Yesterday”s comments on how some said taxes to provide services and regulations were so important fail to understand that America was built without all those taxes and regulations. They came later amid the beauracracy’s explanation that it was for our own good….just send the money to them. If the same regulations and taxes were in force when the Pilgrams landed that are in force now, America would not have been built. Food for thought…..
a little more food,
the regulations that were put into place after the Great Depression, prevented another one from happening, until they were repealed.
Darkeforce: you can always tell someone who’s educated enough to post a semi-intelligent answer, but naive enough to use a phrase like “That’s just a Republican lie”. Oddly enough that phrase goes with all political parties. Sort of like saying “that’s just a Democatic lie” in that we’ll give everyone what they need(they decide what we need)and it won’t cost you anything. Or “we all have to tighten our belts” and yet congressmen and senators don’t seem effected by any of it. Weird eh?
Seriously, though, don’t forget that one of the US’ 1st acts after the American Revoltion was putting doen the rebels who refused to go along with the whiskey tax.
Also, conservatives LIKE agendas such as Welfare etc., because it prevents revolutions by keeping the masses content.
I just read that the wealthy’s tax rate is down to 17%. I am a poor teacher supporting 4 people and a dog and I am paying 25%. When someone making less than $45,000 a year has a higher rate than someone making $250,000 a year, there is something is wrong with the tax system.
“Roads, police, and emergency services”. Why DARKFORCE, in you all powerful central government view do you believe the Fed should be in charge of local issues? I may be mistaken, but didn’t our founding fathers write a document to keep power out of the hands of a central government? Did this paper state that the only reason the central government could tax was for debt, common defense, and general welfare. If I’m not mistaken, all other powers were left to the states.
If you have a new revised Constitution, please publish it for us ignorant masses. Perhaps Jefferson really said “The government governs best with iron rule.”
You’re NOT paying 25%, pamlicorat. Subtract your standard (or itemized) deduction and personal exemption first before you get your taxable income. Even then your tax will be less than 25% of the taxable income because the first $17,000 will only be taxed at 10%. But divide your NET tax (after credits and Making Work Pay) by your total income (before the $250 Educator expense adjustment). Then tell us your percentage. I’ll bet you’re way under 17%.
^^On the other hand, there is historical evidence for the richest classes of various societies giving just enough “help” or “pleasure” to the lower classes to keep them just content enough to not rebel.
@Lewreader, I believe Darkforce was looking at taxes in general and beyond simply income tax. And while highway construction is under state control, most major highways are (or at least used to be) funded about 90% by the federal government. I suspect that is still largely the case.
In a similar vein, many of the social safety net programs are run by the state but again funded by federal block grants or other methods of federal funding. So, yes, the states maintain their autonomy (to some extent) but still depend on the federal government for the money for a lot of their programs.
The real irony here is our Texas governor, Rick Perry, has been real hep about refusing to take any of the Federal stimulus money but now he has his hand out to the Feds to help with our wildfires. He refuses when he can make political points off of it and he asks for it when he can make political points off of it. I guess he is not a hypocrite. He is perfectly consistent. He does whatever is best for him and his political ambitions.
dsom8 You may have a point, but then add in the State of North Carolina Income tax, gas tax, sales tax, property tax, social Security Tax, Medicare tax, amusement tax (I live near the beach), etc… and my tax rate is higher 50%. When I said my tax rate was 25%, that was what the IRS takes out of my pay check every month. Yes I get part of it back, but it is still too much.
I believe Federal taxes should be in the form of a sales tax so everyone, no matter how rich or whether they are druggie/losers has to pay the same tax on what they buy. Even people making their money under the table or illegally, still has to pay the sales tax. The rich man buys more and better, he pays more sales tax, the poor man buys little and cheap, he pays the same rate, but costs him less.
Anyone who allows the IRS to withhold 25% while supporting 4 people on a salary of $45,000, needs to simply file a W-4 form and increase the number of exemptions claimed on the W-4 form. It’s really just that simple, unless there is another income involved, ie a spouse’s income which significantly raises the income of the family in question. The tax rate for a single person having an income of $45,000 for 2010 is $4,681 + 25% of income above $34,000 which works out to $7431, or about 16.5%. That’s assuming that no dependents are claimed. Even with just the personal exemption and no other dependents, the tax would then become $6518 or about 14.5%. That sounds like less than 17% to me. Add in the other exemptions and credits available and I’d be willing to bet that your actual effective Federal tax rate would be closer to 10% or less. Sometimes, when you do the math, you find that the things people tell you are just flat wrong. And pamlicorat, I don’t mean to say you’re wrong, I mean to say that what you’re being told by someone is basically wrong as far as Federal taxes go.
comicgos about 13 years ago
Great plan if you could pull it off!
Llewellenbruce about 13 years ago
You don’t have to file an income tax Robin since you give it all away.
BigChiefDesoto about 13 years ago
The good old days when the Feds didn’t care if your income was illegal or not, just so long as you paid taxes on it!!!
kreole about 13 years ago
Yesterday”s comments on how some said taxes to provide services and regulations were so important fail to understand that America was built without all those taxes and regulations. They came later amid the beauracracy’s explanation that it was for our own good….just send the money to them. If the same regulations and taxes were in force when the Pilgrams landed that are in force now, America would not have been built. Food for thought…..
thirdguy about 13 years ago
a little more food, the regulations that were put into place after the Great Depression, prevented another one from happening, until they were repealed.
