It’s a familiar line, one that we are taught from childhood. It
sparked the revolution and brought about a democratic sea change that
would eventually span the globe.
But it’s more than that. Real democracy can’t exist without
representation, and it can’t exist without a robust progressive tax
system. otherwise we end up with a walmart democracy. sure the price
is cheap but the product is crap and the workers are starving. we get
what we pay for, and low tax rates mean shitty policies.
Robust, progressive taxes. those 2 words are important. taxes are the
last safegaurd, the bit of leverage that means companies can pay their
workers shit if they like, but the workers will get back services from
the government like healthcare and eduction funded by the taxes the
company and their bosses pay. it incentivises higher wages so that fat
cats can offset some of their own tax burden. it makes politicians
more responsive to the people, because the people have paid for
quality.

—
The trouble with being poor is that it takes up all of your time.
Willem de Kooning