Who Are The Moochers?

Mitt Romney claimed that 47% of American's are "moochers".  They are dependents of the state which they do not support with taxes.  He lost the election but he got almost half of the votes from a very divided society.  This article tells the other side of the story.  The growth in inequality in the US, and the decline in social mobility, is not an accident.  The state determines the rules of the game and the rules are being written by the very rich, who have also become dependent upon the state for a variety of subsidies.  It used to be a fairer game in the US and it is much fairer in many other rich countries.  This version of the story usually falls on deaf ears in America.  That is the nature of our division.  It is not surprising that the story is rejected by those who benefit from the game.  Many of them believe that they won a fair game, and that the moochers are just sore losers.  Unfortunately, many of the less well off agree with them.  They anticipate becoming one of the winners.  The rules of the game are invisible to them.

Everyone agrees that a society cannot be perfectly equal.  We are not equally gifted by nature and by nurture, and it is important to have an incentive system that encourages everyone to work hard and to invest in their future.  Everyone benefits when we have a fair game.  That is why it is important to understand the rules of the game and to make them more fair.  We have been going in the wrong direction.  Too many Americans have simply given up on the game.