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Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher taxes?

Should the rich pay higher taxes?


  • Total voters
    69
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

I was just asking if there was at least 1 person on here that falls into that category....



<-------------- this guy. next spring, as usual, Uncle Sam will be sending me a nice fat check that is larger than the amount of money I have sent him over the course of the year.
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

As has been highlighted before, scapegoating, "lynch" mobs in the majority, are a problem in democracy.
Some in this thread have shown to be characterizations of that.
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

The biggest argument against democracy is a 5 minute conversation with your average voter.

My boy Church said that. True back then - true today.
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

Still trying to misrepresent the facts I see.

"That’s the portion of American households that owe no income tax for 2009. The number is up from 38 percent in 2007, and it has become a popular talking point on cable television and talk radio. With Tax Day coming on Thursday, 47 percent has become shorthand for the notion that the wealthy face a much higher tax burden than they once did while growing numbers of Americans are effectively on the dole.

Neither one of those ideas is true. They rely on a cleverly selective reading of the facts. So does the 47 percent number."

"But the modifiers here — federal and income — are important. Income taxes aren’t the only kind of federal taxes that people pay. There are also payroll taxes and investment taxes, among others. And, of course, people pay state and local taxes, too.

Even if the discussion is restricted to federal taxes (for which the statistics are better), a vast majority of households end up paying federal taxes. Congressional Budget Office data suggests that, at most, about 10 percent of all households pay no net federal taxes. The number 10 is obviously a lot smaller than 47.

The reason is that poor families generally pay more in payroll taxes than they receive through benefits like the Earned Income Tax Credit. It’s not just poor families for whom the payroll tax is a big deal, either. About three-quarters of all American households pay more in payroll taxes, which go toward Medicare and Social Security, than in income taxes."

"So why are those radio and television talk show hosts spending so much time arguing that today’s wealthy are unfairly burdened? Well, it’s hard not to notice that the talk show hosts themselves tend to be among the very wealthy.


No doubt, like the rest of us, they don’t particularly enjoy paying taxes. They are happy with the tax cuts they have received lately. They would prefer if other people had to pick up the bill for Medicare, Social Security and the military — people like, say, firefighters, preschool teachers, computer support specialists, farmers, members of the clergy, mail carriers, secretaries and truck drivers.

Yes, 47% of Households Owe No Taxes. Look Closer. - NYTimes.com

ROFL! You need to read the material you post. I almost posted this in addition to the CNN article. I take it you mssed this comment from the article: "The 47 percent number is not wrong."

So, take your asinine accusations and stick them where the sun doesn't shine.
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

<-------------- this guy. next spring, as usual, Uncle Sam will be sending me a nice fat check that is larger than the amount of money I have sent him over the course of the year.

Oh yes! Lets go back to the 1700's!!!
0% income tax!! Brilliant! Lets forget that back in the 1700's we were a smaller community, and the vast majority worked on farms! Brilliant!
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

Why attack hedge fund managers though?
They average hedge fund manager does not make millions or billions a year.
They do earn a 6 figure salary but going after a singular group of people, as if they were all that is wrong with a country is retarded.

It's arbitrary discrimination and scapegoating.


How is making sure they pay the same percentage as middle income earners 'attacking them'? Good Lord ...
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

Because the have-nots here paint them as parasites. It doesn't matter that their income is at a much higher risk than most. They wear suits to work, therefore we must crush them.
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

How is making sure they pay the same percentage as middle income earners 'attacking them'? Good Lord ...

What do middle income Americans pay?
There are at least 5 tax brackets, before deductions and who qualifies as middle income?
Seeing that the cost of living can vary from one local to the next.

Lots of hanging chads here.
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

Because the have-nots here paint them as parasites. It doesn't matter that their income is at a much higher risk than most. They wear suits to work, therefore we must crush them.

*throws out all formal/business attire.*
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

Better include Buffet's secretary. Ignore the title. I bet she makes more than you, me, and everyone who will post in this thread combined.

But hey, I have no proof of that. I just have a lingering suspicion that the assistant to the 2nd wealthiest man in America probably makes veeeeery comfortably in 6 figures, except that she doesn't create jobs or manufacture, thus doesn't qualify for tax loopholes.

If she's 27 with a D cup, she probably makes even deeper into 6 figures.
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

The biggest argument against democracy is a 5 minute conversation with your average voter.

My boy Church said that. True back then - true today.

The Libertarian candidate received 0.4% of the vote in the last presidential election. Does that mean that 99.6% of the voters are not as smart as the Libertarians, in your opinion? BTW, who is the Libertarian candidate for President in the next election?
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

What do middle income Americans pay?
There are at least 5 tax brackets, before deductions and who qualifies as middle income?
Seeing that the cost of living can vary from one local to the next.

Lots of hanging chads here.


