For April 15th, here’s something that will hopefully make us laugh. Afterall, sometimes if we weren’t laughing, we’d be crying.
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This is La Vergne, TN 
I always did like Donald Duck.
I like Donald Duck, I hate taxes. I bet most people reading this blog don’t even know how much they make. Sure, they might know what their take home pay is, but what do you really make???
We fought a revolution over less taxation than we face today, but our government brilliantly figured out how to avoid that in the future – let people think their not really being taxed, and then send them a big “refund” check in April!
If we want to see things change in Washingtons, here’s what should happen. Immediately cease all tax witholding and require employers to give them two checks – one for their gross pay and another to represent the taxes formerly withheld. Now you are responsible for paying your taxes. You can do the smart thing and put your ‘witholding’ check into a savings account and then earn a little interest until you have to send it to uncle sam. Most people will blow that money and then when they see how much they really owe in taxes will be outragous.
Of course, the democrats have already found a solution around this. The bottom 50% of wage earners only pay 4% of the total taxes collected in this country. The ‘evil rich’ (small business owners, job providers) pay over 50% of the taxes collected, yet they aren’t taxed enough?
This country is long past due for a tax revolt, but we have become so uninformed about taxes that most people in this country don’t even have a clue what they pay or where it goes. This isn’t a democrat or republican issue. We should all stand up and demand reform in the tax code.
Just when I was starting to like you, Michael….. sigh.
Don’t both the “evil rich man” and the “evil Democrat” have to pay the same for a gallon gas and a gallon of milk?
Is it fair to the “evil Democrat” that a higher percentage of his/her take-home pay goes to life’s necessities that cost the same for all (food, gas, etc.)?
I’m Just Sayin….
Why doesn’t the ‘evil democrat’ get a better education and better job?
Ok, that aside, How is it fair that someone who makes $35k and has 2 kids pays 0% of their income in taxes(and in most cases gets a freaking “credit”), but someone who makes $100k and has 2 kids pays 28% of their income in taxes?
If the tax rate were a flat 10%, the first person would pay $3500 in taxes, the second person would pay $10000 in taxes. Why is that not fair???
Kennedy (D) proved to us that progressive taxation hurts everyone in America. Tax cuts for the “wealthy” saved us from a worse recession following 9/11. The people who make more money provide jobs not only as employers, but also by purchasing more than someone on the low-end income, and providing jobs in the service, travel, and manufacturing sectors.
My point is that it is not fair to tax someone more heavily because they are more successful. The 5% wealthiest americans are not lottery winners. They are generally people who started a small business and made it successful, they are doctors and lawyers who spent $50,000 going to college so they could reap rewards later in life.
Our tax code provides deductions for mortgage interest because the government wants people to buy houses. So why does the government punish you for earning more money? I think we know the answer.
If you want communism, which is what our tax code presents, move to Cuba. I don’t want to be treated by a doctor who makes the same as the guy who mops his floors. I want people to want to work harder.
IJS, you ask: Is it fair to the “evil Democrat” that a higher percentage of his/her take-home pay goes to life’s necessities that cost the same for all (food, gas, etc.)?
The answer is very simple: why doesn’t this person get a better job? If you say they cannot, then question becomes this: Why should anyone work harder to earn more money? After all,
Let me ask this: Do you propose a living wage? Do you realize that doesn’t exist?
If immediately everyone in this country earned $10 a hour (sound like a living wage?), inflation would immediately get out of control and/or you would see 20% unemployment. Think of groceries. A living wage would basically double krogers labor costs. So now a gallon of milk that had cost $3 a gallon now costs $5.
And since gas stations now have to pay their attendents more, the price of gas goes up by $.25 a gallon to cover the new labor costs.
Every fast food and retail store that relies on low-wage workers would immediately have to increase prices to cover the higher labor costs.
Ok, so now when you were making $6 an hour and spending it all on food, gas, clothes, and groceries you now make $10 an hour but spend it all on the same items.
We live in the greatest country in the history of earth. Anyone can get rich if they want to. In fact, many of the wealthy people I come across in the insurance business are immigrants who came here broke but started a business or got a job at the bottom and worked their way up.
I still don’t have a good reason of why it’s fair for the government to punish people for working hardewr with progressive taxation?
