Always on the lookout for good commentary, I first ran across Richmond Talks Back a few weeks ago. The stated purpose of the blog is to “to periodically respond to and critique columns and editorials appearing in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.” It is written by Thad Williamson, a political scientist and assistant professor of leadership studies at the University of Richmond. Impressive is the fact that Dr. Williamson holds a masters in theology and a doctorate in political science.
While I don’t live in Richmond, I do occasionally read the Times-Dispatch online. But Dr. Williamson’s posts are not completely Richmond-centric. Take, for example, his post entitled Taxation and Fairness. While aimed at Barton Hinkle, Dr. Williamson takes on the issue of income taxes and lays out a well-researched argument.
The overall picture that emerges from Johnston’s work is that the political capacity of the super-rich to manipulate the tax system in their favor has increased in lockstep with the overall increase in economic inequality, with each trend reinforcing the other.
In a earlier post, he discusses Income Mobility and the Social Structure, concluding:
In short, if you are born in the poorest rung (decile) of American society, you are over 26 times more likely than someone born in the top rung to stay on that bottom rung as an adult. And if you’re born into the top rung, you’re over 53 times more likely to get there yourself as an adult that someone born on the lowest rung.
Head on over and check it out. Dr. Williamson’s blog is the latest addition to my blogroll.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
I’m not entirely sure I get the point. Certainly it is harder to go up than to go down. If one does work one’s way up, should he not be allowed to send one’s children to good schools? Should he not try to instill in his children the work ethic that got him to the top? Might not culture have something to do with it?
As for the income tax, and ways the rich legally evade them, he makes a very good argument for a National Sales Tax.