A good question. One that would have to be carefully defined. Is it the statistical middle? The average? I don't know. And, it's not just brackets, it's percentage paid in all federal taxes. The new millionaires minimum tax will make sure their total federal tax burden is at least as much at the total federal tax burden of the middle income earners (however it's defined in law).
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

I think that intelligence is irrelevant. I just think that party voters on both aisles are obedient sheep. Republicans don't believe in limited government, and Democrats sure the hell don't believe in limited government.

And when I know, I'll make sure you do too.
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

Better include Buffet's secretary. Ignore the title. I bet she makes more than you, me, and everyone who will post in this thread combined.

But hey, I have no proof of that. I just have a lingering suspicion that the assistant to the 2nd wealthiest man in America probably makes veeeeery comfortably in 6 figures, except that she doesn't create jobs or manufacture, thus doesn't qualify for tax loopholes.

If she's 27 with a D cup, she probably makes even deeper into 6 figures.


She made $60k, per the article Buffet wrote.
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

A good question. One that would have to be carefully defined. Is it the statistical middle? The average? I don't know. And, it's not just brackets, it's percentage paid in all federal taxes. The new millionaires minimum tax will make sure their total federal tax burden is at least as much at the total federal tax burden of the middle income earners (however it's defined in law).

Some middle class people pay very little to no federal income taxes, are you suggesting we not tax millionaires at all?
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

I think that intelligence is irrelevant. I just think that party voters on both aisles are obedient sheep. Republicans don't believe in limited government, and Democrats sure the hell don't believe in limited government.

And when I know, I'll make sure you do too.

Oh, could this make an interesting topic. Limited government? How limited is limited? Never mind. That would need to be another thread and I don't want to step on this gem. Oh well.
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

She made $60k, per the article Buffet wrote.

Was that with or without benefits?
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

Some middle class people pay very little to no federal income taxes, are you suggesting we not tax millionaires at all?


Federal taxes, Guerilla. That means all federal taxes. Since it's the Buffet rule, and his article referenced his secretary, earning $60K, who paid just under 30%, that's the general ballpark we're talking about.

And if those millionaires are already paying that percentage, than this will not affect them at all. If they ain't, then it will. And it should.
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

Was that with or without benefits?


Look it up.
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

Federal taxes, Guerilla. That means all federal taxes. Since it's the Buffet rule, and his article referenced his secretary, earning $60K, who paid just under 30%, that's the general ballpark we're talking about.

And if those millionaires are already paying that percentage, than this will not affect them at all. If they ain't, then it will. And it should.

I know, but a great many middle income people don't pay federal income taxes.
If you add in all the deductions that one can take, some of those middle income people pay little to no federal income taxes.
Their effective tax rate can be single digit to negative.
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

I know, but a great many middle income people don't pay federal income taxes.
If you add in all the deductions that one can take, some of those middle income people pay little to no federal income taxes.
Their effective tax rate can be single digit to negative.


13% of the 'half of all earners don't pay income taxes' are middle income earners with enough itemized deductions that they owe no income taxes. They still paid federal taxes, however.


You want to propose taxing them more, go ahead. Has nothing at all to do with widespread American support for exactly the kind of tax that Obama has proposed. It's the right thing to do, and you know it, even if you're arguing against it out of some partisan affiliation.
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

Oh yes! Lets go back to the 1700's!!!
0% income tax!! Brilliant! Lets forget that back in the 1700's we were a smaller community, and the vast majority worked on farms! Brilliant!

1 even as a strawman? that stunk. however, I would love to go back to the Constitutional bounds of government.

2. the 18th and 19th century....


this would be the era in history when we also had the largest explosion in population, wealth, and development, moving from 13 small huddled communities on the eastern seaboard to spanning a continent and then some, yes?
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

13% of the 'half of all earners don't pay income taxes' are middle income earners with enough itemized deductions that they owe no income taxes. They still paid federal taxes, however.


You want to propose taxing them more, go ahead. Has nothing at all to do with widespread American support for exactly the kind of tax that Obama has proposed. It's the right thing to do, and you know it, even if you're arguing against it out of some partisan affiliation.

How is it the right thing to do?
Just because a majority supports it, doesn't automatically make it right.
 
Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

I know, but a great many middle income people don't pay federal income taxes.
If you add in all the deductions that one can take, some of those middle income people pay little to no federal income taxes.
Their effective tax rate can be single digit to negative.

Buffet is not talking about FIT, he is talking about total taxes. About 3% pay no taxes, and they are the poorest of poor, not the middle class.
 
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Re: Are you part of the majority of Americans who feel the rich should pay higher tax

Buffet is not talking about FIT, he is talking about total taxes.

Yea and then we you account for refundable tax credits, a lot of people still pay little to no, even negative taxes.
In total.

About 3% pay no taxes, and they are the poorest of poor, not the middle class.

Bull.
You haven't accounted for refundable tax credits, which reduce a person's total effective tax rate into the negative.
 
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