>>>I make money the old fashioned way: I work long hours and I care about quality of my product and support. Others can do the same and not wait for Obama to distribute what I earn.
>>>
>>>I couldn't agree with you more. Socialism aspires to the highest common factor, but results in the lowest common denominator. If you take from each according to his (or her) ability and give to each according to his (or her) need, all you do is create a society of needy people.
>>
>>You are all acting like this is a new concept. Our income tax system has been progressive from the beginning.
>>
>>BTW, that quotation is from Karl Marx, so wouldn't it be a description of communism, not socialism?
>
>Firstly, our income tax system has not been 'progressive' from the beginning, at least not in the way it is progressive now, It got more and more progressive each year, getting to grotesque situation when more people get 'tax refunds' without paying any taxes. Would you claim that this is was the initial design?
>Secondly, Marx & Co. supplied two definitions: one for communism, another for socialism. Ironically, your side clung to the communist definition that was correctly shown in Marcia message.

You are completely wrong about progressive income taxes. There have always been higher tax rates on the top incomes, and it used to be a much bigger gap than it is now. The chart in this Wikipedia chart clearly shows this. See the chart in the section titled "History of progressivity in federal income tax."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_tax_in_the_United_States