tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post8216716912381275789..comments2024-03-19T03:14:04.172-04:00Comments on Rabett Run: In America, it's liberal-leftist to say the rich should pay the same percent taxes as the middle classEliRabetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07957002964638398767noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-45296673230834174752011-09-29T11:26:54.331-04:002011-09-29T11:26:54.331-04:00The proper answer is no free riders, you pay your ...The proper answer is no free riders, you pay your fare or you pay the fine.EliRabetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07957002964638398767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-1132986110452178252011-09-29T01:15:09.405-04:002011-09-29T01:15:09.405-04:00"You are free to write a check to the governm..."You are free to write a check to the government to relieve your guilt"<br /><br />Insert standard response about refusing government benefits.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09301230860904555513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-13701331800337784332011-09-27T15:00:14.796-04:002011-09-27T15:00:14.796-04:00"Those "$0" tax payers you mention,..."Those "$0" tax payers you mention, have paid about 7 1/2 % (with a recent short term reduction of a couple percent) in direct tax with no deductions, plus their employer pays another 7.5% in what is effectively an indirect tax on their pay - so 15% right off the top. "<br /><br />Good arguement against a Ponzi scheme, could not have done better myself!<br /><br />"Ad it only applies to the first $107,000 if income, so even though poor people cant deduct even a cent of the payroll taxes, the better of automatically get deep deductions - they pay no payroll tax on income over their first ~100k."<br /><br />Even better!<br /><br />"percentage rate of total taxes we paid DROPPED substantially, primarily because we gained access to deductions of various kinds (especially mortgage interest), but also because things like sales tax and gas tax stayed at a fixed dollar amount."<br /><br />You are free to write a check to the government to relieve your guilt and I hope you included the sales tax and property taxes on you home purchase to the taxes you pay. It seems you had an INCENTIVE to earn more, buy a home and provide for your family, now if only everyone could have that same motivation. Nah lets remove the motivational factors to succeed and experience the American dream. Here, do not put forth additional effort we will take from those that do and just give to you, because that is fair.<br /><br />Celery EaterAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-8753816399580222302011-09-27T08:35:53.091-04:002011-09-27T08:35:53.091-04:00Based on this last comment, I have to agree with t...Based on this last comment, I have to agree with the earlier suggestion. Jay Cadbury is Ray Ladbury in tea-party drag. Nice Poe!<br />stewartAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-36250305108239082882011-09-27T07:50:16.887-04:002011-09-27T07:50:16.887-04:00"The good doctor, on the other hand, went int..."The good doctor, on the other hand, went into sales."<br /><br />That explains a lot.Marknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-35856165366152641412011-09-26T23:33:43.762-04:002011-09-26T23:33:43.762-04:00"it is OK for 47% of American taxpayers to pa..."it is OK for 47% of American taxpayers to pay $0 in income taxes, got it."<br /><br />So I suppose you;re in favor of applying payroll taxes to capital gains income, so that we wont have any cases of capital gains earners not paying any payroll taxes?<br /><br />Those "$0" tax payers you mention, have paid about 7 1/2 % (with a recent short term reduction of a couple percent) in direct tax with no deductions, plus their employer pays another 7.5% in what is effectively an indirect tax on their pay - so 15% right off the top. <br /><br />Ad it only applies to the first $107,000 if income, so even though poor people cant deduct even a cent of the payroll taxes, the better of automatically get deep deductions - they pay no payroll tax on income over their first ~100k.<br /><br />Several years back, my family income grew from about $30k to ~$120k, in 4 steps over 4 years, as I and my wife both transitioned from grad school to employment. At each step the the percentage rate of total taxes we paid DROPPED substantially, primarily because we gained access to deductions of various kinds (especially mortgage interest), but also because things like sales tax and gas tax stayed at a fixed dollar amount.<br /><br />Focussing on just income tax skews the analysis of just how unfair and regressive our overall tax policy is for most people.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-64165657446136136182011-09-26T16:55:01.095-04:002011-09-26T16:55:01.095-04:00Candyman, EDNGAS.Candyman, EDNGAS.EliRabetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07957002964638398767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-88336150532623045512011-09-26T15:17:54.995-04:002011-09-26T15:17:54.995-04:00Dr. Jay Cadbury, phd.
