People Support Higher Taxes to Reduce the Deficit by a 2-to-1 Margin

[The Rabbi]

That's what Repubs/conservatives have been programmed to call "eliminating tax loopholes/preferential treatment"

That's simple truth, not "programming." Eliminating so-called "loop-holes" means the government receives a bigger share of the nation's income in taxation. That's a tax increase. Only a congenital moron would deny it.

Coming up with euphemisms for looting and plunder is a Dim specialty.

You mean like "shared sacrifice"?

 

[miami_thomas]

The poll was conducted in a liberal state. Of course that is going to be the results. Look at national polls and you will see a different results. This nation is not run by liberal states it is a collection of all states.

 

[Intense]

And what is it that Obama was pushing for?

That's right.....mostly spending cuts.

with TAX increases.

What tax increases?

Until the Budget is balanced, there are no spending decreases, only reduced rate of Government spending growth. How big does the debt trench need to get before this is taken seriously. The addiction needs to be broken.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

To see the polls, click the link.

People Support Higher Taxes to Reduce the Deficit by a 2-to-1 Margin | Capital Gains and Games

And from Quinnipiac

National (US) Poll * July 14, 2011 * President Is Best Of The Worst - Quinnipiac University – Hamden, Connecticut

When did you start posting blatantly partisan links?

Those polls show that people are willing to accept higher taxes as a part of reducing the deficit. They also show that people want that deficit reduction to be mostly about cutting spending, and that only 20% or so actually support using only taxes to reduce the deficit. Why does your site fail to mention any of that?

You must have missed Toro's post where he stated:

But if you read through those polls, they generally say that people want more spending cuts than tax increases to address the deficit. They just don't think that it should come entirely from spending cuts.

Yet he chose to title the thread in a way that indicated that people prefer tax hikes. I know you are a partisan hack, but I expect better of Toro.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Not me. I have no problem giving back. I was born in the US, and thanks to incredible luck and hard work I have never wanted for anything. I'm perfectly happy giving up discretionary spending and I think everyone else should be too in these tough times.

Give up your Starbucks/Dunkin' Donuts.

It really isn't that hard.

Luck has nothing to do with it.
I will maintain that most people are well aware that our taxes are necessary to fund government.
What we object to is the waste, fraud and abuse of our tax dollars. Not a day goes by where we are exposed to stories of incredible nonsense in Washington.
Government takes our money, misuses it then runs out. Government then goes to the Treasury and tells them to print more money to make up the difference. That devalues the Dollar which suppresses our buying power. Essentially this is another tax.
Next, government demands more taxes. Why? Because they say the need more money.
The most insidious part is when politicians are told they cannot have more, they threaten to cut out things that hurt people the most. Such as laying off public safety people and shutting down parks and other things which politicians are certain to create the most pain. Meanwhile these jerks keep paying themselves.
If you feel so compelled to as you say "give back" be our guest and write a check.
You're not giving back. You are being made to feel guilty over the stupidity of watching politicians YOU voted for blow money like they found it in the street.
Ya know what the true definition of giving back is? Giving back is when you donate time or money to your community. Or help a friend or relative who is in need.
One cannot "give" to government. Government already "demands".

The press reports waste in government because it makes news. They never report efficiency in government because no one is interested. So when all you see in the media is Medicare abuse, Social Security fraud, $25,000 hammers, and government workers sleeping on the job, you naturally assume all government is wasteful and inefficient. But remember, there are always two sides to a story and you hearing only one side. You don't hear about Medicare claim processing overhead is 2%, or federal agencies that routinely come in under budget, or programs that reduce cost and inefficiency in government or Social Security benefit processing that has never been late getting out checks. These items don't make the news because tax payers want to believe their taxes are being wasted and thus should be reduced. I worked as a consultant to several government agencies and I have found the employees worked just as hard and were just as efficient as those in the private sector. I have to question the value of some of the programs but not the workers.

What efficiency in government?

Using percentages in determining efficiency can be deceiving. When you state that the total cost of

Medicare claims processing is only 2% because their average outlay per patient is higher than private insurers. It appears that, on a per patient basis, Medicare costs are actually higher than private insurers. claims processing is only 2% of its budget that sounds wonderful, but it is not really accurate. Medicare apparently runs a higher cost per patient in claims processing than private insurers, and generally covers people that are older and unhealthier than private insurers. This means that the total outlay of Medicare is actually higher, making the overhead seem lower than it actually is. That means that the 2% figure is not actually indicative of efficiency as much as it is of the higher overall costs of Medicare.

