To Save Science, We Must Tax Billionaires Out of Existence

Actually, to save anything good in America and the world, we must tax billionaires out of existence, but why not start with science.

Down with Tyranny:

American billionaires pay virtually no taxes in relation to the amount of wealth they have accumulated. We usually read about it-- if ever-- in regard to the unconscionable and growing wealth back in our country. Income inequality is starting to come up, albeit just barely, as a topic of discussion among political elites. But this weekend, the NY Times pointed to another consequence: the privatization of scientific research. William Broad wrote that "American science, long a source of national power and pride, is increasingly becoming a private enterprise." President Obama may brag about the role of government in inventing the Internet, developing life-saving drugs and putting a man on the moon, but "[i]n Washington, budget cuts have left the nation’s research complex reeling. Labs are closing. Scientists are being laid off. Projects are being put on the shelf, especially in the risky, freewheeling realm of basic research. Yet from Silicon Valley to Wall Street, science philanthropy is hot, as many of the richest Americans seek to reinvent themselves as patrons of social progress through science research."

Read the whole thing.