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The 1% will own more than the 99% by 2016, report says

I think if you add all that in, especially property taxes you will find the top pay way more.




If so or if not, you would have to show me. What I can say, is this is a perfect argument for a non-essentials flat consumption tax. Get rid of the irs, and all these crazy laws.






That's irrellevant. if I have more money, I have more money, if I'm paying a higher percentage, I'm paying a higher percentage. what that affects on my quality of life or money saved, really isn't the governments business.

Confiscatory taxes are not the answer.



You;re looking at this form the vantage point of what is, or is not "fair". The problem is, it IS the job of our government to ensure the safety and security of our society. Part of that is by making laws so that people don't go around killing each other....part of that is wielding a powerful military so that foreigners don't take out stuff....and like it or not, part of that is making sure we remain economically solvent so that people don't starve, so that people remain content, and continue working at their jobs they mostly hate in order to preserve our entire way of life.

Fairness was never an option. It's not FAIR that our court and prison system is imperfect, and as a result, innocent people go to jail, and are sometimes put to death. It's not FAIR that our military places the burden of national security on the shoulders of our youth, primarily, because they are the only ones fit enough to put up a decent fight. And it's not FAIR that in order to ensure our working class consumers have enough money to spend the crap they work to produce for their bosses, their bosses have to shoulder a higher percent of the tax burden.

In the end, making things FAIR would hurt the very people you're trying to help. Their company operating models ensure that their employees makes the minimum they can get away with without having mass walkouts, so our government must step in form time to time to ensure that short sighted business models don't sink us all in the name of a quick buck. Be that in the form of minimum wage laws, or in the from of progressive taxation, of which I am now a victim...Quite a moment in my life, to realize that I FINALLY have started to make enough money that I now OWE taxes.
 
You;re looking at this form the vantage point of what is, or is not "fair". The problem is, it IS the job of our government to ensure the safety and security of our society. Part of that is by making laws so that people don't go around killing each other....part of that is wielding a powerful military so that foreigners don't take out stuff....and like it or not, part of that is making sure we remain economically solvent so that people don't starve, so that people remain content, and continue working at their jobs they mostly hate in order to preserve our entire way of life.

Fairness was never an option. It's not FAIR that our court and prison system is imperfect, and as a result, innocent people go to jail, and are sometimes put to death. It's not FAIR that our military places the burden of national security on the shoulders of our youth, primarily, because they are the only ones fit enough to put up a decent fight. And it's not FAIR that in order to ensure our working class consumers have enough money to spend the crap they work to produce for their bosses, their bosses have to shoulder a higher percent of the tax burden.

In the end, making things FAIR would hurt the very people you're trying to help. Their company operating models ensure that their employees makes the minimum they can get away with without having mass walkouts, so our government must step in form time to time to ensure that short sighted business models don't sink us all in the name of a quick buck. Be that in the form of minimum wage laws, or in the from of progressive taxation, of which I am now a victim...Quite a moment in my life, to realize that I FINALLY have started to make enough money that I now OWE taxes.




I don't see people starving really in the USA do you? in fact the poor in the US are some of the most well off in the world. YOu want government to control the market it seems when the market will control itself.

If lets take your doomsday economic scenario to the end, do you really think our poor would become dirt poor and only .001% of people would have wealth?


Our military is too big, our taxes too high, and there is an easy solution/. but this is a solution the ruling class does not want you to believe in.
 
No, it is about punishment because this country was built on equal opportunity NOT equal outcome and that is what liberals are promoting by demonizing those who produce since there really is no benefit to raising taxes on the top 1% 32 billion a year. the only influence rich people had on my life was a desire to be more like them without giving up my family life and I was able to do that by keeping my priorities straight. I don't give a damn how much money someone else pays in taxes or earns but I do care about how our politicians buy votes with those tax dollars rather than generating actual compassionate results which means solving problems not creating greater dependence.

