Quote Originally Posted by Adam Strange View Post
While I'm on the subject, I think the best features of the US are those that reflect the philosophy of building a society that you'd want to live in, if you didn't know where you would be in that society.

We could hew closer to that line by eliminating all inheritance. If your kids could not inherit, you might be more interested in improving the public schools and the health care system. You might also be more interested in allowing people to rise on merit, and on improving opportunities for people, rather than trying to pass laws that basically say, "I've got mine, fuck you."

Eliminating all inheritance was one of the things discussed by the framers of the Constitution, but since some of them were among the richest people in North America, that got set aside. In the recent past, (1940's-1970's) when the US was most productive and income equality was highest, inheritance taxes and taxes on the rich were higher than they are today, and economic growth and opportunity were also extremely high. But then, a Republican renamed inheritance taxes "Death taxes", taxes have been steadily reduced on the rich, and we find ourselves where we are now.
This reply is so LIE-Te it brings tears my eyes