The good doctor must strong...Dr. Jay Cadbury, phd.<br /><br />The good doctor must strongly disagree, Eli. Let's review some important background information. You are a disgruntled teacher. Truth to be told, you never should have gone into the teaching profession if you didn't like the pay scale. However, before taking the job, you knew you would never make a lot of money. If you did not know this, you are very naive. <br /><br />The good doctor, on the other hand, went into sales. The good doctor did this because he knows there is a much higher earning potential. The good doctor also knows his job is more difficult, requires longer hours and is very stressful. Therefore, I deserve more money than you do. Regarding the notion that any amount of money above $200,000 is "not middle-class" as Eli oh so carefully put it, is open to interpretation. Personally, I think rich starts at the 10,000,000 income earning mark. If you make 250k and have 2-3 kids, that will cover college and you may live comfortably but you're not going to be able to buy a lot of the things you want. <br /><br />The good doctor wants Eli to guess at his age.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-22484606707078016172011-09-24T00:27:42.996-04:002011-09-24T00:27:42.996-04:00Congresscritter sez he can't afford tax increa...Congresscritter sez he can't afford tax increase after buying celery:<br />"By the time I feed my family, I have maybe $400,000 left over."<br /><br />http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/09/19/322405/gop-rep-whines-400k/CapitalClimatehttp://capitalclimate.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-77817025784767302582011-09-23T14:06:46.306-04:002011-09-23T14:06:46.306-04:00When Eli was a fuzzy bunny there were the rich, th...When Eli was a fuzzy bunny there were the rich, they are always with us, the middle class, which extended from professionals like the quacks, the teachers and the managers, and were maybe 20-30% of the people, but not the clerical workers, the secretaries, and the rest of the working class, who were most of us. <br /><br />The concept of "middle class" has been so politicized so today everyone is "middle class". Someone earning north of 200K$/year is not "middle class" in any meaningful sense of the words and anyone who thinks so is either smoking something harmful or running for office.EliRabetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07957002964638398767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-88660346725871095312011-09-23T10:16:57.555-04:002011-09-23T10:16:57.555-04:00Dr. Jay Cadbury, phd.
Well, well, well, what a bi...Dr. Jay Cadbury, phd.<br /><br />Well, well, well, what a big surprise. Eli do you think nobody knows to just go to the IRS website to see how much of a liar you are? There is no millionaire and billionaire tax. The republicans dare the donkeys to make a new tax bracket but they won't.<br /><br />Reason: There is a huge number of people making between 200,000-1million. Sorry to tell you, this amount of money isn't right, its' upper middle class. You'd be surprised how much money you can make when you're no wasting time crying about fake global warming and engaging in class warfare.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-15757718623759982582011-09-22T23:15:09.781-04:002011-09-22T23:15:09.781-04:00seamus --- It the Hood Robin principle.<b>seamus</b> --- It the <i>Hood Robin</i> principle.David B. Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02917182411282836875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-24522669665083826632011-09-22T16:37:01.697-04:002011-09-22T16:37:01.697-04:00Horatio always thought the Tire Patch was where th...Horatio always thought the <a href="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRSvodEOjQ2JBEqHSItDyiFd4DgqL_Eesbl3GUy0seDiJ4u_ckAdA" rel="nofollow">Tire Patch</a> was where they grow tiresome.Horatio Algeranonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12988805467080448954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-46410418604279766542011-09-22T16:30:30.233-04:002011-09-22T16:30:30.233-04:00Eli,
My name is Celery Eater, not Celery Only Eat...Eli,<br /><br />My name is Celery Eater, not Celery Only Eater!<br /><br /><br />I may dine on a carrot now and again when the dinner company is polite, like Farast.<br /><br /><br />Celery EaterAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-14617518801683571292011-09-22T13:19:02.931-04:002011-09-22T13:19:02.931-04:00David, a celery diet IS repetitious. Carrots? You...David, a celery diet IS repetitious. Carrots? You can prepare carrots <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=carrot+recipes&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a" rel="nofollow">hundreds of different nutritious and delicious ways</a>.EliRabetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07957002964638398767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-33360719166721619482011-09-22T08:14:09.034-04:002011-09-22T08:14:09.034-04:00Waitaminnit. If tax breaks for the wealthy are so ...Waitaminnit. If tax breaks for the wealthy are so wonderful for promoting job creation, why, with the Bush tax cuts still in place, is unemployment so high?<br /><br />The rich get richer-- that's the law of the jungle, not civilized society.seamushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04299590041498402002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-82767192780874839982011-09-21T23:08:01.381-04:002011-09-21T23:08:01.381-04:00Brian --- I wasn't suggesting banning or even ...<b>Brian</b> --- I wasn't suggesting banning or even down the rabett hole. But <b>Celery Eater</b> was growing terribly repetitious.David B. Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02917182411282836875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-53141701603501296132011-09-21T19:17:32.842-04:002011-09-21T19:17:32.842-04:00Thanks for that CE very interesting. However I th...Thanks for that CE very interesting. However I think you have forgotten that the bill that Obama is proposing isn't designed to fix the budget. It is intended to get people back to work. So you shouldn't be judging these by whether they help pay for his plans. The jury is still out on this but you have to admit that it makes a lot more sense to increase the taxes of the very rich so that they pay the same rate as middle income earners than it does to increase the taxes of those who are as a general rule struggling in this current climate.<br /><br />FarastAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-57441596940484240492011-09-21T17:50:26.949-04:002011-09-21T17:50:26.949-04:00This is why there should be more brackets, not few...This is why there should be more brackets, not fewer. Fewer brackets crates a jolting ride, and has resulted in a significant percentage of the folks at the bottom not paying any income tax at all. It was stupid to drop to three brackets. It simplifies nothing. It created a class of citizens who do not pay, and there is a hazard to that.<br /><br />The flat tax is the dumbest idea in history. Had this country used that instead of progressive rates, we would be 2nd-rate pile of crap - as bad as the commie economies. Because of three brackets, we're almost there anyway.<br /><br />Also, what the heck does incomes over a million mean? Is it total income? AGI? Taxable income? How does somebody pay zero income tax on one million in taxable income? If they had a credit, then it's stupid to imply they are getting away with something.<br /><br />My wife once made $300,000 in a country that has a 75% income tax rate. They took $225,000 out of her checks. The $300,000 was on her USA W2. If not for the $225,000 credit, almost her entire income would have been consumed by income taxes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-46571490746817288052011-09-21T15:18:55.369-04:002011-09-21T15:18:55.369-04:00Hey, if it was good enough for Dutch Reagan, it sh...Hey, if it was good enough for Dutch Reagan, it should be good enough for Obama. Tax rates at Reagan levels!Jeffrey Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17966839006518642902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-20371454840844073582011-09-21T11:12:07.180-04:002011-09-21T11:12:07.180-04:00The top 400 stats give insight into part of the pr...The top 400 stats give insight into part of the problem. In 2007 they paid 16.6 % tax - lower than my effective tax rate by about 1% -(I run a small business). They derived 81.3% of income from capital gains, dividends, and interest -- most of which was capital gains. Even the interest was likely tax advantaged. Their income from salaries and wages was about 6.5%. Average income for the group was about 345 million.<br /><br />Since dividends and interest are 15% under Bush Tax cuts, those with high percentage of cap gains income are subject almost to a defacto flat tax system that has lower rates than some not so well off people and a lot of pretty well off people too. An appropriately lower cap gains rate is justified to prevent double taxation on corporate stock -- for those that don't scoot out of the country to avoid taxation that is. But other than that, most arguments for favorable treatment of cap gains don't hold up. In fact, they encourage tax shelters that make poor use of capital since the interest expense to finance a shelter is deductible at ordinary rates while the gains from the shelter are taxed at long term rates. Many of these arrangements would not be viable but for the tax treatment.<br /><br />There are a lot of people that pay no federal tax. A good deal of these are retired people and they shouldn't be begrudged in my view. Perhaps more should pay a token federal tax. But most of these people are the big losers in the capitalist game. Their wealth has been redisributed to the investors. They're already broke and likely have a neagtive equity position. One should be careful in advocating that they should be pushed further over the edge. If you are one of the fortunate that has won the capitalist lottery, you shouldn't expect the poor to take you out to lunch to celebrate.larrytemc2https://www.blogger.com/profile/16074297325514995504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-50295258366620213882011-09-21T10:30:41.524-04:002011-09-21T10:30:41.524-04:00Farast,
You are right, I got carried away with th...Farast,<br /><br />You are right, I got carried away with the snark, my apologies.<br /><br />My source for the information has mostly been from http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/08in02tr.xls <br /><br />Cancel if prompted for credentials and the spreadsheet will load.<br /><br />Correction for above where I said "8 million" that should be 7 million.<br /><br /><br />Yes pay has gone down and so has the number of millionaires. Look my point is that Obama's plan is not a serious effort to get our budget in order, it is a political tool to help him get re-elected. But to go out and claim millionaires (as in all) do not pay the same tax rate as middle income earners is false, as I have proved.<br /><br /><br />Great contribution David, excellent point, way to contribute..<br /><br /><br /><br />Celery EaterAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-39414273797209512682011-09-21T06:13:23.594-04:002011-09-21T06:13:23.594-04:00"We don't pay taxes. Only the litle peop..."We don't pay taxes. Only the litle people pay taxes." - Ivana Trump.Nick Barneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00057838251997644583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-63242461572081625182011-09-21T05:14:15.714-04:002011-09-21T05:14:15.714-04:00RDLM says it. America is living in the LIA.RDLM says it. America is living in the LIA.cRR Kampenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07571285063752477448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16612221.post-21042543274108251642011-09-21T01:30:07.073-04:002011-09-21T01:30:07.073-04:00Rabid Doomsaying Little Mouse says
You want the ow...Rabid Doomsaying Little Mouse says<br />You want the owners of the country to pay tax?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com