Equal outcome? I don't want poor people to be anything other than poor people. Well, that's not true, I wish everyone success in life. But I ultimately don't care if they do or don't succeed. What I care about is that they have money to spend. When they spend money, I make money. I want them to be able to buy ribeye, instead of chuck, because it's an extra 4.50 per pound in my pocket.

As for wealthy people influencing your life, they absolutely have. They and government control your cost of living, within your lifestyle. You don't get a vote on how much gas costs. You never did. And you don't get a vote on how much food costs. You never did.

The rest of your post I agree with 100%. All I can say is, start voting third party.
 
wait, are you saying Americans need to be bigger consumers of chinese crap walmart has for sale? ;)


but in reality, I agree, cut taxes ACROSS THE BOARD.

The problem with that is, it also means cutting SPENDING. And our government is literally DESIGNED to insure that spending cuts almost never happen. Sans revolution of some type, we are NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER going to see our government cutting it's own paycheck.
 
I'd like to think my affect on others personally is a positive one. My bankroll really is irrellevant other than to whom I give jobs to.

Unless you make over 5 million per year, I am not referring to you.


As a business owner with staff, yeah, sure, you have a dramatic affect...on those staff members. But being a nice guy isn't always in the cards for you, is it? From time to time, you have to make hard decisions, because to not do so would jeapordise your own solvency.
 
Yes, which is quite different than the European economy that depends more on govt. spending which is why austerity doesn't work in those countries because it cuts off the life blood of their economy. More spendable income here encourages consumption and thus economic growth.

Yes. The ideal would be less taxes for EVERYONE. The problem is, that's just what it is, an ideal. Short of some kind of revolution, I can assure you, no cuts in spending or every coming. Hell, SEQUESTRATION, was brought about as some sort of punishment, when it should have been welcomed with open arms.
 
The problem with that is, it also means cutting SPENDING. And our government is literally DESIGNED to insure that spending cuts almost never happen. Sans revolution of some type, we are NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER going to see our government cutting it's own paycheck.


It's designed by the ruling class, who keeps the laws in thier favor no matter who you raise the taxes on. It is time for a tax revolution.
 
Unless you make over 5 million per year, I am not referring to you.

Sort of like the president, talking about the evil one percent while trying to raise taxes on those making over 200k.

slight of hand my friend.

As a business owner with staff, yeah, sure, you have a dramatic affect...on those staff members. But being a nice guy isn't always in the cards for you, is it? From time to time, you have to make hard decisions, because to not do so would jeapordise your own solvency.


of course, but such is life.
 
I don't see people starving really in the USA do you? in fact the poor in the US are some of the most well off in the world. YOu want government to control the market it seems when the market will control itself.

If lets take your doomsday economic scenario to the end, do you really think our poor would become dirt poor and only .001% of people would have wealth?


Our military is too big, our taxes too high, and there is an easy solution/. but this is a solution the ruling class does not want you to believe in.


Are you suggesting that some sort of "peasant" revolt would take place? Of course it would, if things got bad enough. I would like for things to not get so bad. Lots of people die in peasant uprisings. Lots of people get poor. I don't want that.


Our government already heavily regulates our market. They do things i am sure you agree with. The problem with you is, you're OK with regulations, as longs as it's for things YOU want.
 
You are correct. Crops are GROWN, not taken. Gold is MINED, not stolen. Well....as long as it's your land....but whatever, you know what I mean.

What I am saying to you isn't a contradiction to that, what I saying to you is, there is only a finite amount created at any given point in time. In other words, only so many crops can be grown within a fixed time. So, of that wealth creation, if 95% of it is going to a few, the rest very much does have to be dolled out among the many, based on THEIR ability. We have now an economic system, crafted by democrats and republicans, that ensures that the act of HAVING wealth, ensures the generation of FUTURE wealth. In other words, by no other virtue other than having a lot of many, people can fairly easily make a LOT MORE MONEY. This has resulted in the new wealth generated by the actors within our economy increasingly going to the few.

