We're not broke — we're being robbed

How the Tax Code Punishes Survivors and Rewards Billionaires

I wasn’t taught tax law growing up. I was taught survival.

I learned how to stretch a dollar and keep the lights on, all while being told that if I went to school and got a degree, I could buy a home and live comfortably. What I didn’t know was that the same system bleeding me dry was quietly bending over backwards for billionaires like Elon Musk.

When I fled domestic abuse with my children, I was met with red tape and rejection. Emergency housing assistance? “Unavailable.” Childcare subsidies? “Do not qualify.” Legal assistance? “Surpassed the income threshold.” Emergency help was a cruel joke — an endless loop of phone calls, recycled referrals, and hollow promises. I filled out the same forms, jumped through the same hoops, made the same desperate calls, only to be shut down again and again.

But somehow, in the same America where my wheelchair bound son, toddler and I were denied basic shelter, a billionaire was able to use stock — not cash, not income — as collateral to purchase a $44 billion company. And pay zero taxes on it.

Let that sink in.

This isn’t about envy. It’s about inequity.

The working class — especially mothers, especially survivors — are taxed at every turn.

We’re taxed when we earn.

We’re taxed when we spend.

We’re taxed when we save.

We’re even taxed when we die.

Meanwhile, the ultra-wealthy? They don’t earn wages. They own assets. And instead of selling those assets and paying taxes like the rest of us, they borrow against them — tax-free. That’s how Musk bought Twitter. That’s how Bezos and Zuckerberg build empires. That’s how the 1% stays rich without ever lifting a finger — or paying their fair share.

And Congress lets them.

Survivors like me can’t write off trauma.

We can’t claim our unpaid caregiving hours as “investments.”

We don’t have stock portfolios to borrow against.

What we have are broken systems, trauma responses, and the constant hustle to keep our families safe and seen.

We are told there’s “not enough” for housing, healthcare, or mental health support — but the truth is, we’re not broke. We’re being robbed.

What could America look like if the tax code prioritized people over profit?

If trauma-informed care was funded the way tax breaks are?

If caregiving and parenting disabled children came with the same incentives as capital gains?

If survivors were seen not as liabilities but as the frontline of resilience and resistance?

The American Dream wasn’t stolen — it was taxed, gatekept, and sold to the highest bidder.

And now, we’re rewriting the terms.

Call to Action:

If you believe every child deserves healthcare and quality education before hedge funds get loopholes — share this.

If you’re tired of being told “there’s no money” while Wall Street plays Monopoly with real lives — say something.

And if you’ve ever felt like you’re being punished for surviving, know this:

You’re not alone. You’re not broken. You’re awake.

Let’s burn down what’s broken — and build something worthy of our kids.