About number three

Post #341,770 by jake123 4/21/11 4:09:28 PM Reply	About number three Actually, it's true. Americans seem to have this idea they don't need to pay for the fruits of collective labour. They do. Higher taxes would go a long way to enabling fixing a lot of the problems the US has, simply by making the resources available. Americans pay some of the lowest taxes in the industrialised world. I'm not sure why their surprised that the result of those low taxes is crappy run-down infrastructure and a large intractable underclass. It will take a long time to fix both of those problems, but sadly most Americans don't seem very interested in that, not recognising the connection between both of those problems and US power and the ability to actually do things. The cultural problem is the biggest one. If you don't get to share in any way in any of the benefits that are offered by membership in your society (see earlier discussion of the population of Benton Harbor, for example) then why would you be interested in doing anything that would contribute to that society?
Post #341,775 by Another Scott 4/21/11 4:43:21 PM Reply	I was too terse. I agree with all you said. With the caveat that someone making, say, $20k a year and trying to support a family doesn't need to be paying higher taxes to the federal government. As a whole, the country needs to pay more, but we need to be selective. For example, the mortgage interest deduction needs to be phased out. Capital gains taxes need to be increased. Other "tax expenditures" (which cost $1.2T per year) need to be carefully examined as well - http://www.americanp...enditures101.html When politicians down here say "everyone needs to contribute" they're feeding the right-wing meme that low income people in the US don't pay taxes. They're wrong - low income people in the US do pay taxes, and they pay a larger percentage of their income in taxes than many other groups. They just don't pay federal income taxes if their income is low enough. Making someone who earns, say, $20k a year pay higher federal income taxes isn't going to solve the federal budget problems. "Everyone" doesn't need to chip in - too many have suffered while the rich benefitted excessively over the last 30 years. That's what I was getting at. :-) Cheers, Scott.
Post #341,778 by beepster 4/21/11 4:53:21 PM Reply	So riddle me this if they don't pay federal income taxes...and only taxing the rich is not a fix...and these downtrodden all need increased federal services...how do you propose this happens? Or are you saying that the top 1% can close a 15T gap? (fat chance) Sure, understanding today's complex world of the future is a little like having bees live in your head. But...there they are.
Post #341,780 by Another Scott 4/21/11 5:05:03 PM Reply	Re: So riddle me this You reply without understanding the words I have written. There's little point in me trying to explain myself better. But here's a hint: The income to the US Treasury is made up of much more than individual income taxes. Bush's tax cuts weren't just income tax cuts. Capital gains, which dominate the income of many of the richest people in the country, are not treated as ordinary income. http://mobile.salon....pholes/index.html Cheers, Scott.
Post #341,796 by beepster 4/21/11 9:18:37 PM Reply	so? they aren't "ordinary income", they're capital gains. You just want them to be treated as ordinary income. Until you do something like sell your house...or actually buy some stock for your retirement. Sure, understanding today's complex world of the future is a little like having bees live in your head. But...there they are.
Post #341,799 by Another Scott 4/21/11 9:28:01 PM Reply	You're not the Amazing Kreskin. <sheesh>

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