Nice article. The middle class is undoubtedly "being hollowed out" by tax systems that have been delivering unearned economic rents of land and natural resources (some 50% of the economy) to the 1%.

To what extent are the economic boffins in the USA and Europe trying to address this ruinous pathology? Not at all. It's much too hard. The easier options, neither of which can possibly work, are creating more US debt to solve its problem of excessive debt [!], or wearing a European hair shirt. How higher taxes and less dollars in the hands of the Irish, Greeks, etc., will ever resurrect their economies is quite beyond me.

We've come to a crossroads, and capturing more coal and iron mining rent for Australians, and less arbitrary taxation on doers, as recommended by Ken Henry's panel has been a very small step in the right direction.

[Deleted for abuse.]

I thought that this forum had strict rules about flaming and verbally abusing the authors that are featured on this forum.
Surely the comment by DavidL fits into this category.

Duffy Duck,

OLO does an exellent job in letting us know every opinion if we like it or not.

What is there to be miserable about, we are doing just fine, arn't we. It is out of mine or your control, so be happy.

Daffy D. - I'm not the moderator but I would have thought David L.'s comments boarderline acceptable, albeit unhelpful.

What can be said is that Ness's article is long on generalisations but short on specifics. He wants to change a system that has stood us in reasonably good stead for many decades, without saying what it should be changed into, or how we can even begin to go about it.

Financial self interest is a very powerful force in the universe. To persuade people that really they shouldn't be concerned with improving their financial lot is akin to telling them that they should reject their mothers. Before we even begin to take writers like Hess seriously, they should start proposing proper solutions.. whatever they may be..