Artful Dodger: You are right, motivation for doing more than most of us are willing to do would fly right out the window. The only reason some people work hard to make their business grow is because it's possible for them to make their business grow. I don't have that kind of drive, but I've done okay working for people like that.

Taking away the incentive for getting ahead is the best way I can think of to kill anyones motivation for getting ahead. I've known guys who refused to work because they didn't want to pay alimony or child support. If some dead beat dads refuse to work because they won't see all the money they earn, then what makes socialists think killing any incentive to work is such a good idea?

I've never been rich or owned my own business, and I've never been hired to work for someone who wasn't in a position to pay me. Actually, I did work for someone like that once. I got talked into working for a short time for someone who couldn't afford to pay me, so as you can imagine that job didn't last very long. He was paying me with stories and explanations and promises, but I can't buy groceries with nothing but a mouthful of words, so it had to end.

The idea that it's not fair for some people to have more than others is nonsense. Not everyone is willing to do what it takes to get ahead. What is not fair is to reward non productivity and penalize productivity. When that happens then everyone suffers, even the people who put themselves in the position to gain the most.. you can't gain much when there is much less being produced to gain.