Why Tax The Rich?

       It's funny what you can learn if you do a little research. Like for instance inequality of wealth. Did you know, because I didn't, that on October 28, 1785, James Madison received a letter from Thomas Jefferson that said "another means of lessoning the inequality of property is to exempt all below a certain point, and to tax the higher portion of property in geometrical progression as they rise."
       In other words, only tax the rich and the more they have the higher they're taxed. That's what our founding fathers thought. But we've pretty much stood that idea on it's head. We tax the middle class and give better tax breaks to the rich. As for the poor, they don't have anything to tax. Ya see, they understood "the disproportionate political influence the rich could buy with 'their' money."
       Then back  in 1811 Jefferson wrote to Thaddeus Kosciusko saying that, because the only tax was on imports, that "The rich alone employ imported articles, and on these alone, the whole taxes of the General government are levied." Again, it was obvious that the need to tax the rich was necessary to keep a fair balance`and not allow the rich to unduly influence the government, something the Supreme Court has allowed to happen in it's Citizen's United decision.
       Another point the author of the article made, in Daily Kos, is the biblical point that we should render unto Caesar that which is his. The rich didn't print that money. It isn't really theirs, just as it isn't mine. You, and I, get to keep what the government says we can keep. Keeping the government small is a fine idea, but we do want a big enough government to make sure that we're all safe and all treated fairly. I think we all want that. That is, unless you've got a ton of money and want to buy some of the government. Then I suppose you want to keep more of what you earn so you can make those purchases.
       And let me say, again, Trickle Down policies don't work. Rich folks are more interested in fixing the leaks in their moneybags than allowing any of that wealth to trickle down. They like it if you think it's gonna work, but you have a better chance of winning the big lottery. In fact you have a better chance of winning that lottery without even buying a ticket then having anything trickle down to you.