That's just silly. Everybody needs some skin in the game or the welfare mentality sets in. Perhaps a nice flat tax without any deductions, except charity and mortgage?
Why should mortgage interest be deductible? If you can afford to buy a house, you can afford to not deduct the interest on the mortgage. It's yet another demonstration of the how the financially priviledged continue to priviledge themselves at everyone else's expense.
For the record, my wife and I paid taxes and own a house.
Why Joel is CRAZY - Nearly Half of All Americans Don't Pay Federal Income Taxes
- 23/02/2012 04:43:15 AM
1787 Views
Income taxes are not the only kind of taxes. 86% of Americans pay payroll or income tax.
- 23/02/2012 09:51:50 PM
1322 Views
A not so hypothetical situation...
- 23/02/2012 05:46:44 AM
1194 Views
Your paying more money now than then. Lower rate but more money *NM*
- 23/02/2012 07:52:51 AM
713 Views
Why the heck do you think the current tax system is skewed to the rich?
- 23/02/2012 03:18:43 PM
1311 Views
Once again, poor people have no money with which to pay taxes.
- 23/02/2012 06:23:07 AM
1345 Views
50% of America is not "poor" or too poor to pay federal income taxes.....
- 23/02/2012 01:01:24 PM
1234 Views
It clearly is, if they're not paying taxes.
- 23/02/2012 02:32:54 PM
1212 Views
You base that statement on what, exactly? Fervent desire that it be true?
- 25/02/2012 12:43:30 AM
1743 Views
2009 (the year cited for this claim) was an outlier because of temporary tax cuts and the economy.
- 25/02/2012 01:14:01 AM
1531 Views
Interesting, but lacking the data I consider critical; FICA etc. should not be counted, IMHO.
- 25/02/2012 02:10:45 AM
1387 Views
It's a phrasing thing, permits more bullshit
- 25/02/2012 04:41:06 AM
1343 Views
Maybe I am just playing the same game,but I find stats from "the other side" compelling in some ways
- 25/02/2012 10:36:40 AM
1803 Views
You're operating under the same fallacy he does - that people should pay income taxes.
- 23/02/2012 12:05:52 PM
1407 Views
In much the same way
- 23/02/2012 01:40:58 PM
1353 Views
Joel is crazy, but I highly doubt that this is "why"
- 23/02/2012 01:36:37 PM
1373 Views
I see your point, but not how it changes much in the conversation where we discussed that
- 25/02/2012 01:49:29 AM
1186 Views
You mention this statistic all the time.
- 23/02/2012 02:16:47 PM
1078 Views
Obviously, we are talking about the bottom 50%.....
- 23/02/2012 03:22:43 PM
1074 Views
I wonder how much of that statistic is students
- 23/02/2012 02:22:58 PM
1326 Views
The number "paying taxes" should include dependents of those paying
- 23/02/2012 02:39:21 PM
1288 Views
yah I read the link, but apparently I just didn't understand their explanation.
- 23/02/2012 05:40:54 PM
1102 Views
Federal taxes
- 23/02/2012 04:18:22 PM
1213 Views
Your figures are fairly unrealistic
- 23/02/2012 04:54:44 PM
1383 Views
Not entirely.
- 23/02/2012 06:30:18 PM
1145 Views
Yeah I don't normally assume NY as a baseline 
- 23/02/2012 06:41:37 PM
1211 Views
- 23/02/2012 06:41:37 PM
1211 Views
It probably isn't. We even tax delivery fees, gardening services and other things with sales tax.
- 25/02/2012 07:03:46 PM
1200 Views
We don't tax transport of property either 
- 25/02/2012 08:16:53 PM
1217 Views
- 25/02/2012 08:16:53 PM
1217 Views
Places usually get around it with free delivery. A tax on a $0 item is still $0. *NM*
- 25/02/2012 09:12:22 PM
569 Views
Income taxes are not the only kind of taxes. 86% of Americans pay payroll or income tax.
- 23/02/2012 09:51:50 PM
1322 Views
And give the riff raff a reason to become involved in politics? Are you daft? *NM*
- 24/02/2012 05:04:51 AM
730 Views
25% of america is under 18, that means ~25% of the rest are not working or paid very little
- 25/02/2012 08:17:52 PM
1339 Views