Here is an article about how unfair the Bush tax cuts are:
http://www.slate.com/id/2108201
“My own opinion is that the rich already pay too much—it seems patently unfair to ask anyone to pay over 30 times as much as his neighbors (unless he receives 30 times as much in government services, which strikes me as implausible). If you share my sense of fairness, you’ll join me in condemning the president’s tax policy.
But if, on the other hand, you believe that the tax system should soak the rich even more than it already does—or, to put it more genteelly, that the tax system should be more progressive than it already is—if, in other words, you are a mainstream Democrat—then George W. Bush is your guy. “
Sorry, one final thing for IJS. Based on your scenario abouve about milk and gas costing the same for the rich or poor? You actually do support tax reform and don’t realize it. The plan is called the Fair tax. Every person in this country who files a tax return would receive a check each month to cover expenses up to the poverty line. We would then have no income tax, but a 23% sales tax. No one pays for food, and if your rich and want to buy a boat, you pay a bunch in taxes. If your rich and want to buy a Kia and save the rest, you’re not punished.
http://www.fairtax.org
Geez. Michael! Take it down a thousand or two! You and I actually AGREE on this issue (i.e. – Fair Tax). I raised the question in that fashion on purpose……to get out info just like you submitted.
I encourage all readers to seriously take this under consideration. Go to the Fairtax.org website (linked in Michael’s post above) and let’s get ourselves edumacated.
I’m Just Sayin….
Sorry, I’m very, “passionate” about this issue! I’m not one of the ‘evil rich,’ not yet anyway… One day I’ll be so rich I’ll be able to buy La Vergne.
Oh wait, we already were bough by Amnon Shreibman. Oh well…
If 10% is good enough for God, it should be good enough for the government. Just imagine what the economy would look like if we actually got to bring home what we make!
Why doesn’t the ‘evil democrat’ get a better education and better job?
The answer is very simple: why doesn’t this person get a better job?
I still don’t have a good reason of why it’s fair for the government to punish people for working hardewr with progressive taxation?
Let me first say that I am not entirely opposed to the “fair tax” because it does offer rebates to people who fall under a certain income level at the beginning of the year. I have problems with the “fair tax”, but I don’t find it to be completely abhorrent or anything.
My problem with what you’re saying, Michael, is the fact that you don’t seem to live in a real world. You assume that people are only poor because they aren’t working hard enough which is completely disingenuous. Poor people should just go out and get better jobs.
The US has moved from an agrarian to an industrial to a service-based economy. The entire economy stands on the shoulders of these low-paid workers. It’s not as simple as just going and getting a better job because there are a limited amount of these jobs available. In fact, the people doing the hardest work *are* the people who are working the jobs that pay the worst.
Your assumption that “everyone” can get rich is just asinine. Not everyone has the ability. And in a service based economy, that’s probably fine. If all the servers and cooks and retail workers suddenly quit to become entrepreneurs, we’d be pretty screwed. However, it is up to us as a society to look out for those on the bottom. I don’t know if you are a Christian or not, Michael, but if you are, you’d better go back and read your Bible. You’re awfully uncaring toward the very people God tells us to look out for.
Well said, Ivy. The “evil rich” who pay all those taxes need to think long and hard about why they’re rich. Where is that money coming from? They’re not planting money seeds in the ground and doing back-breaking work to cultivate their money farm into millions. No, they make their money from the lower and middle class that fuel our economy.
I don’t think our government uses our tax dollars efficiently. The answer is governmental reform, not necessarily tax cuts for anyone. But we cannot succeed as a society if we let the poorest people languish. Eventually, it will hurt everyone. Even the rich. That’s why they pay more. They can afford it and it’s in their best interest over the long haul.
“The 5% wealthiest americans are not lottery winners. They are generally people who started a small business and made it successful, they are doctors and lawyers who spent $50,000 going to college so they could reap rewards later in life.”
Ok, but how many of those people who started a small business and made it successful had a life that was conducive to that? How many had parents or trust funds that they could fall back on if the business failed? How many could start the small business from scratch and not have to worry about having to work their other job to still make ends meet? Probably more than those who grew up in a ghetto or a shack.
