General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Bill Maher's excellent and sobering commentary on the wealth gap [View all]hfojvt
(37,573 posts)they get it. They command it, but that does not mean they earn it.
Only Maher can do what he does?
Bunk.
There are tens of thousands of people who can do what Maher does.
If those rich people didn't get to keep their millions then
"Otherwise people wouldn't take a risk"
That is speculation. You think if Maher only got to keep $1 million out of the $5 million a year that he "earns" that he would choose instead to be a bus-boy or a realtor?
Well, even if he did, it would not be a great loss to humanity. Nor would it be a huge loss if Payton Manning decided to drive truck instead of throw a leather ball around or if Bill Self chose to do plumbing instead of win Big 12 championships and choke in the big dance.
More to the point though. Was nobody making movies or playing basketball back when the top tax rate was 70% for Federal taxes? According to your theory they would not have bothered to take those risks unless they could siphon away huge amounts of money from the public. Why did Mark Twain bother to write his books when he could not become as rich as JK Rowling?
Also, if Maher only keeps $1 million of the $5 million that he scams from the public, he is still not making the same salary as a bus-boy.
At least not in my town.
At that rate, Maher would still be richer than most people, and I will bet he could get by on a mere million a year - somehow, if he really scrimps and only buys one new car a month or something.