this post was submitted on 19 Jul 2025
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I propose a new rule: if you're American and wealthy, you don't get to talk about communism. At all.
I might make an exception for wealthy Americans with an education in politics or economics, or both.
I am a wealthy American (well, top 3%) and I'm a democratic socialist. I have no education in either. I'd be the first to increase taxes in my bracket to support Mamdani's ideas. I think you'd be surprised how many of us there are.
Also I hate it when people say "Democrats NEVER vote to increase their taxes, how do they plan to pay?!?". Yes, I do. I don't think money grows on trees.
But I also support your idea. Most people in my wealth bracket probably disagree with me. I'll lower my voice if those I think I'm trying to represent speak for themselves.
Another person around your bracket with degrees in philosophy and theology who somehow got sucked into a career in big biz. I'm happy to pay more taxes. And talk about socialism. I completely agree with you.
And where I live in the EU I'm already paying 49% of my income in taxes + 21% VAT on most goods. I'd still pay more if we needed it (even though, like most countries, what we really we need better taxes on the truly wealthy and corporations). Yeah I'm better off than most, but our Gini coefficient means most (although not everyone of course) does ok.
We have nice roads/public transit, good schools, great healthcare. The taxes I and people like me pay are why everyone can have nice things. If people didn't have nice things I'd be stand right beside them with the pitchforks and torches. I don't say that lightly; some of the protests I've attended in favor of taking in more asylum seekers have gotten nasty.
I pay about 30% income taxes without any write-offs. VAT is 8%. If we can get to even 40% and 15% for myself that would be a miraculous win. Thanks for protesting (rare here) and giving us hope and an example.
You guys (I used to be one of you guys before I immigrated long ago) have some serious structural problems that prevent effective protest.
I posted on Bsky that people in America should call a general strike and keep striking until things get better, but I know damn well that people are rightly very afraid to lose their jobs or be put in jail, even prison. And because your healthcare, mortgage/rent, even keeping your children, every damn thing is tied to being not-in jail/prison and making money, I understand why people don't get in the streets as much, the most recent, massive nation wide demonstrations - that the media barely covered - aside.
I like it (the emigration part)
If you got skilllzzz the place I live has a pretty sweet immigration deal. We have had three American families move into our little neighborhood in the last 18 months using it. DM me if you want to know more.