And I would venture to say there are more privileged people than not who are able to fork over $50,000 (per year, nowadays) to go on to become doctors and lawyers.
I’m not saying poor people don’t or can’t go on to become extremely well-off. It’s just easier–and more common–to perpetuate wealth than to create it from dirt.
My point is that it is not fair to tax someone more heavily because they are more successful.
Yes, it is.
More successful people stand to lose more if the country is overrun by Saddam’s tanks, y’see. Defense being about 40% of expenditures, I think the upper 1% are getting a hell of a deal, especially when they’re allowed to ship so much of their holdings to the Cayman Islands, untaxed.
Anyone who doesn’t like that should move to Jerry Bremer’s Flat Tax Paradise!
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If 10% is good enough for God, it should be good enough for the government.
God gets his nukes, aircraft carriers, bombers, et al, at a considerable discount. The Pentagon awards no-bid, cost-plus contracts.
You do the math.
.
Ah yes, the old get an education and get a better job ploy. Yeah, right. If you want to see “the badger” lose her cool just give me that same worn out lame reasoning.
[…] Post Worth The Read 17 04 2008 Please, for the sake of anything and everything, go read this post over at This is La Vergne and read the […]
BTW, we fought a revolution over taxation without representation, not over taxation. We do not, today, lack the representative authority to control our tax system (well, not unless we live in DC). I think Michael may have missed the point.
Also, the top 50% of wage-earners in this country pay far more than 50% of the taxes because they earn far more than 50% of the income. I’m just saying.
Anyone can get rich if they want to.
Bullshit. If that’s the case, then I’d be a millionaire.
ok, a few responses:
First of all, you don’t have to get an education to get rich. But getting an education gives you a step up
Yes, I am a Christian and I believe God wants us to enjoy life on this earth. Yes, there is a small percentage of the US population (I would estimate around 5%) that is physically or mentally handicapped beyond being ultra-successful. This country collects well more than enough in taxes to care for their needs, but I also believe that is where the government should get out and the church should get back in. Unfortunately too many people don’t want churches providing social services.
Jeffraham, I don’t understand what you’re trying to say, so I don’t konw how to respond. What does making $100k have to do with Iraq?
nm, when the politician realizes they can tax 45% of the population in order to not tax 55% of the population, that means that he only has to cater to the needs of the untaxed 55% and he will win every election. That means that the top 45% of wage earners are not represented. Taxation without representation.
Ginger, my point wasn’t just that you could click your heels and be wealthy. My point is if you do want to be wealthy, what are you trying to do to become wealthy?
Most small business owners who become successful don’t have some rich uncle to fall back on. Most of them start by taking a lot of financial risk such as mortgaging their home. Many people do not want to do this, and do not want to get rich. REMEMBER: IT IS OK TO NOT WANT TO BE RICH. That is why we will always have people to cook, bag groceries, etc.
My point is to not punish people who risk everything to become successful. You want to tax lottery winners at a rate of 80%? Fine. But you shouldn’t tax people just because they worked their butts off.
I’ll leave with this: From each according to his ability, to each according to his need – Karl Marx. So you think because someone has the ability to work harder and earn more, they should have money taken from them? Welcome to communism.
Michael, do you not get that working harder does not mean you will become rich?
My point is if you do want to be wealthy, what are you trying to do to become wealthy?
Sitting on my ass, eating bonbons, and painting my nails.
Seriously, Michael…what do you think? I have a degree in Business, have been working for 20+ years, and at many times in my life, I have held 2 or more jobs at once. I have been in the presence of millionaires on more than a few occasions in my life, but somehow, their fairy dust didn’t rub off on me.
Damn.
That means that the top 45% of wage earners are not represented. Taxation without representation.
So, buck up and move somewhere where the taxes are more reasonable. That’s what most of the world does when they feel oppressed. Need a hand packing?
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And yet, Michael, the poorest 55% of the electorate don’t all vote the same way. And the wealthy have access to political power through donations. You don’t see that there’s something a little bit off about your analysis? I mean, something that really, really is missing the reality out here?
[…] where people are not afraid to work hard. There was a lot of interesting conversation going on in The Tax Man is Here post about how hard work equals becoming rich. I’m going to have to side with the people […]