Taxes

[GoMuskies]

Man, that is a really big load of crap you're building there AZ.

[kmcrawfo]

Yes, I would love it. How do I know this? Because I have already gone from paying taxes from my first job and effectively doubling my tax liability once in my life already. I know how hard I worked to get there. I absolutely loved it. I also know from the path I am on that I probably won't move into the $1M bracket anytime but I will most likely move into the $250k bracket this decade and pay extra under Obama's plan. I really don't care because in the end I am still the same person, with the same frugality, the same lifestyle, instilled with the same values and no amount of money is going to change who I am. I am too old a dog to change now, well not that old but old enough to have decided who I am as a person and how I treat my fellow man.

I understand the advantage I have received by living in this country and the opportunities it provides and I have been reasonably successful in it. Some haven't, but this country posses the combined wealth to do something about it and we choose not to. We seem to just be unable to finish the job.

If you want an all for yourself policy then fine. We can stop paying for that nice military, police, and fire departments that protect you and your vast wealth. We can see how far you get then. Forget the fact that it's the lower income earners that work for those outfits.

Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society - Oliver Wendel Holmes.

Our difference I think is that I believe it's not charity but a civic duty to make sure each of the nation's citizens have health care and food and access to education when they need it and shelter just as the United Nations charter of which we are a signor says.

Whether you work hard or not, it doesn't change the fact that you are a member of the human race which carries with it obligations to your fellow man whether you like it or not. Seeing as you don't like it, I really hope you never lose that mass of wealth you have worked so hard to accumulate since there might not be enough people with a feeling of stewardship like myself around with an extended helping hand.

Ok... I have just realized it is pointless to have an intelligent discussion with you....

So.. I am wealthy... Therefore, I must want an all-for-one society with no effort to help others. Get off your high horse and give me a break.

FYI.... I am fairly certain I give a far higher percentage of my income to charity and helping others than you and the vast majority of Americans living in this society do. I give plenty back and I do out of my own will to do so. I don't need to gov't taking it from me to do so.

I hope you are successful and someday get a clue of the difference between inefficient government spending and taxation vs. free-will charity and the organizations it supports.

You also completely fail to realize the difference between gov't supplying law and infrastructure vs. wealth redistribution.

[XUglow]

Whether you work hard or not, it doesn't change the fact that you are a member of the human race which carries with it obligations to your fellow man whether you like it or not. Seeing as you don't like it, I really hope you never lose that mass of wealth you have worked so hard to accumulate since there might not be enough people with a feeling of stewardship like myself around with an extended helping hand.

I run a business. I pay social security for everyone that works for me. I pay medicare for everyone that works for me. I pay health insurance for everyone that works for me. I give Christmas bonuses, and I give a bonus each quarter that we are profitable. I match 401K contributions. None of this is a part of the local, state, and federal taxes that you are discussing. While I don't have any choice about the payroll taxes, I did have a choice about the other things, and it is money that comes straight out of my pocket.

The reason that small business people think that Obama hates them is that they don't feel that he understands or appreciates what they do for society. 30 people from 30 different families got a paycheck from me today. I paid money into their social security fund. I paid money into their medicare fund. I paid money into their retirement fund. With all of that, all I seem to hear is that the millionaires and billionaires just aren't doing their share to help out.

My government should be trying to figure out how I can make twice as much so I can give out 60 paychecks to 60 families and pay double the taxes while I am at it.

[GoMuskies]

Listen Crawford and Glow, you greedy bastards. Everyone knows you'd work just as hard and employ just as many people at the same pay and benefits even if your marginal tax rate was 70%. Stop the charade!

[XUglow]

Listen Crawford and Glow, you greedy bastards.

I'm really not greedy. I wouldn't mind it one bit if they doubled Crawford's taxes.

[xudash]

Ok... I have just realized it is pointless to have an intelligent discussion with you....

So.. I am wealthy... Therefore, I must want an all-for-one society with no effort to help others. Get off your high horse and give me a break.

