I'm not advocating it. How about increasing the capital gains tax to that of normal income? It might be a lot more effective than a wealth tax and might generate a lot more revenue.
How much money do you think the government wastes? How much inefficiency do you think there is? Ever work with a government agency?
A wealth tax
needs to happen. Not just because of the economic disparity it causes and the fact that it is a major reason why poverty is so rampant in this country (which effects everyone, negatively), but because the extremely wealthy hold far too much authority, social power, sway, and ultimately are able to get away with white collar (and sometimes) regular crime far too easily. Our government regulations on who can influence what and to what effect is far too weak, and because the government is filled with far too many people that bow to it in one way or another. We can't change our politicans quickly enough, so its regulation that needs to change. Overturn citizens united is one of the first major things that needs to happen. Lobbying as a practice needs to either be heavily regulated and monitored with significant public transparency, or be abolished entirely. While it would be great if current politicans were honest and responsible, too few aren't, either by ignorance or authoritarian values. Unless stuff changes changes, nothing in politics will globally change.
You also seem to come from the standpoint that governance and government can't change. Our current system is broken because it relies far too heavily on hand-shake style agreements and rules. So much in government is archaic and maintained simply because it's a tradition and been done for decades or centuries, without any consideration into modern contexts with how much more we know. It's currently largely an honor system when it comes to influence, and it's far too easily exploited. If we simply changed our economic style from trickle down to bubble up (just an example) with the current legal systems and people we have, the corruption would simply shift from the private sphere to the public sphere. If we want trickle down economics to work, we would need wide sweeping regulatory oversight over all kinds of organizations that in current form would be crippled. So, to answer your question, there is a shitton of archaic inefficiency and waste, so it needs to change significantly. Republicans won't do it because the current party is fascist, democrats won't do it as a bulk because they simply like to maintain the illusion of function (and a large portion of the party is firmly right wing, which opposes regulation) and cling far too strongly to tradition and very slow change (which opens them up to GOP exploitation). However, there is an increasing number of democrats who actually have identified the problems we face and will work to overhaul our government over the ensuing years and generations. In order for them to do that, the opaque money and corporate interests need to be taken out of politics.
One of my largest concerns with bernie if he wins is if the private sphere covertly tanks everything in protest; "if I can't have my way... then
no one can have their way!". Corporations have a vested interest in keeping the economic system as it currently is, and emotional immaturity is RIFE at the C-suite level. At this point though, we have no choice but to try. If just for the fact that him and Warren are the only people we got at the moment to actually make the needed changes. I should be clear, I like them for a lot of reasons, but I don't think either of them will acomplish nearly as much as they claim to aim for. Despite supporting him, I find the rabid fandom of him to be nauseating at times, but I also sour to fandom in general. These things will take years and generations of persistence, and it's going to be bumpy for a while, but at this point we have to.
Also, we all need to be realistic. There IS going to be an economic downswing, the quality of life for a lot of people is going to have to take a hit, but it's certiainly not going to send people into ruin as we change. We're pretty much at peak global productivity and growth. It can't go on forever, particularly now that climate change needs to be dealt with. All of us are going to have to make a sacrifice in some way or another, but those who are at the bottom need support, because if they fall any further it means misery or death.
And yes,
all of us have worked with government agencies in adulthood. A lot of them suck, but they can be improved. I'd rather deal with that though instead of corporate overloads.
