTriplett 3938 days ago
> How about a ceiling as well? What's an equitable spread?

In no possible way up to you to decide, thankfully.

It's one thing to say "nobody should go hungry or live on the street"; we could argue about the most efficient way to go about achieving that, but it's not an unreasonable statement. It's quite another thing to say "you're not allowed to be too successful or we'll steal it from you".
1 comments
criddell 3938 days ago
It isn't up to me to decide, but as a participant in our democracy, I have a say just like you.

> you're not allowed to be too successful or we'll steal it from you

Well, maybe there wouldn't be a hard ceiling, but I could see the revival of the 90% tax bracket for big earners.

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JoshTriplett 3938 days ago
> Well, maybe there wouldn't be a hard ceiling, but I could see the revival of the 90% tax bracket for big earners.

That's a very entitled, might-makes-right point of view; what gives you the right to do so, other than getting a mob together with enough might?

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criddell 3938 days ago
Again, I have only one vote, just like you. I don't think I have any particular right when it comes to setting policy.

But, if radical redistribution of wealth is wanted by voters, then the population can enact laws to make it happen.

I have no doubt that automation on a scale beyond what most people think is possible (and maybe desirable) is coming. Today, any talk of basic income in the US isn't going to go anywhere. However, at some point enough people are going to be out of work that they will be a big enough voting block that politicians will start restructuring the economy to make those voters happy. I'm not sure I see any other possible outcome.

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