Which, in of itself, isn't really a problem, EXCEPT....the few are buying up the resources the rest of us need to live. Houses, food, water. These things are becoming the property of an increasingly smaller percent of society.

Wealth isn't what someone else creates. You may translate your wealth into material good created by other people, but the wealth is created by you. This is the case for everyone. Wealth is created by producing more than you need. A successful business is wealthy because it produces more value than is needed by its employees. If Ford only made enough cars to give to its employees it wouldn't be wealthy.

You seem to have the idea of wealth backwards. A farmer's wealth is in the crops he grows because he grows more than his family needs. It isn't in the car he drives. The car is a commodity that he trader for using the wealth he created. This rule applies to everyone regardless of the level of wealth.

If you want a rich guys money then you need to either work for him (and create value in his company) or make something you don't need but he would like to buy (create your own wealth). Getting the government to take his money and give it to you does not create anyting.
 
It's designed by the ruling class, who keeps the laws in thier favor no matter who you raise the taxes on. It is time for a tax revolution.

I agree. But that coming about is about as viable as Ron Paul getting elected for president, sadly.

What we NEED, is election reform. Everything else will work itself out through that.
 
Wealth isn't what someone else creates. You may translate your wealth into material good created by other people, but the wealth is created by you. This is the case for everyone. Wealth is created by producing more than you need. A successful business is wealthy because it produces more value than is needed by its employees. If Ford only made enough cars to give to its employees it wouldn't be wealthy.

You seem to have the idea of wealth backwards. A farmer's wealth is in the crops he grows because he grows more than his family needs. It isn't in the car he drives. The car is a commodity that he trader for using the wealth he created. This rule applies to everyone regardless of the level of wealth.

If you want a rich guys money then you need to either work for him (and create value in his company) or make something you don't need but he would like to buy (create your own wealth). Getting the government to take his money and give it to you does not create anyting.

I'm not disagreeing with any of this.


How ever, none of what you said in any way refutes the fact that only so much wealth can be created within a given span of time.

And that fact debunks the concept people refer to when they quip "economics isn't zero sum".
 
Equal outcome? I don't want poor people to be anything other than poor people. Well, that's not true, I wish everyone success in life. But I ultimately don't care if they do or don't succeed. What I care about is that they have money to spend. When they spend money, I make money. I want them to be able to buy ribeye, instead of chuck, because it's an extra 4.50 per pound in my pocket.

As for wealthy people influencing your life, they absolutely have. They and government control your cost of living, within your lifestyle. You don't get a vote on how much gas costs. You never did. And you don't get a vote on how much food costs. You never did.

The rest of your post I agree with 100%. All I can say is, start voting third party.

The point is our country was built on equal opportunity and incredible freedoms including the freedom to make dumb choices and fail. It is the role of the state and the local communities, not the Federal Govt. to assist those people as needed. Social engineering at the Federal Level has created the 3.9 trillion dollar budget that Obama wants and the 3.6 trillion dollar govt. we have today.

Sorry, but I don't buy the statement that rich people are influencing my life, I influence my life and taking from the rich doesn't help anyone other than the bureaucrats who buy the votes with that money certainly not helping the poor. I started with very little but did have incredible parents who helped me. I worked hard and succeeded. Others may not have those great parents but they do have an opportunity to succeed. Giving people "things" destroys incentive and just creates dependence. A good swift kick in the ass or allowing people to fail is tough love and needed today. I am a conservative and believe in succeeding or failing on my own merits. I was not for TARP nor am I for higher taxes on anyone until the govt. gets its act together which probably will never happen.

Do you realize how much the govt. taxes gas and the investment required to bring it out of the ground and get it to your tank? Oil Company profits seem huge but the return on investment isn't.

I will never vote third party at the top until the third party builds a foundation at the base. Third party officials from the governor up are total failures because they no one to support them due to partisanship.
 
The point is our country was built on equal opportunity and incredible freedoms including the freedom to make dumb choices and fail. It is the role of the state and the local communities, not the Federal Govt. to assist those people as needed. Social engineering at the Federal Level has created the 3.9 trillion dollar budget that Obama wants and the 3.6 trillion dollar govt. we have today.

