[Phil] Work Smarter, Not Harder

Scrooge McDuck had it right.  The phrase from Christ, "The Poor will always be with you," recognizes human nature.  Even in a post scarcity utopia, there will still be an economy.  And where there is an economy, there will the rich.  Since democracy is the likely form of most future governments until the state can directly control thought (and desires to do so), then the rich will always, or at least generally always have more influence than everyone else.

Granted, I can't see any future society worth a damn tolerating the level of stratification we have now.  A second gilded age should be all we need...if we have a third we're morons as a species.  But if the rich, and the rich influencing democracy are inevitables...how can we turn a liability (the rampant corruption of our current legislature) into an asset?  Because even in direct democracy, I assure you, there will be flaws in the system, and they will find someone to bribe.  Bribery means corruption.  Corruption means greater stratification.  Stratification means instability...which means war.

How to fix?

Two fold.

1) Change the paradigm by which prosperity is thought of, to what it actual is.  GNP per capita doesn't mean crap.  Inflation reduces its value as a barometer over time.  And in cases of psychotic stratification, you might think that 50,000 per year sounds like a lot right?  Bullshit.  Real people are hurting.  You know it.  I know it.  Change the value of the economy to Real GNP Growth for the Median 80% Per Capita, call it the Prosperity index.  Real GNP means adjusted for inflation, so you can measure good years vs bad years a century ago.  Growth per capita means how much money did you take home?  80% means the middle class in a nice safe hedge...the vast majority of folks.  In other words, regular folks with regular pay checks, how much more did they see in their pockets?

2) Set the highest income tax bracket and adjust it to the prosperity index.  In other words, if the economy does well, so does Draco Malfoy the trustfund baby. Draco isn't going to waste money bribing congress if he can get lower taxes by making jobs.  Do you realize how much money was wasted bribing congress?  How about that money creating good paying jobs.

Tie all the crazy schemes of Draco and Lucius to get rich to how rich the rest of us get.

Watch our economy bloom.  Simple.  And I guarantee it would work.