Pollster: Americans Are Pre-Revolutionary

[Leta]

All that is perfectly true... BUT if we increased the marginal top tax rate for the top 0.5% richest Americans, we'd raise 700 TRILLION dollars over ten years.

So little ol' liberal me, I'd slash everything but birth control funding and train funding, but that alone won't balance the budget, (even if we cut my pets, too), especially if we don't double down on defense spending- and all we'd need to do there is to cut the Pentagon's budget to the levels that Bob Gates recommends. We have to raise revenue (ie, taxes) if we are ever going to pay the debt down.

Point blank, I think that the rich should have to pay more. Class warrior that I am...

 

[Icu4dzs]

All that is perfectly true... BUT if we increased the marginal top tax rate for the top 0.5% richest Americans, we'd raise 700 TRILLION dollars over ten years.

So little ol' liberal me, I'd slash everything but birth control funding and train funding, but that alone won't balance the budget, (even if we cut my pets, too), especially if we don't double down on defense spending- and all we'd need to do there is to cut the Pentagon's budget to the levels that Bob Gates recommends. We have to raise revenue (ie, taxes) if we are ever going to pay the debt down.

Point blank, I think that the rich should have to pay more. Class warrior that I am...

The Marxist's agree with you. Others of us may have some other ideas.

Besides, what is your definition of the 0.5% richest? Is there some reason your tax rate should be lower than theirs simply because you make less? Everyone should PAY their taxes, I agree but to say that because someone makes more than you do they should pay more than you percentage wise is not reasonable. Can they afford more than you and me? Of course, but then did they work harder or smarter than you or me? WEll, I don't know, but to say they should pay MORE than we do is a little draconian. I say they should PAY their taxes, PERIOD.

Guys like Timothy Geithner for instance. How come so many folks in the current administration are tax evaders? How come so many who were selected for service in this administration were DIS-invited because of tax nonpayment? Daschle comes to mind here. Hmmm perhaps we need to know more about the people who say they are administering our government. Are THEY rich?l Why not write to them and ask them why they don't pay THEIR taxes first? Then tell them they should pay MORE taxes. See what they say in response. I'll bet they don't even write back!

Then start in on the folks who don't pay their taxes, at all. But don't tell me folks who make more should pay more than what you and I have to pay. Sorry, that dog won't hunt!

You must not know the story about the college professor who gave everyone a "F" for his course. Find it and read it. If you take the incentive away from folks, you will destroy what has made us successful. Nope, that won't work. If you work hard and you get a lot of money, that is what can happen in this country. But you don't punish folks like that because you don't make that kind of money.



Trim sends
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[sunsaver]

Why should the poorest of Americans pay 30% of their income in taxes, while the 2% of millionaires and billionaires living in America pay only 5% of their income in taxes? A flat tax of 10% across the board would give some resemblance of a real democracy. Something for your corporate dictators to think about.

 

[valmom]

SS:

I see no reason whatsoever that the richest corporations and individuals can play the tax code to the extent that many pay less in actual dollars than I do in taxes. That just seems grossly unfair to me. It's not about the tax rate- it's about the manipulation of the tax code to evade paying that gets me. It still galls me to this day that my ex paid/pays less in taxes than I do despite a much larger (MUCH larger) income. And there is no reason that government should be subsidizing corporations. Everyone says this is a capitalist society- well, prove it and let the corporations stand or fall on their own merits and pay their fair share for the infrastructure that keeps them profitable.

 

[i_am2bz]

Also remember that we're up to about half the population not paying ANY federal income tax (yes, they pay sales tax & such), & that corporations really don't pay taxes, as they can easily pass on whatever costs they have to consumers...just sayin'. :/

 

[abifae]

Everyone says this is a capitalist society- well, prove it and let the corporations stand or fall on their own merits and pay their fair share for the infrastructure that keeps them profitable.

Oh gosh. That hasn't been true in forever. You cannot be capitalist without laissez-faire. As soon as govvie steps in, it is no longer capitalism.

 

[R2D2]

Icu4dzs....lol...glad you decided not to lurk this one afterall...! Pretty lively thread...! I agree with alot of what you've said, but do feel the richer can pay a bit more in taxes, it would help plenty right now, but isn't really the answer to our problems.To many collecting govey(our money) money, that shouldn't be...
Hey thanks for your 40 yrs of service to our nation, gotta respect a vet...!

 

[k0xxx]

As of the year 2008:

The Top 1% paid 38.02% of Income Taxes collected

The Top 5% paid 58.72% of Income Taxes collected

The Top 10% paid 69.94% of Income Taxes collected

The Top 25% paid 86.34% of Income Taxes collected

The Top 50% paid 97.3% of Income Taxes collected

The Bottom 50% paid 2.7% of Income Taxes collected

How is this fair, and at what point is enough, enough? The way I see it is we can either:

1. Institute a flat tax where everyone pays the same on income above a certain level, with no exemptions

or

2. Institute a national sales tax, where everyone pays dependent on what they purchase. I would advocate that food and medicine be exempted from the tax, so as not to put an undue burden on those of lessor incomes.

YMMV

Edited to make my suggestion #1 more clear

 

[valmom]

I would get behind a national sales tax in a heartbeat! Exclude food and medicine. I am told it is a regressive tax- that the poor would pay more of their income in taxes this way than the rich would. But, it is the only way to collect any money on the boats and airplanes and various luxuries that we currently subsidize with tax write offs. And, just maybe, people would make better choices of what junk they buy!

 

[R2D2]

Mark, not at all disputing the numbers you posted.Just wondering why i'm always hearing and reading that the rich are paying next to nothing in taxes...It's really kinda confusing, who are we to believe..? Are the wealthy really paying as much as you've posted..? Or are they getting a free ride at the working Joe's and Jane's expense...? Wish i really knew..!