01 Oct 09
1 edit
Originally posted by badmoonThe article breaks down the fraction of non-payers by bracket. As you would expect the fraction falls with each higher bracket.
I would think that the preponderence of that group is the very low income brackett. Middle class still gets reamed.
Whether the middle class gets screwed or not depends on who you call the middle class and what you mean by screwed. For instance, the Tax Policy Center reports that in 2009 the middle quintile of income own 14.2% of total income and account for 10.5% of total federal taxes. Meanwhile, the top quintile owns 53% of total income and pays 67.2% of all federal taxes. Depending on ones value system, one could argue just about any position.
Link to article: http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/publications/url.cfm?ID=411943
PDF available at that link.
01 Oct 09
fro 2008 the GDP of the US was $14.5 trillion the budget was $2.7 trillion, equating to 18%. That how much of a percentage of revenue we need to raise to keep the current size of the government. (ask.com for all info)
That's roughly $8100 per person (not household) per year. If the tax system were not progressive, and corporate taxes were eliminated then the average household would be responsible for $32,000 per year in taxes, if we were to assume a per person tax.
Although there may be room for improvement in the tax code and reciept collecting, it certainly is not disadvatagous for 99.9% of the general population. flat tax won't work (see figures above) sales tax would be insane (same reason), progressive income tax is the only rational solution.
01 Oct 09
Originally posted by duecerI agree that moving to flat tax is probably a bad idea. If we did we'd have to have a large exemption for lower income levels (effectively you'd still have a progressive tax).
fro 2008 the GDP of the US was $14.5 trillion the budget was $2.7 trillion, equating to 18%. That how much of a percentage of revenue we need to raise to keep the current size of the government. (ask.com for all info)
That's roughly $8100 per person (not household) per year. If the tax system were not progressive, and corporate taxes were eliminated then ...[text shortened]... sales tax would be insane (same reason), progressive income tax is the only rational solution.
01 Oct 09
Originally posted by telerionThis is exactly what your system was designed to do. Those who can afford to pay more, do. Those who cannot afford to pay, don't.
The article breaks down the fraction of non-payers by bracket. As you would expect the fraction falls with each higher bracket.
Whether the middle class gets screwed or not depends on who you call the middle class and what you mean by screwed. For instance, the Tax Policy Center reports that in 2009 the middle quintile of income own 14.2% of total in ...[text shortened]... le: http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/publications/url.cfm?ID=411943
PDF available at that link.
What is wrong with that? Only a selfish person would argue those who have more should keep more.
01 Oct 09
Originally posted by uzlessI'm just pointing out the data. As I wrote in that post, whether the distribution of tax burden is fair or not depends on each particular person's value system.
This is exactly what your system was designed to do. Those who can afford to pay more, do. Those who cannot afford to pay, don't.
What is wrong with that? Only a selfish person would argue those who have more should keep more.
01 Oct 09
Originally posted by telerionYou have got to be shiding me. Small business owners I know pay out the wazoo in taxes. Almost to the point of it causing failure.
At the tea parties you mean? By the way, very few small business owners are in the upper tax brackets (like less than 3% ) so I don't think you can assume them to be net tax payers just because they operate a business.
02 Oct 09
Originally posted by joe beyserNot income taxes.
You have got to be shiding me. Small business owners I know pay out the wazoo in taxes. Almost to the point of it causing failure.
http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/UploadedPDF/1000651_taxfacts042604.pdf
in terms of all federal taxes most probably pay something just because of corporate taxes.
02 Oct 09
Originally posted by KazetNagorraPAY FOR in total, or just PAY in total?
I'm very confused by the US tax system. What exactly do you pay tax for, in total?
Taxes are generally less than half what they are in sweden and many pay little to no net income taxes as has been pointed out... unsustainable and amazing.
02 Oct 09
Originally posted by DrKFThey certainly have the right to support the policies they think are best, even though it may not be the best thing for society.
And, presumably, you are also for the right of the poorest, or anyone else, to support state intervention to improve their lot and the lot of their society - including their subjective experience of freedom?
Did you know that high spending and taxation along with political attempts to seek revenue to feed the government paid employees were some of the reasons for the fall of the roman empire?
02 Oct 09
Originally posted by SleepyguyWhat, you think the Reagan-Bush national debt, caused by tax cuts for the rich and corporations plus corporate welfare (much of it military spending), isn't worth complaining about?
It's also fun when net moochers complain about "tax cuts for the rich".
21 Nov 09
Originally posted by telerionhttp://money.cnn.com/2009/09/30/pf/taxes/who_pays_taxes/index.htm
http://money.cnn.com/2009/09/30/pf/taxes/who_pays_taxes/index.htm
Finally, somebody reported on what I've been saying from time to time around here. I meet so many people with low to moderate income that scream that they are being "taxed to death." Typically though, these households get most or all of that money back.
It's pretty funny listening t ...[text shortened]... tem go "sackcloth and ashes" through the streets bemoaning their "disappearing freedom."
(Comments)
Derek BooneOct 16
The population of America is 304,059,724 according to the 2008 census. Thats 140,000,000 American's not paying any federal income tax. That group also happens to be the people who receive the most benefit from taxes. Our tax system is wrong. We reward the lazy and punish the diligent. What they should do is reward small business (the government defines small business as less then 500 people) with lower taxes/more refunds. Because you know what they are going to do with that extra money? They're going to reinvest into the business and create more jobs in the economy. Yea sure they won't reinvest it all, they might go buy a yacht, but even this helps the economy. Isn't the whole point of the stimulus plan to create more spending and stimulate the economy? I mean isn't the whole theory of capitalism based on the fact that some people will be more successful then others and everybody isn't financially equal. They have a system where everyone is equal, and it's called communism
Kevin ThorntonOct 16
The democrats like to have this large base of people that do not have to pay taxes since this type of people will vote for them in exchange for more entitlements. The democrats know that these people will find it easier to live in poverty, get welfare, food stamps and find a way to get themselves on some type of disability payments than to make the effort to educate themselves and get a job. However, this life is a miserable one and leads nowhere. But the democrats don’t care they want their constituents trapped in the poverty cycle. The democrats claim to be the champion of the poor and uneducated, but their entire program traps the poor in the poverty cycle and keeps them uneducated.
22 Nov 09
Originally posted by duecerA 'sales tax' works perfectly well in the EU but it is called 'VAT'.
fro 2008 the GDP of the US was $14.5 trillion the budget was $2.7 trillion, equating to 18%. That how much of a percentage of revenue we need to raise to keep the current size of the government. (ask.com for all info)
That's roughly $8100 per person (not household) per year. If the tax system were not progressive, and corporate taxes were eliminated then ...[text shortened]... sales tax would be insane (same reason), progressive income tax is the only rational solution.