Gene:

You have heard of Arianna Huffington, correct?

Well, last year, she made almost a million dollars in TV and speaking fees and salaries, and it was reported that she paid less than $800 in taxes by the time the entire list of deductions were taken.

The original question you posited was "what is considered rich, where does that begin" or words to that effect.

And here is the ultimate mind blower:

None of the taxes you or I pay (or anyone else here for that matter) to the IRS, goes to actually running the country. This is absolutely true!

There are three rather simple solutions to this whole mess:

1) Public financing of campaigns, with a strictly enforced cap.

2) Outlaw all forms of lobbying on Capitol Hill. (Not just soft money)

3) Institute a flat tax of no greater than 12% for everyone, taken out as a deduction, dollar for dollar, out of everyone's paycheck.

Also, remember David Baerwald's own thoughts concerning this matter, in his song about The Octopus:

"We got government by ignorance, lots of lobbies in a line Stick-twirling painclerks out punching in their time Dread-damaged Democrats dangling for a dime And paid-for paperboys that keep the public blind."

That says it better than I ever could.

Later in that same song, David issues the battle cry:

"The time is right for pure dissent . . ."

Just know this:

By the free exchange of ideas here on the DBIS, you and everyone else are going through the realization that much of our politics are staged lies.

~ Mason