I certainly agree with progressive taxation, and that Mark owes a lot to his upbringing, and that luck plays a role. I was reacting to the claim that wealthy people have "undue influence on public spending." They should have outsized influence based on their outsized success.

I find it hard to argue that you owe anyone else in the U.S. because everyone receives similar benefits. Mark didn't receive "extra" benefits above and beyond any other U.S. citizen. In fact, the richer you are the less you benefit typically.

So then it would be just as likely that a Mark should emerge from a poor third world country, right?

When I was younger I had the naive opinion that my successes were my own doing. As I got older my opinion changed. Yes, I had something to do with it, absolutely. But a lot of it was being the right person in the right place at the right time.

There is a reason that I log in as luckydude.

I did not say his successes were his own doing. I was only commenting on the fact that it was implied he "owes" taxpayers. Sure he may owe a lot to other people, but to taxpayers in general? not so much in my opinion.

One would hope the rich receive less benefits. You don't owe it directly to the tax payers, you owe it to your country as a whole. Again money does not come from nothing(well sort of, but what it represents lol). To think money you earn is money you deserve is very entitled and inaccurate.

Mark did receive extra benefits, he came from a family that was at the very least middle class or even at the very least American. This put him at a greater advantage then most of the rest of the country/world, an advantage he never earned from hard-work. It was just luck.

How is that "fair", well its not and the world is not "fair". That's why we have taxes, with the hopes they preform some for of wealth redistribution. Sadly wealth redistribution in the US is frowned upon and often not very well done.

One would hope the rich receive less benefits. You don't owe it directly to the tax payers, you owe it to your country as a whole. Again money does not come from nothing(well sort of, but what it represents lol). To think money you earn is money you deserve is very entitled and inaccurate.

Mark did receive extra benefits, he came from a family that was at the very least middle class or even at the very least American. This put him at a greater advantage then most of the rest of the country/world, an advantage he never earned from hard-work. It was just luck.

How is that "fair", well its not and the world is not "fair". That's why we have taxes, with the hopes they preform some for of wealth redistribution. Sadly wealth redistribution in the US is frowned upon and often not very well done.