Sorry, but I don't buy the statement that rich people are influencing my life, I influence my life and taking from the rich doesn't help anyone other than the bureaucrats who buy the votes with that money certainly not helping the poor. I started with very little but did have incredible parents who helped me. I worked hard and succeeded. Others may not have those great parents but they do have an opportunity to succeed. Giving people "things" destroys incentive and just creates dependence. A good swift kick in the ass or allowing people to fail is tough love and needed today. I am a conservative and believe in succeeding or failing on my own merits. I was not for TARP nor am I for higher taxes on anyone until the govt. gets its act together which probably will never happen.

Do you realize how much the govt. taxes gas and the investment required to bring it out of the ground and get it to your tank? Oil Company profits seem huge but the return on investment isn't.

I will never vote third party at the top until the third party builds a foundation at the base. Third party officials from the governor up are total failures because they no one to support them due to partisanship.

Mega Dittos
 
Who says I haven't?

Instead of insisting on the personal, try showing you have this claimed understanding of US wage growth since 1973.

Again, I am included in that wage study since I started in my career in 1970. I control my own wage growth because of my own efforts and work just like you do. If I didn't like what I was paid I could have taken the experience gained and moved on. I don't give a damn what someone else earns or pays in taxes thus the question remains, why do you? It is about time for you and all other liberals to stop flapping your mouth about fairness and accept the reality that it is freedom to make mistakes and poor choices as well. It isn't the role of the Federal Govt. to solve those social problems, that role is with your state

It is the Federal Government's role to protect equal opportunity NOT create equal outcome. What the top 1% controls is irrelevant to me as I control my own destiny as do you.
 
No, what I am trying to do is get you to think. There is nothing but the individual responsible for not achieving that upper class. It isn't nonsense at all because I am part of those graphs and part of the history of workers. Now tell me why you want to punish rich people for their success? Wealth is an individual thing and I know a lot of people who meet the definition of middle class that are very wealthy in so many things. There isn't a rich person out there that has any affect on my life whatsoever

Not even wealthy Democrats who get liberals elected that you would never vote for in a million years?
 
Not even wealthy Democrats who get liberals elected that you would never vote for in a million years?

All that spending to get Democrats elected just make Gruber look more brilliant. People buy the rhetoric as you can see here and ignore the context and the actual results. I still vote for conservative Democrats, oh, yes there still are a few, but not on the national stage
 
All that spending to get Democrats elected just make Gruber look more brilliant. People buy the rhetoric as you can see here and ignore the context and the actual results. I still vote for conservative Democrats, oh, yes there still are a few, but not on the national stage

There are still a few "blue dog" Democrats, to be sure.

But my point was this: Who do you think finances campaigns? It takes a lot of money to run, after all.
 
I think it is so pathetic that Ivy League colleges produce students who believe wealth and the issuance of grades are analogous.

Remember, some of these posters were born with a silver spoon stuck up their ass.
 
Can't you at least try to hide your contempt a little bit?

People like TurtleDude are clueless about how most people live. Just read his postings. He continually brags about his wealth, accomplishments and his knowledge, while at the same time berating those who didn't have his dad's ass to crawl back into when the going gets rough. In truth, he is just one pathetic dude who is full of himself.
 
People like TurtleDude are clueless about how most people live. Just read his postings. He continually brags about his wealth, accomplishments and his knowledge, while at the same time berating those who didn't have his dad's ass to crawl back into when the going gets rough. In truth, he is just one pathetic dude who is full of himself.

jealous much?
 
Nothing defines "american exceptionalism" better than prolonged economic stagnation for 95%
Yet people still vote for the liberals and progressives that count on keeping this statuesque, to keep their voters...
 
jealous much?

It's not what these people do to me, it's what they do to society in general that is the problem. I imagine when the divide between top and bottom gets too great, there will be a change. The poor will only allow themselves to be exploited for so long.
 
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