Makes perfect sense. The day I make LCDR I'll jump tax brackets. I'll work more for my country, but receive less pay from it.
Thats not what I wrote. Ive written my represenatives also. But I was never so arrogant as to give them the solution to the economic problem of the US. And how does having compassion for those in hard times equal welfare or a free ride? I suppose to you, no taxes for a year isnt a hand out. You pompous ass. If you want to start name calling, I'm ready. But youre still wrong, DB.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, you guys. Who is supposed to pay more taxes? A LCDR(congrats by the way) or a factory floor sweeper? Are most folks in here from America? If so; where did this 'I got mine, F everyone else' attitude come from? Heres a guy like David who looks down on people. This chump wouldnt last 15 minutes on the street with the other dregs. And yet I'd give my life for my fellow American. Including David. Thats just the cut of my jib.
Under Obamas plan, floor sweepers will pay no tax. Which is good. Do you have any freakin idea what I pay in tax's ? Ever rented a car, a hotel room, bought airfare? Payroll tax? Property tax? Every time I freakin turn around I am paying taxes. Thats enough. I will not allow my wife and I to be punished for our achievments. Why work Fridays for free? Seriously. Also, I give more to charity and troop support groups than you could guess.
Oh yeah, my wife settled the AIG accident case....she will pay more taxes than many people make in a year, on that ONE case alone.
Jack, I can understand your frustration. You work hard and have done well and deserve it. I have no qualms with you over this nor anyone else that is over my paygrade as it were. I also know you're intelligent enough to understand why millions of Americans without your problem will feel absolutely no pity for you. Absolutely NOTHING personal here just laying it out as so many see it. To the guy that made $30,000 last year and his wife made $15,000 and they've been living "comfortably" on that yet suddenly find themselves out of jobs, no insurance and continuing bills the guy that "only" made $200,000 is nothing to them. They're looking out for number one. These same people see the news stories about people swindling others out of billiions then going to a posh jail or a cozy house arrest. It's certainly not you but there is a degree of "trickle down" mentality there. That being that those that are doing relatively well could give a rat's butt about anyone else no matter how horrible their life is or has become. It's human nature. The more the "downtrodden" feel they are trod upon the worse the feeling gets. This has happened throughout history. I'm not looking for freebies but I'll tell you all this I'm just getting over being sick basically for a month. Bad cold that led to me coughing and feeling a muscle "pop" in my back. Hurt so bad I had to miss two days of work. I slept in a chair for over a week. Should have gone to a doctor but had something similar happen years ago when I had insurance and the doctor told me I strained a muscle and gave me some Advil. Now I was HOPING that's all it was and I'm on the mend. Don't want free insurance but something I could actually afford would have been nice. Now my boss (who has been very successful) is facing a similar situation without even realizing it I can assure you. About two months ago his wife ended up in the hospital with pneumonia and diabetes related problems (she doesn't take care of her diabetes well). She spent 11 days there to get it straightened out. 4 weeks ago (come this Saturday) she had a stroke. He's going to be 66 and she's 63. She has been in the hospital and showing inmprovement but she still can't talk and has very little use of her left side. She IS to the point where it's time to move her into a rehab facility. Guess what? Without her being old enough for medicaid the insurance he has paid SO much for doesn't want to cover it. A few places were basically "fighting" over her. Makes me sick! She's a piece of meat to them! Today he may have located a nearby facility that will put her up at a starting rate of $184/day. She could be there for months and really could make a nice recovery. No one ever really knows with a stroke. He's also looking into home care. My point is he can afford $300 a day by his estimation. Some of the "ambulance chasers" as I call them are looking for $1000. This is all because she had the gall to have a stroke before she was 65. One hell of a great society we live in isn't it? As for causes I donate to. I USED TO donate to Vietnam Vets. I USED TO donate to slain police officer's families. I USED TO donate to hungry children. NOW I donate to me. I gotta make my ends meet. Taxes? Who knows. We all have too many of them and for too many stupid reasons. I would seriously consider a flat tax rate but a lot of research would need to be done. Hey, if I go into a gas station and buy a bottle of pop I pay the same tax as Bill Gates don't I? Cut out all of the loopholes and something like that might actually stand a chance. Question is how long and how much would it cost to cut out the loopholes?
Question, AJ. With all those taxes you pay; do you wind up with nothing at the end of the year? Or do you still do pretty well? And arent all those taxes, air fare, rental car, hotel, etc...arent they deductible?
Some are some arent. True. Clembo has been to my house, we are not rich, just comfortable. I do fully support a flat tax. Read the Niel Bortz book, and listen to Steve Forbes.
Here are your tax dollars hard at work for the wealthy in Ohio, some on food stamps there live in $300K homes, drive Mercedes and have $100K in the bank. Rich Get Food Stamps In Ohio - CNN Report Surely there is no shame in pulling up to Food Lion in the Bentley and pawing off food stamps to pay for your filet mignon.
Well, if you write your rep & you aren't giving them your ideas, exactly what are you saying to them? "Good job", maybe? Do I think a break from taxes is the same as a hand out? You gotta be kidding, right? So my answer would be "no", allowing me to keep the money I earned is not a hand out. I don't want money to be taken from you & given to me. Let me decide who to help & how to help. I'll echo Jack in stating you have no idea how much money I pay in taxes but I can assure you it would make you sick. I'm not rich by any means but I've worked hard to get to where I am..I've sacrificed more than most..we're comfortable now but heaps of additional taxes to pay for Obama's Socialist, ill-conceived agenda could sure change that.
Obviously, the more you make, the more you pay in terms of actual dollars but why should the percentage be so different? If I make $250k & you make $25k, I should pay more than you, absolutely but why not a flat 10%, 20% or whatever the number should be? How is me paying nearly 50% fair when other get away with paying only 10%. We should all contribute an equal percentage.
A flat tax has had more research & study done it than you realize. Read the Linder/Boortz Fair Tax book & you'll be an advocate.
If I made 25k, I'd be so happy. Thank god Bergdorf-Goodman's takes food stamps. And Saks accepts chickens as barter.
So then who is getting the hand outs? As far as I can see banks and big businesses. You think you are alone in the hard work depqrtment? Me Me Me. There it is again. Ive sacrificed I pay alot in taxes...You have no idea what I pay in taxes. Or do you? Nah, you dont. I pay alot. And if I have to pay alot more, oh well. I'll still be secure. Stop whining about money.
Every single one of us pays too much tax. Every single one of us. Some of us might pay ZERO tax ( federal income) , as we are under the minimum tax level. You STILL pay too much tax. tax, tax, tax. Add it up, not just your fed 1040 form, but how much TAX do you REALLY pay. With our family budget, we have to plan, scrimp and save, and thats all income level's. The government overspends.They just raise taxes to cover it. Or print money ( we cannot do that either). If we overspend, can we just walk in to the bosses office and apply for a raise? No, we look at the wasteful spending we do, and tend to cut it back. What a concept. Examine your wasteful spending and eliminate the junk. Took a genious to figure that one out huh?
I doubt I'm alone in the hardwork dept but I can't speak for anyone else, right? I think the concept of a forum like this is to relate your experiences & voice your opinion on the topic, right?
I do agree with David that a flat rate of income tax is a good idea but have a lower tax band for those who earn peanuts, then place higher tax on luxury items and very low or no tax on basics.
In a pure capitalist approach, a flat tax rate is the most optimal, not a graduated tax. Simply put, why should you have to pay a higher level of tax for having attained a certain financial status? In my opinion, graduated taxes do little more than stifle innovation, and performance. They can make it easier for people earning less money to get by, but do very little in the way of encouraging them to broaden their career horizons.
