Win Ben Stein's Money?

I liked the show Win Ben Stein's Money, then in 2004 I saw Ben Stein cheering on Bu$h's reelection on some cable news show and got turned off on Stein. This morning, I was shocked when I read that Stein is now calling for the rich to pay their fair share in a NY Times article entitled "You're Rich. Terrific. Now Pay Up."

But if they are superrich, they derive special benefits from life in the United States that the nonrich don't. For one thing, they can make the money in a safe environment, which is not true for the rich in many countries. It is just common decency that they should pay much higher income taxes than they do. Taxes for the rich are lower than they have been since at least World War II — that is to say, in 60 years.

This makes no sense in a world at war, in a nation with so many unmet social needs, in a nation with so many people without health care, in a nation running immense and endless deficits.

America is becoming a nation of many rich people. I recently read that there were close to 10 million millionaire households. I read that there were hundreds of thousands who made more than $1 million a year. Good for them.

But it's unlovely for them to pay as little tax as they now pay. The real problem in this country is only temporarily about oil. That will right itself, or we'll get used to it and adjust.

The real problem is saving a nation that is beset by terrorism, and we cannot do that unless we feel that we are all in the same boat, pulling at the oars together. That includes the rich.

Whatever rationale there may have been in 2001 for lowering their taxes is long gone. It's time for them — us, because it includes me — to pay their (our) share.

It's not about oil. It's about fairness.

It is good to see some Republicans coming to their senses. There are some things in this world that are more evil than taxes. It is time to start investing in our future once again.