[codejack]

Do you believe in the simplistic notion that people who have wealth are entitled to keep it?

No; they are entitled to the benefit of it, but they also have a responsibility to their community. If there were such a thing as enlightened self-interest, it wouldn't matter, but we only have greed, so we need taxes.

[TankerKC]

If there were such a thing as enlightened self-interest, it wouldn't matter, but we only have greed, so we need taxes.

If greed is all we have, I’ll trust individual greed before I trust government greed. I don’t question the need for taxes to pay for essential services. I do question taxes as a means to “fairness” or as a punishment for success.