And, personally, I find your anecdotal evidence of government employees is far outweighed by my anecdotal evidence of the same. I have met some hard working people in the government, but I have met many more who are not. They generally get promoted to get them out of the way, making things even worse in the process.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Federal Budget Deficit

From Gallup again:

As you may know, Congress can reduce the federal budget deficit by cutting spending, raising taxes, or a combination of the two. Ideally, how would you prefer to see Congress attempt to reduce the federal budget deficit -- [ROTATED: only with spending cuts, mostly with spending cuts, equally with spending cuts and tax increases, mostly with tax increases, (or) only with tax increases]?

Only with spending cuts 20%
Mostly with spending cuts 28%
Equally with spending cuts/tax increases 37%
Mostly with tax increases 9%
Only with tax increases 2%

In other words, only 20% are against tax increases while the overwhelming majority are for tax increases.

That is one way of reading it. Another is that 94% of the public wants spending cuts. Which, by the way, is actually a higher percentage than the total of the people who want increased taxes, which only adds up to 78%.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Add the only and mostly together and that's 48% which is the majority.
The tax increases are not going to go for the deficit, they will be spent on the programs.
The programs have to be cut back.

Add the mostly and equally you get 65% which is a real majority. Anyone advocating only one or another is a morAn.

And what is it that Obama was pushing for?

That's right.....mostly spending cuts.

No one knows, he never actually submitted a plan to the CBO. He just throws around some numbers and watches idiots lap them up.

Feel free to prove me wrong by linking to any solid proposal he has submitted.

 

[The Rabbi]

Add the mostly and equally you get 65% which is a real majority. Anyone advocating only one or another is a morAn.

And what is it that Obama was pushing for?

That's right.....mostly spending cuts.

No one knows, he never actually submitted a plan to the CBO. He just throws around some numbers and watches idiots lap them up.

Feel free to prove me wrong by linking to any solid proposal he has submitted.

Or any of the Democrats. They have no proposals. They haven't been able to pass a budget for 2years.
Feckless weasels.

 

[Nic_Driver]

Federal Budget Deficit

From Gallup again:

As you may know, Congress can reduce the federal budget deficit by cutting spending, raising taxes, or a combination of the two. Ideally, how would you prefer to see Congress attempt to reduce the federal budget deficit -- [ROTATED: only with spending cuts, mostly with spending cuts, equally with spending cuts and tax increases, mostly with tax increases, (or) only with tax increases]?

Only with spending cuts 20%
Mostly with spending cuts 28%
Equally with spending cuts/tax increases 37%
Mostly with tax increases 9%
Only with tax increases 2%

In other words, only 20% are against tax increases while the overwhelming majority are for tax increases.

That is one way of reading it. Another is that 94% of the public wants spending cuts. Which, by the way, is actually a higher percentage than the total of the people who want increased taxes, which only adds up to 78%.

That's the Fox interpretation alright.

You missed the word "with"...go ahead and try your math again...in context.

 

[saveliberty]

Since we have a penchant for using sin taxes, why not tax people who use government services on a use basis.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

In other words, only 20% are against tax increases while the overwhelming majority are for tax increases.

That is one way of reading it. Another is that 94% of the public wants spending cuts. Which, by the way, is actually a higher percentage than the total of the people who want increased taxes, which only adds up to 78%.

That's the Fox interpretation alright.

You missed the word "with"...go ahead and try your math again...in context.

I did not miss anything, I responded to a specific post, and pointed out an alternative way of interpreting the statistics. If you want me to use the same language as the post I quoted I can.

In other words, only 4% are against cutting spending while the overwhelming majority are for cutting spending.

 

[thereisnospoon]

Nor I. Get rid of the Bush Tax cuts. For everyone.

They were galactically stupid to begin with.

\
How so? Explain.
Use facts. Not blogs or opinion pieces.

Just use your head, if you can find it.

The MovieWavs Page - Terminator: BLEEPyou.wav

 

[saveliberty]

I really should rack up a big debt load right about now. Then I can pay it back with inflated dollars down the road....

 

[hortysir]

It appears that Republicans have walked away from a historic opportunity to reduce the deficit because of their obsessive insistance that not one penny come from higher revenues. Recent polls, however, suggest that the American people are not so obstinate and are more than willing to accept some increase in taxes to reduce the deficit. There is a high degree of consistency in every poll I could find on this topic. ...

To see the polls, click the link.

People Support Higher Taxes to Reduce the Deficit by a 2-to-1 Margin | Capital Gains and Games

And from Quinnipiac

Voters will blame Republicans over Obama 48 - 34 percent if the debt limit is not raised;

National (US) Poll * July 14, 2011 * President Is Best Of The Worst - Quinnipiac University – Hamden, Connecticut

An increase in their own taxes or someone else's (the rich)????

 

[thereisnospoon]

raising taxes wouldn't fix the deficit. It would merely slow the economy and we would see even less revenue than we have before

This is an assumption not based in reality. Bush Jr. proved we are on the left side of the Laffer Curve, and at that point, raising tax rates will in fact bring in increased revenue.

