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It's both, IMHO. Joel Send a noteboard - 03/09/2009 05:29:41 AM
and I don't find the current tax system to be abusive to myself or to people that make less. The people that make the most use of the programs that the government spends the most money on are not the people that are paying for them. People in my tax bracket, and those below me, should be willing to pick up some of the tab, because after all, they are the ones using the programs.

Does it make sense to tax the wealthy more than the poor? Yes, they can afford it more than someone who makes 18k a year can, but to me at some point the answer is not keep raising taxes on everyone, it should be to reform the spending that's taking place, and ease the tax burden on everyone.

I'm as disgusted as anyone when tax money is wasted on inefficiency and corruption; even true believers in government programs should be, because every wasted tax dollar is one less that can provide real benefits through those programs. We need better oversight, less sinecures and streamlined policies and procedures (and just to be clear, my mother retired from the state government, where she saw firsthand that the biggest problem with government isn't overpaid and underworked employees, but the hordes of politically appointed executives doing little more than collecting a salary. )

My point on tax "reform" is that I'm very cynical about it since the biggest "success story" of my life time was a reform that reduced already relatively low tax levels for the wealthiest at the expense of greater taxes on those barely getting by to begin. A (poor, IMHO) argument can be made those paying the most pay too much, but if the complaint is "taxes are too high!" how does it make sense to RAISE taxes on ANYONE, much less the people with the least money? Yet that's what was done, and as committed as I am to community, it's hard for me to see that as anything more than people feathering an already well insulated nest at others expense, and the countrys.
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For Europeans who don't understand why Americans are against ObamaCare - 03/09/2009 04:24:35 AM 1322 Views
I'd be happy to tax top "earners" more and suffer Europes economic "collapse. " - 03/09/2009 04:30:31 AM 765 Views
The US will never work with socialism. - 03/09/2009 04:40:21 AM 835 Views
Re: The US will never work with socialism. - 03/09/2009 04:58:47 AM 832 Views
I don't think the mistrust of the government is really all that overblown - 03/09/2009 05:04:34 AM 748 Views
It's advanced beyond what it was during the Revolution, I think. - 03/09/2009 05:18:22 AM 792 Views
I would say it's grown with the government - 03/09/2009 05:23:52 AM 774 Views
Re: I don't think the mistrust of the government is really all that overblown - 04/09/2009 03:30:23 AM 721 Views
If I lived in France I wouldn't trust the Government either. - 04/09/2009 03:44:55 AM 783 Views
*laughs* the point is taken. *NM* - 04/09/2009 04:24:07 AM 505 Views
Re: The US will never work with socialism. - 04/09/2009 03:28:24 AM 876 Views
How much more can we really tax the wealthy?? - 03/09/2009 04:41:14 AM 701 Views
Sadly, I think going back to the Clinton rates would help - 03/09/2009 04:42:54 AM 654 Views
I'm ok with that....not super excited....but ok with it - 03/09/2009 04:57:32 AM 678 Views
A lot; before Reagans "reforms" we already taxed them less than any other industrialized state did. - 03/09/2009 05:06:00 AM 796 Views
I'm in the lower-middle class tax bracket - 03/09/2009 05:13:39 AM 720 Views
It's both, IMHO. - 03/09/2009 05:29:41 AM 651 Views
I hear a lot of socialism coming from you..... - 03/09/2009 05:19:08 AM 656 Views
Re: I hear a lot of socialism coming from you..... - 03/09/2009 05:40:32 AM 745 Views
Nice non-answer answer..... - 03/09/2009 05:52:04 AM 752 Views
You want detailed answers that require detailed data I don't have. - 03/09/2009 06:06:55 AM 807 Views
Here are some facts and analyses..... - 03/09/2009 02:40:22 PM 877 Views
The Heritage Foundation, huh? - 03/09/2009 03:01:17 PM 884 Views
The non-working wealthy? Please quantify..... - 03/09/2009 03:31:58 PM 834 Views
Paris Hilton? - 04/09/2009 03:43:19 AM 740 Views
You're so full of shit on this issue I don't know where to begin. - 04/09/2009 03:15:55 AM 844 Views
Re: You're so full of shit on this issue I don't know where to begin. - 04/09/2009 03:59:21 AM 934 Views
Less than 200 people were said to be US persons with Swiss accounts - 04/09/2009 04:16:24 AM 730 Views
And yet account for many millions of dollars; what does that say...? - 04/09/2009 04:21:57 AM 728 Views
It's statistically insignificant and your hyperbole is reminiscent of screaming guests on CNN. - 04/09/2009 02:07:31 PM 665 Views
Well, look at this way: - 04/09/2009 02:24:03 PM 789 Views
That's not a solution. - 05/09/2009 02:39:12 AM 800 Views
The Soviets weren't socialist, or even communist, so it's a false comparison. - 05/09/2009 03:09:06 AM 740 Views
Okay, now you've just gone into Kool-aid drinking territory. - 05/09/2009 04:32:07 AM 862 Views
