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>In the end, output gets distributed across society one way or another. If the 1% acts unopposed, quickly they take down society, and themselves, because they actually believe that beggars are wearing fabulous Emperor's Clothes and feasting on Emperor's Cake. If the "bleed the rich" prevail, "Atlas Shrugged" is to be expected though in a less dramatic fashion - the capable either coast or are punished by the empowered plodders for stepping out of line. A happy medium is to be sought in which the rich do not need to apologize (though who actually said they should unless they are trust fund wastrels) and nor do the poor. Of course deadbeats always will be deadbeats and Gordon Gekkos always will be Gordon Gekkos, but we all know that caricatures and slogans are not proofs.

I don't think the problem is so much the "deadbeats" as you say - it's the actions of the government that encourage it. I won't pin all of it on our current president - the trend started several presidents ago and is getting worse.