Is this a time of pause between episodes of American commercial wealth-creation, as David Brooks wrote today in his Times OpEd The Commercial Republic, or is it a time of fundamental transition in American ideology, from individual wealth creation by commercial capitalism to a more broad-based, socially-equitable, environmentally sustainable prosperity? I am hoping for the latter and working toward that transition.
It is time to change tax policies in ways that change economic incentives and thus the direction of investment and commercial activity, environmental quality and the quality of life and urban experience.
We are living with the consequences of personal wealth-creation tax policies that are dangerously close to bringing abut the collapse of the very systems upon which wealth creation depends.
The widely-admired Swiss public rail transit system is a good example of taxation policies that distribute wealth more equitably. An enlightening sixteen-page pdf comparison of the Swiss and American public transit programs is available here. It is a stark comparison.
Urs Ziswiler, Switzerland’s Ambassador to the U.S. summed up the underlying requirement, saying “Public transportation only works with strong public commitment.” Such widespread commitment has not yet emerged in the U.S., but a groundswell is building.
