So I'm in a situation now where through some good career moves over the past few years I've paid my house off. I'm now taking the excess income and investing it in the stock market. I also started a side business. The net effect of all this is that my effective tax rate is now lower than when I had to struggle to make ends meet.

While I'm not going to volunteer to send extra money to the government (just as warren Buffet doesn't), I don't see the wisdom in a system that is skewed to help those that are already successful. Why should I pay a lower rate now that I have money to spare?

I realize that your linked article is not about people in my situation. I'm also not trying to set you up for an arguement. I just want your opinion, because I'm guessing that you feel my new tax situation to be entirely justified (while I don't). The discrepancy between capital gains rate and income rate just seems weird to me.

Also regarding your article: I don't think it is right that lots of people pay no income taxes, but I also don't think it's right that the super wealthy pay a lower effective rate than me. But given the fact that they do pay a lower rate, do you think it should be increased along with a reform to have more americans at lower income levels actually pay into the system?