Millions of Americans Don't Pay Federal Taxes

[RealGun]

Initial conditions: 10% of the population is "poor" they do not consider themselves terribly needy, but some do gooders seem to think that these people need to be taken care of by government. - CAEsar

30 years ago I'm standing in line in a bank in Baltimore. The woman in front of me is depositing her welfare check in her savings account. I never forgot that, noting that government cannot "fix" the situation of poor people without infringing on their civil rights. So, if government can't really do it, why try, and should they take credit for the attempt? What has made more sense to me in pragmatic terms is promotion (not control) of education, equal opportunity, and private sector creation of jobs. I think private, local charities with personal contact can do a better job of addressing real needs for short term help.

The problem is in community organization. It isn't appropriate to let the job default to religious groups. Local government budgets should provide for it. If Fed or State money, earmarked for such purposes, flows to local governments, so be it. The key though is that a recipient has to give up some measure of personal rights or dignity, when help is needed, but fleecing must be prevented. I am saying that the need for help should be auditable, or cynicism about the programs will continue and prevail. Otherwise we become victims of our own absolutist, no common sense philosophies. I am really not interested in what ACLU has to say about it. They have no credibility, especially not here, since they want to ignore the 2A.

 

[MeekandMild]

w4rma, I'm going to blow the whistle on you and call Garbage. In fact, that last post was a Double Garbage.

Garbage #1 You used not one but two examples of capitalists who have benefited from tax sheltered and tax deferred growth of capital. How this relates to the income tax is unclear and factious. It sounds like you are saying that all the jobs and flow of wealth these rich folks have created are bad? It sounds like you'd rather live in a world where everybody is equally poor?

Garbage #2 You used both naughty words, 'progressive' and 'regressive' in the typical stereotyped, prejudiced manner, right out of the leftist playbook.


As a quick observation, when I was poor I ate a lot of beans and spaghetti, wore shoes until they had holes in the soles and saved my money. I'm not poor now because of one key concept, that of delayed gratification. Lots of kids I used to know who drove fast cars, partied a lot and had nice clothes are now little old poor people. It wasn't 'regressive taxation' that did it to them and anybody who says it was is totally full of garbage. I was there and I saw them blow their dough.


"Garbage" courtesy of Art's Grammaw.

 

[Diggler]

If you think we aren't being taxed enough, then claim zero deductions, zero dependents and zero credits and overpay YOUR taxes. Put up or shut up.

 

[Dex Sinister]

Step 7: Enjoy your new serfs!

Note: this works regardless of the levels you set your taxes at (or at what income levels you start taxing), someone is *always* on the margin. Additionally, the "bottom 10%" are always "poor" even if they don't think they are (because they're living comfortably) just remind them how rich other people are, and how "unfair" that is. Don't forget, the war on poverty is never finished, no matter HOW good the economy gets someone* is in the bottom 10%.
[...]
Forced equality, is there any other kind?

What a great idea Caesar - you've just invented a new computer game, ala "The Sims." Perhaps we could call it "Equality!"

Dex }:>=-

 

[MeekandMild]

Sure, Art, anything you say. Bovine andro-scatology is the same no matter what you call it.

 

[Stetson_CO]

I am not half as smart as most posting in this thread but here is my situation.

I make $13.00 per hour or $27,000/ year. Now, I can take 0 deductions and barely, barely scrape by or I can take 2 or 3 deductions and end up paying $650 or so to the fed.gov, but I will have more income to be able to pay rent, car payments and such. Pretty much screwed no matter how I do it.....

I showed this to my wifes liberal cousin (colege student age 20) and she is starting to re-think her ideas on taxes. so maybe I am helping educate some of the sheep.....


c):{

 

[Diggler]

Stetson,

I'd take the fewer deductions and put the difference away in an interest-bearing account so you'll have the $650 to pay the Gov't in April. No sense in them getting all the interest on the money.

 

[Stetson_CO]

Diggler,

Did you miss the part about barely scraping by? If the extra money is there its going towards food and stuff. Mac and cheese is getting old....


c):{

 

[Diggler]

Understood. But you're still gonna pay 'X' number of dollars per year regardless of how your withholding is done throughout the year.

 

[JeffS]

Top 5%er here and where's my purple tax heart?

 

[7.62FullMetalJacket]

You get a purple heart for getting "wounded." Merely getting bled to death does not count.