Toward a Moral Tax Code

“According to the Republicans and many of their supporters, allowing tax rates on upper incomes to rise would punish the rich for their success, taking away money that the rich have earned. But this argument suffers from two key flaws. One is that it fails to account for the power of luck. Almost by definition, people who are successful have benefited from some measure of good fortune. That fortune can take the form of obvious, material advantages—like access to advanced technology and good schools. Or it can take the form of more subtle, but still important, assets for moving forward in life–like good health or loving parents.”