Stephen King has written an article about American politics and tax (keep reading!) for The Daily Beast... and he does a better job cutting through the bullshit than most political commentators or journalists. It's called:
Stephen King: Tax Me, for F@%&’s Sake!
Now I'm not American (I've never even been there) but it seems many of the attitudes King describes are becoming common over here too; the recent cutting of the top-tax rate by Cameron and Osborne is proof of that ("we're all in this together" surprisingly proved to be utter horse piss) as well as the opening of the NHS up for profit; the fawning over the Murdoch empire even as it topples; the lack of regulation or censure on the bankers who caused this bloody mess in the first place...
Etcetera, etcetera.
So anyway, this piece struck a chord with me; and it's nice to know an author who's had much of my money over the years isn't a total prick, but in fact seems grounded and self-aware enough to realise luck and society as well as his own (formidable) talent got him where he is today.
Some choice King quotes from the article:
"I don’t want you to apologize for being rich; I want you to acknowledge that in America, we all should have to pay our fair share."
"That it’s not fair to ask the middle class to assume a disproportionate amount of the tax burden. Not fair? It’s un-fucking-American is what it is."
But really, read the whole thing.
