valid concerns about power imbalance between the wealthy and the poor when it gets too out of whack, though the US has always had some seriously wealthy people. However, it isn't just money - things like campaign finance reform are needed to limit contributions to super pacs as well as disclosure of donors for non profits (where foreign money may also be hiding - see the NRA for a recent example).

Regarding taxes, IMO, there is a lot of room for dramatically increasing the income and/or capital gains tax rates at the very highest levels, but I obviously haven't done the math. I agree that taxing wealth would be a huge change in philosophy and probably is not possible. However, I find it funny that people complain about the rich being taxed unfairly, and that is true if you look at it from an income tax as % of income. However if you look at it either with including payroll taxes and/or as a percent of wealth, you get a very different picture.