Letter: Wealth an illusion for many Americans

Friday, Feb. 17, 2006 | 12:30 p.m.

In Jeff Nation's apologist letter for the Bush tax cuts ("Nation's wealthy pays more than its share," Feb. 8), he points out that the top 5 percent of taxpayers pay about 30 percent of income taxes. What he fails to mention is that they own 60 percent of the nation's wealth.

Meanwhile, there are an estimated 500,000-800,000 homeless people; roughly one out of every six citizens has no health insurance, which is tantamount to saying they have no health care. (The United States is the only western industrialized nation without national health care.) There are millions living around the official poverty level, which is roughly $21,000 for a family of four; good industrial jobs are evaporating faster than sweat off a tourist walking the Strip in August; and the United States incarcerates a higher percentage of its own citizens than any other country in the world. No, we are not in Kansas anymore, Toto.

The Land of Oz has issued a new prescription drug program that is nothing short of a cruel joke, a cross between the old shell game and three-card monte. What's next? Door No. 1, door No. 2 and door No. 3? Tax cuts aside, the Wizard of Oz and too many flying congressmen are circling the poppy fields looking to abolish the inheritance ("death") tax.

Given the nature of the nation's distribution of wealth, the munchkins aren't going to benefit from that, relatively speaking. No, we are in dire need of constructive social programs, health care, vocational training and educational programs. That brings us back to the top 5 percent.

We live in a nation whose structure allows very few to own so much. Finally, to Jeff Nation's question, how much more in taxes could the top 5 percent pay? Quite a bit actually!

Mark Bennett, Las Vegas