Dude don't confuse the right wing with facts it bothers them. Not to mention a significant chunck of capital investments are earned in foreign markets and taxing them won't hurt the US economy at all.

One thing I do agree however is we are taxing corporate income to high for those who are small businesses and actually have to pay those rates.

What does this have to do with the fact that the federal government spends too much and wastes even more?
What is it with you liberals? Your first response is "raise taxes". And it is always on someone except yourselves.
Why is it you people cannot fathom the concept of fiscal responsibility?

 

[Maple]

It appears that Republicans have walked away from a historic opportunity to reduce the deficit because of their obsessive insistance that not one penny come from higher revenues. Recent polls, however, suggest that the American people are not so obstinate and are more than willing to accept some increase in taxes to reduce the deficit. There is a high degree of consistency in every poll I could find on this topic. ...

To see the polls, click the link.

People Support Higher Taxes to Reduce the Deficit by a 2-to-1 Margin | Capital Gains and Games

And from Quinnipiac

Voters will blame Republicans over Obama 48 - 34 percent if the debt limit is not raised;

National (US) Poll * July 14, 2011 * President Is Best Of The Worst - Quinnipiac University – Hamden, Connecticut

Got your checkbook? Make out your check to Obama's deficit reduction plan and send it ALL in. Thanks!!!

 

[thereisnospoon]

That's what Repubs/conservatives have been programmed to call "eliminating tax loopholes/preferential treatment"

That's simple truth, not "programming." Eliminating so-called "loop-holes" means the government receives a bigger share of the nation's income in taxation. That's a tax increase. Only a congenital moron would deny it.

Coming up with euphemisms for looting and plunder is a Dim specialty.

You mean like "shared sacrifice"?

Shared sacrifice.....That's a euphemism for "fuck you".
Why is it that Obama believes there should be ANY sacrifice.
Why should government get to do business as usual while telling us .....Ya know what??
This is Jimmy Carter all over again.
Carter addresses the nation and said Americans should get used to a lower standard of living. Obama is doing the same thing. Only Obama has planned this throughout his political career. Obama views the USA as an "unfair" country. He looks upon us as Plebians, serfs or pawns. We need to be ruled instead of governed.
Obama despises the middle class. He hates suburbs, private property ownership, anything that represents the ability of the common person to achieve.
Obama believes in equality of outcome.
Obama knows God damned well his tax increase will do little to reduce debt. This is pure politics. Obama realizes the republicans are not going to agree to a tax increase, yet he demands it anyway. Obama also realizes that spending MUST be cut dramatically.
Politics. Obama is on the losing end of this so he needs to come away with something. So he wants a tax increase He is appealing to his base by plating the class envy card.
If the democrats were still in the majority (in both House and Senate), none of this would be happening and the debt would keep skyrocketing.

 

[Contumacious]

People Support Higher Taxes to Reduce the Deficit by a 2-to-1 Margin

Let me guess, the poll was conducted in Washington DC and parasites and tax consumers were included, right?

.

.

 

[thereisnospoon]

Yup. That is true. And consistent. Polls have consistently shown that people want taxes on the rich to go up, but not on themselves. Recently, they've also wanted corporate taxes to go up too.

The corporate tax is, I think, pretty easy. Lower marginal rates and close the loopholes you can drive a semi through.

Taxing the rich at 100% would still leave us in a HUGE heap of debt...

It's a tired meme....

I have no problem with simplifying the tax code and closing the loopholes...

Nobody wants to tax the rich at 100%. But when they are only paying 17% while those in the middle class are paying upwards of 25%, then something is drastically wrong.

17%..Prove it.....The top 10% of wage earners pay 70% of the total federal burden.
So if the rich are paying on average of 17%.....See where we're going here?
What should happen but never will is a simplification of the tax code and ONE rate for everyone and of course eliminate ALL deductions.
I once heard a US Tax Court attorney state that the US Tax Code is deliberately complicated. His reason was to make it harder to cheat.
HUH?!!!!

 

[xsited1]

For the sake of argument, I'm going to presume that your stats are correct despite doubting them. Even if that many people supported raising taxes to fix the deficit, raising taxes wouldn't fix the deficit. It would merely slow the economy and we would see even less revenue than we have before

...

This shows that the Republicans are on the wrong side of this issue with the American people because their Tea Party base is fanatical and religious about the tax issue. So the GOP is in a box.

....

Your conclusion is laughable. Before calling you an ideologue, let's find out exactly why some people are for tax increases. Is it because they aren't the ones who will have to pay the taxes? Is it because they somehow believe that increasing taxes in a down economy will make things better? You have to remember that we are living in the entitlement age... as long as someone else is paying for it.