>That is in ADDITION to the taxes that will be levied.

Or inflation will be used to reduce inequalities now that taxes have been made unacceptable by the rich (who wouldn't pay taxes). It's more a replacement than a sum.

Elected officials don't have much of a a choice when the economy goes to trash and the poor becoming poorer to a point where violence becomes a good solution for the poor to have some control over the economy (who should serve society and not the other way around).

> The REAL problem is that most americans don't have enough money saved to take care of themselves during hard times. Why might that be?

Because they already went through economic crises than got them near bankruptcy?