Taxation is punishment? Does a tax bill leave the rich in poverty and struggling and impact their health? Of course not. You punish regular people by not taxing the rich. That's how that works. Idiot.
Yeah, my dad too! He also worked for the Royal Mail, latterly, Parcel Force (1960s-1990s). He worked his butt off and managed to buy a house, run a car, raise a family, and afford a family holiday a year, all from his average salary.
Something which is impossible today.
Terms like 'punishing' are very damaging in this context. The super rich are literally (sometimes) sitting on their cash, amassing more like it's a game they are addicted to. You can't become a billionaire without being selfish and stepping on someone. That should never go 'unpunished'.
I love seeing old rich assholes get history and life lessons from younger adults. It’s fucking beautiful when the old people need to shut the fuck up and listen to the younger ones because they’re all fucked in the goddamn head.
It's funny, years ago I never thought I could run a country. I then saw successive Tory leaders and knew I could. I would just have people around me who know their fields and could advise me properly. Gary would be my Chancellor of the Exchequer. 🙂
I feel like, people need to understand that the difference between a billionaire and a millionaire, is the same as between a millionaire and a guy with 1000 pounds.
people going on the defense 'cause they're doing alright and they assume you are coming to take their money.
Great job on Piers. The only thing is that this was the rich's plan since the 70s. Lewis Powell wrote a memo to the chamber of commerce to enact a corporate takeover US government and was rewarded with a seat on the Supreme Court. Elon is now intentionally rigging the rules to increase his wealth.
Loads of us on the outside could see this would happen from when the fat orange shitgibbon was president last time round but apathy and inertia are terrible for democracy, not to mention mElon skum vote rigging.
Dems MUST listen to this guy and bring his message to the US. Why is inequality wrong? Because it's the reason you and your kids can't afford to buy a house. It's destroying the economy.
This is what people who blame immigrants and DEI for their financial woes need to hear - and they will listen.
This is the double-edged sword of a couple of generations of economic success and upward mobility - the people who benefited from it move economically into the crosshairs of significant taxation so vote against. They internalise it as self interest but in reality it’s raising the drawbridge.
Ah, not a reader then?
Never mind lovie, you live in that little box of yours and ignore where the billions, that the super rich have, actually came from.
Good grief!
I wasn’t ignoring them, it just wasn’t what I was talking about in my tiny post, and I believe strongly in heavy taxation of the rich and corporations.
You wouldn’t talk to people like that in person (I hope). Have a word with yourself.
At this awful time I would - if I thought it made much difference.
I just recieved a Farage party leaflet for my local council - please, will my local Farage supporters not do this to us!
I'll go sit on the naughty step now - sorry for fast unthinking response 🙂
Goodness don’t worry about it, thanks for your civil response and please accept my apology for being rather spiky in my own tone.
We’re all on the same side!
I keep telling boomers this. They believe what they believe because they grew up during a period of UNPRECEDENTED (this is hard to over-emphasize) peace, prosperity, and economic growth.
Especially if they're from the US where Europe was devastated post-WW2.
Why are the emerging uber-ruling class so determined to undermine and destroy our hard fought for democratic systems?
They know that the collective expression of the will of the people is now the ONLY threat left to their continued power and dominance. Therefore they will do anything to crush it.
Great stuff Gary - this is so powerful. Notice how PM trotted out the Stephen Pinker stuff .. I'd say thats not a defence of capitalsim but a defence of the scientific method. Rubin attempts only to tap into peoples contempt for govt of all types - the same old populist chanting. Congrats ✊❤️
I've long reckoned it's like a small thing I did a while back and as appears below...
I think Piers has spent way too much time insulated among the first group I describe here. But Gary is Good People and refuses to play parlour games. And long may he play, I for one thank him for playing it HARD.
Surely if there was a time for a wealth tax, now is the time with the needed uplift in defence spending. The wealthiest were taxed significantly more than they are now in and after WW2. When the country and most people have no more money, it needs to come from those that have it, the richest!
💯 but public trust in a bigger state is low - as @graceblakeley.bsky.social explains so who will start the cultural
shift? It has to be the current power brokers between us & the wealthy.
“Massively punishing rich people by massively taxing them.”
Did he actually say that?
Tax isn’t a punishment. It’s an acknowledgement that you want to be a member of a civilised society that allows for people to own their own home, heat that home and feed the family that lives in it.
And yeah, that horseshit about taxes on people who have enormous wealth being "punishment" while working people living on the edge of poverty is "just how the world works". It works that way because it's rigged, and it can be re-made to work better.
He's absolutely right about the post-war boom in the US. Taxes on the wealthy and corporations were much higher, and structured to encourage investment in productive spending, not stock buy backs. DARPA and other gov't programs helped developed all that new tech, and organize its production.
Hi Gary - Love your views. A former Wall Streeter, I know the stealing of profits by CEOs & C-suite mgmt across every single industry. Compensation studies allowed HR to squander base salaries, bonuses, stocks, equities, perks, discounts, free heal'care for free at the cost of employees livelihood.
The top 12 or 20 executives made all the money through their bonus schemes and comp incentives. HR is fully aware of how US mgmt stole trillions of money from payroll & 401K for 30yrs now. It was disgusting to watch them get paid to be lazy wine & dine criminals stealing profits from each other.
This government could easily bring in higher taxation for the mega wealthy and corporations that avoid their dues under the defence budget increase
which would shut down the howls of opposition from moneyed tories and deform cretins as it would be unpatriotic not to defend our country.
@Gary
If you were a billionaire wanting to hold on to your wealth you'd prefer to have Gary Stevenson working in a soup kitchen than on TV trying to help reduce inequality this way.
That's how I'd answer the charity question.
Great work putting him in his place, Gary. This claim taxes are somehow a "punishment" or might put people off becoming wealthy and successful is such a transparent excuse from people who are benefiting from the status quo.
Comments
Something which is impossible today.
people going on the defense 'cause they're doing alright and they assume you are coming to take their money.
It's not about you!
https://go.bsky.app/6dCw92a
This is what people who blame immigrants and DEI for their financial woes need to hear - and they will listen.
Never mind lovie, you live in that little box of yours and ignore where the billions, that the super rich have, actually came from.
Good grief!
You wouldn’t talk to people like that in person (I hope). Have a word with yourself.
I just recieved a Farage party leaflet for my local council - please, will my local Farage supporters not do this to us!
I'll go sit on the naughty step now - sorry for fast unthinking response 🙂
We’re all on the same side!
Keep healthy 🙂
Especially if they're from the US where Europe was devastated post-WW2.
They know that the collective expression of the will of the people is now the ONLY threat left to their continued power and dominance. Therefore they will do anything to crush it.
I think Piers has spent way too much time insulated among the first group I describe here. But Gary is Good People and refuses to play parlour games. And long may he play, I for one thank him for playing it HARD.
shift? It has to be the current power brokers between us & the wealthy.
And who are they?
Answer: The top 10%
Their attitudes matter.
Dude rocks 🤙
Did he actually say that?
Tax isn’t a punishment. It’s an acknowledgement that you want to be a member of a civilised society that allows for people to own their own home, heat that home and feed the family that lives in it.
which would shut down the howls of opposition from moneyed tories and deform cretins as it would be unpatriotic not to defend our country.
If you were a billionaire wanting to hold on to your wealth you'd prefer to have Gary Stevenson working in a soup kitchen than on TV trying to help reduce inequality this way.
That's how I'd answer the charity question.
"You lived through it mate"