I’m one of the 4% of Boy Scouts who have earned the Eagle rank.  I’m one of the 1% of persons with an INTJ personality type.  Ten percent of all persons, including me, are left-handed.  Fewer than 1% of Americans have a Ph.D.–count me among them.

I’m also one of the 99% of Americans who control half of the wealth in America.  The other half is controlled by the other 1%.

As one of the 99%, I pay a higher average income tax than those in the 1%, even though my assets are considerably lower.  If I made more of my income in capital gains (like the 1% do), then I would be eligible for enough tax breaks to pay a less percentage than many in the 99%.

My brothers and sisters among the 99% don’t blame the 1% for this tax discrepancy.  In fact, we are proud that we live in a country where it is possible to succeed financially.

But we do blame the Republican-controlled legislature for supporting tax policies that requires the poor to pay more to a government system that privileges the wealthy.

That’s why I will be supporting Democrats in the next election, and I encourage the rest of the 99% to do the same.

The 99% is perhaps the least-exclusive group to which I belong, but it’s also one of the most important.