Re income taxes, we taxed the highest brackets at 70% in the 1970s, and then capped at 50% under Reagan. It is now 37% at top bracket. And we have tax laws to shelter income.

Re estate taxes, the estate tax exemption was $600k w/ estate tax rate up to 55% in the mid 1990s. Now it's almost $14million with a 40% rate.

Trusts were crafted to avoid all of the above and pass wealth to the children.

Our system is designed to protect personal wealth from taxation. Whether one supports or doesn't support our income tax and estate tax policies, the bottom line is that wealth accumulates over time. And once it crosses a line where the juice exceeds what wealthy people need, the rich get richer. The math becomes the math. Wealth becomes exponential.

Yet, it takes some wealth to start the magic. And the overwhelming percentage of households in America have never been in the game. They never had the quid to build real wealth. Life's demands -- bills, mortgage, tuition, insurance, medical, unexpected catastrophes -- made it impossible.