GROG Premium Member about 13 years ago
Why? Didn’t Robbing Hood make enough income?
fredusmc75 about 13 years ago
Darkeforce: you can always tell someone who’s educated enough to post a semi-intelligent answer, but naive enough to use a phrase like “That’s just a Republican lie”. Oddly enough that phrase goes with all political parties. Sort of like saying “that’s just a Democatic lie” in that we’ll give everyone what they need(they decide what we need)and it won’t cost you anything. Or “we all have to tighten our belts” and yet congressmen and senators don’t seem effected by any of it. Weird eh?
arye uygur about 13 years ago
Is Robin Hood related to Little Red Riding Hood?
Seriously, though, don’t forget that one of the US’ 1st acts after the American Revoltion was putting doen the rebels who refused to go along with the whiskey tax.
Also, conservatives LIKE agendas such as Welfare etc., because it prevents revolutions by keeping the masses content.
pamlicorat about 13 years ago
I just read that the wealthy’s tax rate is down to 17%. I am a poor teacher supporting 4 people and a dog and I am paying 25%. When someone making less than $45,000 a year has a higher rate than someone making $250,000 a year, there is something is wrong with the tax system.
McGehee about 13 years ago
”Also, conservatives LIKE agendas such as Welfare etc., because it prevents revolutions by keeping the masses content.”
Pseudo-intellectual garbage. You should go back to your college professor and demand a refund.
cdward about 13 years ago
^At least you could explain why it is “pseudo-intellectual garbage.” You have given no supporting evidence for your assertion.
lewisbower about 13 years ago
“Roads, police, and emergency services”. Why DARKFORCE, in you all powerful central government view do you believe the Fed should be in charge of local issues? I may be mistaken, but didn’t our founding fathers write a document to keep power out of the hands of a central government? Did this paper state that the only reason the central government could tax was for debt, common defense, and general welfare. If I’m not mistaken, all other powers were left to the states. If you have a new revised Constitution, please publish it for us ignorant masses. Perhaps Jefferson really said “The government governs best with iron rule.”
dsom8 about 13 years ago
You’re NOT paying 25%, pamlicorat. Subtract your standard (or itemized) deduction and personal exemption first before you get your taxable income. Even then your tax will be less than 25% of the taxable income because the first $17,000 will only be taxed at 10%. But divide your NET tax (after credits and Making Work Pay) by your total income (before the $250 Educator expense adjustment). Then tell us your percentage. I’ll bet you’re way under 17%.
cdward about 13 years ago
^^On the other hand, there is historical evidence for the richest classes of various societies giving just enough “help” or “pleasure” to the lower classes to keep them just content enough to not rebel.
TexTech about 13 years ago
@Lewreader, I believe Darkforce was looking at taxes in general and beyond simply income tax. And while highway construction is under state control, most major highways are (or at least used to be) funded about 90% by the federal government. I suspect that is still largely the case.
In a similar vein, many of the social safety net programs are run by the state but again funded by federal block grants or other methods of federal funding. So, yes, the states maintain their autonomy (to some extent) but still depend on the federal government for the money for a lot of their programs.
The real irony here is our Texas governor, Rick Perry, has been real hep about refusing to take any of the Federal stimulus money but now he has his hand out to the Feds to help with our wildfires. He refuses when he can make political points off of it and he asks for it when he can make political points off of it. I guess he is not a hypocrite. He is perfectly consistent. He does whatever is best for him and his political ambitions.
pamlicorat about 13 years ago
dsom8 You may have a point, but then add in the State of North Carolina Income tax, gas tax, sales tax, property tax, social Security Tax, Medicare tax, amusement tax (I live near the beach), etc… and my tax rate is higher 50%. When I said my tax rate was 25%, that was what the IRS takes out of my pay check every month. Yes I get part of it back, but it is still too much.
Charles Brobst Premium Member about 13 years ago
But a billionaire bailout does qualify? The tax cuts for the wealthy are greater than the budget cuts.
Tsali-Queyi about 13 years ago
I believe Federal taxes should be in the form of a sales tax so everyone, no matter how rich or whether they are druggie/losers has to pay the same tax on what they buy. Even people making their money under the table or illegally, still has to pay the sales tax. The rich man buys more and better, he pays more sales tax, the poor man buys little and cheap, he pays the same rate, but costs him less.
MisngNOLA about 13 years ago
Anyone who allows the IRS to withhold 25% while supporting 4 people on a salary of $45,000, needs to simply file a W-4 form and increase the number of exemptions claimed on the W-4 form. It’s really just that simple, unless there is another income involved, ie a spouse’s income which significantly raises the income of the family in question. The tax rate for a single person having an income of $45,000 for 2010 is $4,681 + 25% of income above $34,000 which works out to $7431, or about 16.5%. That’s assuming that no dependents are claimed. Even with just the personal exemption and no other dependents, the tax would then become $6518 or about 14.5%. That sounds like less than 17% to me. Add in the other exemptions and credits available and I’d be willing to bet that your actual effective Federal tax rate would be closer to 10% or less. Sometimes, when you do the math, you find that the things people tell you are just flat wrong. And pamlicorat, I don’t mean to say you’re wrong, I mean to say that what you’re being told by someone is basically wrong as far as Federal taxes go.