Honor their request

The pandemic has made a shambles not only of California’s economy but of the entire world’s economy. It looks bad and it is bad, not only for the state of our economy but our emotional state as well. But most people will get through this time, eventually – battered, but not beaten. Nothing can undo the personal losses we’ve suffered, but there are financial resources to get our economies back on their feet, if we choose to use them.

For America, the impetus comes from the “Patriotic Millionaires.” The group first came together in 2010 to demand an end to the Bush tax cuts for millionaires. This group acknowledges what the wealthy have known for some time: free market capitalism as it has been practiced in the US. is responsible for the continued increase in wealth inequality. Morris Pearl, who chairs the group states flatly, “the current system is unsustainable.” Their mission statement includes these points: all citizens should enjoy political power equal to that enjoyed by millionaires; all citizens who work full time should be able to afford their basic needs and tax receipts from millionaires, billionaires and corporations should make up a greater proportion of federal tax receipts.

You can see more at https://patrioticmillionaires.org/about/.

Of course, the wealthy are not all of one accord. Paying more taxes may be a bitter pill to swallow, but the wealthy aren’t stupid either; they know it’s the right thing to do.

Globally, there’s a group who title themselves “Millionaires for Humanity.” Their concern is specifically the world’s economic recovery from the pandemic. To that end, they said in an open letter: “Today, we, the undersigned millionaires, ask our governments to raise taxes on people like us. Immediately. Substantially. Permanently.” 

You can see more at https://www.huffpost.com/entry/millionaires-for-humanity-higher-taxes-covid-19_n_5f0d289ec5b648c301eea400.

I think we should honor these requests.