FYI.... I am fairly certain I give a far higher percentage of my income to charity and helping others than you and the vast majority of Americans living in this society do. I give plenty back and I do out of my own will to do so. I don't need to gov't taking it from me to do so.

I hope you are successful and someday get a clue of the difference between inefficient government spending and taxation vs. free-will charity and the organizations it supports.

You also completely fail to realize the difference between gov't supplying law and infrastructure vs. wealth redistribution.

This. Actually, this - squared.

Perhaps a law should be enacted that requires liberals to give away 50% of their earnings to charity, so that they're not caught making fools of themselves when they start lecturing people who truly do give back at high rates of giving.

Barrack Obama - arguing that Romney paid 14% in taxes last year. Of course, he wasn't paying in based on W-2 or K-1 earnings; he paid in based on capital gains taxes, etc. Beyond that little fact is the fact that his tax bill was 7 digits. 7 effing digits.

Certainly, it is offensive that a law abiding American paid what the tax code mandated that he pay and that he actually paid in millions.

[Kahns Krazy]

Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society - Oliver Wendel Holmes.
.

Taxes are the price I want the wealthy to pay for a civilized society - ArizonaXUGrad.

I bolded the difference for you, in case you still don't see it.

[chico]

Crawford and Glow make the point far better than I ever could. Rich people are evil and they should be made to pay. They're all greedy bastards. Really, when did become such a bad thing to work your ass off to build something up? Now granted, there certainly are some greedy individuals out there, but the overwhelming majority (99% perhaps?) got where they are through hard work. And they care about their employees.

One more thing. Once ArizonaXUGrad makes his millions there is nothing stopping him - or any other "wealthy" individual with an Obama sign in his/her yard - to pay more than what their tax rate currently is.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Listen Crawford and Glow, you greedy bastards. Everyone knows you'd work just as hard and employ just as many people at the same pay and benefits even if your marginal tax rate was 70%. Stop the charade!

This is called the 1950s when we had prosperity in the middle class, paying down the war debt, and dramatically increasing the GDP. Yeah, the 50s were absolutely terrible.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

This. Actually, this - squared.

Perhaps a law should be enacted that requires liberals to give away 50% of their earnings to charity, so that they're not caught making fools of themselves when they start lecturing people who truly do give back at high rates of giving.

Barrack Obama - arguing that Romney paid 14% in taxes last year. Of course, he wasn't paying in based on W-2 or K-1 earnings; he paid in based on capital gains taxes, etc. Beyond that little fact is the fact that his tax bill was 7 digits. 7 effing digits.

Certainly, it is offensive that a law abiding American paid what the tax code mandated that he pay and that he actually paid in millions.

The argument here isn't if he was doing what was legal it's if the tax code itself is a problem. My opinion is that the #1 problem we have today is a massively fat defense budget which should be dramatically scaled back. My second issue is the problems within the tax code itself that cause Romney to pay just 14% of his income in taxes. I think that was just 2011 and 2010 right? We don't what he paid in the past 10 years save for those two since he believes his father failed at his run because of the disclosure.

As far as myself and my tax returns, I have traditionally paid out about 7-8% of my income in cash charitable contributions and another 5-7% in non-cash goods. This does not include my time that I donate as well. The remainder of my income is put to mortgage, monthly expenses, car, and savings. This will be the first year my wife and I file together so I don't know exactly what her donations have been. Ever since I moved away from living paycheck to paycheck as a young 20-something I have always hovered in that 12-14% range. I have always needed to save income though to ensure I never go into debt for repairs and maintenance for my house and car.

This doesn't change the fact that if I made $400k+ or even $250k+ and my taxes go up you won't see me crying about the government taxing my money away.

To Khans - The rich should pay a lot more than it's fair share because they have a lot more to lose if our society fails. They are getting a dollar for dollar greater benefit for having their wealth protected by foreign invaders and those inside. The top 1% have most of the wealth, the most to lose, and they don't want to pay anymore to keep it. That does not make much economic sense to me.