The only thing the government owes all it's citizens is an equal opportunity to succeed.   It is completely up to the individual whether they do or not.   In a capitalistic society, some will succeed and some with fail.   That has produced the greatest collective wealth in the history of the world.

Bobert- I looked up numbers you requested.   The top 1% of wage earners in 2005 made over $295,495.   (is that more or less than the collective income of people who responded to this post?)   They make 16.8% of the total income in this country and pay 34.3% of taxes.   (Based on 2005 IRS numbers) TAX THE POOR.

Ron: Last year I did 51 seminars to over 5,500 people.   This year I have already done 11 seminars to around 1,000 people and have another one next week and one in March.   This included training all the United Way 211 phone operators (two sessions)UAW Canton (300 people), Senator Basham energy town hall, 300 empoyees of Budco in Downtown Detroit, and Southeast Michigan Community Agency in Taylor among others.   

I also did an hour TV show called "Welfare Rights" with activist Maureen Taylor on the Detroit Public Tv station for 80,000 listeners.   (I also did an interview for All Things Considered on renewable energy- Michigan Only)   Next week I have another senators town hall meeting in downtown Detoit.   I know all the major players for the low income groups in Detroit and spend a lot of time with them.   At many events I am the lone or near lone white person in the room.   90% of my speaking engagements are referrals or requests from other people who hear me speak.   I always stay for the whole meeting and discussions afterwards (as opposed to hit and run speakers who make a speech and immediately leave)   Don't tell me I don't understand what is going on in the city of Detroit.    I hang out with THAW (the heat and warmth fund) United Way, Human Services, and other low income leaders.   I help thousands of low income people a year.   How many do you help?