Communist THEORY is predicated on democratic participation at every level,totally absent in the USSR - 05/09/2009 04:55:00 AM 977 Views
FINALLY!!! - 07/09/2009 10:22:53 AM 769 Views
Ever heard of the 20-80 rule? - 04/09/2009 04:28:54 AM 654 Views
Yes, and 90% of people are idiots. - 05/09/2009 02:41:35 AM 972 Views
Re: Yes, and 90% of people are idiots. - 07/09/2009 10:09:30 AM 775 Views
Top earners? Please define.....what income and how much more? *NM* - 03/09/2009 04:52:25 AM 505 Views
That would be open to definition, and should change with inflation. - 03/09/2009 05:13:02 AM 906 Views
What is your justification for taking over 50% of anyone's income? - 03/09/2009 05:28:22 AM 861 Views
That's a good example of why I say the rate has to be set to cost of living. - 03/09/2009 05:50:16 AM 883 Views
Still no comment on the fact that 40% of Americans don't pay any income taxes? - 03/09/2009 02:32:12 PM 793 Views
To what 40% do you refer? - 03/09/2009 02:42:55 PM 654 Views
Dude, you are not making this easy..... - 03/09/2009 03:38:01 PM 692 Views
No one "gets money from the IRS. " - 04/09/2009 02:55:02 AM 699 Views
Actually with EIC you can get money back that you never paid in. - 04/09/2009 02:56:43 AM 692 Views
It MIGHT be possible with the EIC, but in practice few people get more than they paid. - 04/09/2009 03:43:36 AM 746 Views
I don't know, I've known plenty of people that have gotten more back than they paid in - 04/09/2009 03:46:29 AM 819 Views
A neat trick then. - 04/09/2009 04:09:58 AM 820 Views
To be fair - 04/09/2009 04:50:20 AM 757 Views
Ah, gotcha. - 04/09/2009 04:53:58 AM 769 Views
Yet another example of your ignorance on tax policy. - 04/09/2009 03:19:39 AM 645 Views
The word I notice is "welfare" - 04/09/2009 03:57:01 AM 772 Views
I wouldn't say that's what it means.... - 04/09/2009 04:02:40 AM 758 Views
It's what welfare means to me... - 04/09/2009 04:32:17 AM 768 Views
I was just talking about EIC as a form of welfare, not welfare welfare. *NM* - 04/09/2009 04:45:13 AM 439 Views
yes, I get that now. *NM* - 04/09/2009 05:02:53 AM 423 Views
*NM* - 04/09/2009 05:14:01 AM 425 Views
Not necessarily - 04/09/2009 04:11:41 AM 711 Views
*shrugs* I have a soft heart. *NM* - 04/09/2009 04:30:52 AM 430 Views
It's a credit for people who file a return on income that's been taxed. - 04/09/2009 04:19:57 AM 698 Views
It is only for the WORKING poor, yes. - 04/09/2009 02:12:55 PM 683 Views
Mean it may be, but hardly illegal. - 04/09/2009 02:31:16 PM 710 Views
How does the business benefit? - 04/09/2009 04:54:27 PM 709 Views
I didn't realize you meant literal withholding. - 05/09/2009 03:03:32 AM 729 Views
That's a no-no, Joel - 03/09/2009 07:32:03 AM 695 Views
Europe impresses me for one simple reason: - 03/09/2009 09:21:28 AM 750 Views
No real comments, just 100% agree with you....plus the $12 trillion is terrifying to me. *NM* - 03/09/2009 04:33:39 AM 331 Views
If that scares you, check this out! - 03/09/2009 04:48:56 AM 853 Views
Excellent post - the US government is not capable of running HC..... - 03/09/2009 04:40:19 AM 639 Views
There is one thing the government did right - 03/09/2009 04:41:36 AM 753 Views
The bailout, some of it, was necessary..... - 03/09/2009 04:51:03 AM 753 Views
I still think it was too one sided. - 03/09/2009 05:21:45 AM 782 Views
It depends on your level of cynicism - 03/09/2009 05:38:53 AM 808 Views
when have they ever cut the fat? - 03/09/2009 08:35:36 PM 736 Views
Contrary to popular belief, they are quite good at it - 03/09/2009 09:05:15 PM 756 Views
Well there is only one catch *NM* - 03/09/2009 10:56:00 PM 424 Views
This doesn't make sense to me. - 03/09/2009 08:33:18 AM 747 Views
The key phrase is "should be. " - 03/09/2009 09:38:15 AM 920 Views
Re: The key phrase is "should be. " - 03/09/2009 09:47:39 AM 792 Views
That sounds like a good stop gap to me. - 03/09/2009 09:50:57 AM 810 Views
In fairness, most Europeans don't seem to realize what ObamaCare is. - 03/09/2009 02:34:01 PM 786 Views
What makes you think we do? - 03/09/2009 09:11:06 PM 795 Views
Oh, you don't either. I thought that went without saying. *NM* - 03/09/2009 09:25:54 PM 442 Views
As far as most people I know are concerned, opposition to ObamaCare isn't the issue. - 03/09/2009 11:04:36 PM 880 Views
It's hard not to be horrified with a government as wasteful as ours - 03/09/2009 11:24:59 PM 655 Views
I can understand horror of governments. - 03/09/2009 11:30:23 PM 653 Views
a bit, yes. *NM* - 04/09/2009 04:08:37 AM 447 Views
For Americans who don't understand why Canadians like their public healthcare. - 04/09/2009 04:23:11 AM 776 Views
Correction - 04/09/2009 04:44:32 AM 759 Views
Re: Correction - 04/09/2009 05:05:11 AM 878 Views
In all honesty.... - 04/09/2009 05:18:23 AM 711 Views
Re: In all honesty.... - 04/09/2009 07:19:28 AM 791 Views
Re: Correction - 04/09/2009 05:24:49 PM 719 Views
Re: Correction - 07/09/2009 10:11:45 AM 911 Views
That's a nice theory. - 04/09/2009 02:49:34 PM 787 Views
It's a fact - 04/09/2009 05:21:59 PM 772 Views
Re: It's a fact - 05/09/2009 03:18:39 AM 737 Views

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