[Superman]

Sammy's example makes sense, and would be a fitting illustration of what would likely happen if a nation tried to have a "capitalist" economy where income is seized and redistributed absolutely evenly. One might expect the capitalists to give up. Like the A students. However.....

Pure socialism does not exist anywhere on my planet. The example is a caricaturization. Capitalism in fact appears to be on the rise lately. Certainly for the third of the world's population who live in China and India. And it's on the rise for good reason. Even folks who are considered commie pinko subversive socialist fruitcakes, like me, believe in capitalism. Capitalism is good.

The dishonesty comes in when folks point at caricaturizations in an attempt to convince readers that the most financially successful Americans would pack up their toys and refuse to play the capitalism game if the tax loopholes went away. Financial success right now gets you two things. It gets you higher income, and it gets you a lower effective tax rate. The dishonesty is in suggesting that if everyone's effective tax rate were the same, the rich would no longer have desire to achieve financial success.

Horse cookies. Leopards don't change their spots. It would be just as sensible to argue that a higher tax rate for financially successful Americans would increase their commercial efforts. Steep hills are more challenging. More fun.

This thread should be in PARF though, where folks can espouse all manner of fantasy.