The fact that an individual can accumulate that kind of wealth while another individual can work three jobs and barely live is an indication of some fundamental

The fact that an individual can accumulate that kind of wealth while another individual can work three jobs and barely live is an indication of some fundamental imbalance. I'm glad you used Warren Buffet as an example. He has made a point to illustrate how he pays a significantly lower effective tax rate than his secretary. Oversimplifying, it is because his income isn't labeled "income" - it is gains from investments. His secretary, however, has "income". the two are taxed much differently. That example alone shows how the wealthiest are taxed at a lower rate than at least the middle class. And very much simplifying the equation, you can see how two people with different tax rates would see their wealth increased at different rates. But the really fundamental problem is not taxation of individuals. It is: - monetary policies which have allowed one group to create money and keep it amongst themselves - loosening of rules regarding corporations and their employees which allow companies to pay less and provide less benefits now than they did when the Baby Boomers and their parents grew up - globalization, which has allowed a small few to take labor and resources from distant lands and profit (at the expense of the people in those distant lands) You've let a bit slip with the "alcoholic parents" phrase. Wouldn't it be convenient if we could explain why poor people who grow up in a slum have few opportunities just because their parents were alcoholics? It doesn't work like that. Without doing research, I would bet that alcoholism is as high or higher amongst the wealthier class than the poorest class. How about higher education? How has that changed in the last few decades? Student debt? Have starting salaries increased in line with cost of education? No, absolutely not. The value proposition for higher education has diminished significantly, but the requirement of having a college degree has increased. There's so much more going on than most people notice.