How much do extremely wealthy people owe to the society that gave them the chance to prosper so much?

[Crepitus]

Nothing like poor people on USMB looking out for the wealthy. Way to go guys!

First this group knows nothing about taxes. Take this post for example liked by 5 uninformed groupies Orangecat Juicey Omelette Jimmy_Chitwood AMart deannalw

A person making 163,301 pays 8% more in taxes than someone that made 163,300. Thats bullshit.
A person that makes half a million, pays almost 40 of their income to the federal govt.

It’s not true. We all pay the SAME taxes. Exact same. The tax rate on your first $10k is 10% so is mine. Over that it’s 12% just on the amount over $10k and it keeps going on. So a person making $163,301 pays 12 cents more than someone making $163,300. If the tax rate wasn’t at $163,300 then it would be 10 cents more or a 2 cent difference for being at the break.

I assure you if hypothetically I make $600k I pay nowhere near 40%. First the max rate is 37% and only on income $518,401 so if I make $618,401 I pay 37% on the last $100k but less on the rest of my salary.

Secondly, I am able to defer taxes on half my income with my executive job so that I’m taxed on $300k and I can decide to invest the other $300k with an approved non qualified program. I decide to take the money out over time in 10 years when I’m retired in increments small enough to keep me in a lower tax bracket since I’m retired.

There are a million ways for me to make out like a bandit. The way I described my effective tax rate is 12%. Bwahahaha. Suckers! Keep licking my (hypothetically) rich boots and voting for my puppets!!!!!!

Thank you

 

[Anomalism]

But "the society around them" has the same opportunity.

That doesn't convince me that the most successful shouldn't pay more.

 

[progressive hunter]

They also give a lot of money and time, to charity.

As tax shelters.

who cares as long as they are paying it,,

anytime the people get more and the government gets less is a good thing,,

Except that isn't how it works out. There pay less, the government gets less, and the people they don't pay a living wage to get less to make up for it.

as long as the government gets less there is more for the company to pay employees,,

But they don't. The government's job is to protect it's people, even if what they need protected from is greedy corporations and billionaires.

their job is to protect our rights not our jobs or paychecks,,,

youre thinking of fascist or communist countries,,,

Really? Did you forget "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"?

that has nothing to do with forcing others to provide for you against their will,,

 

[bripat9643]

As far as govenrment is concerned, they were better than now.

Well the monarchy is gone now.

So is our freedom.

 

[bripat9643]

Government is not society.

Our government represents our society, or they're supposed to anyway.

ROFL! No it doesn't. If anything has been shown this year, it's that government represents itself.

 

[progressive hunter]

Government is not society.

Our government represents our society, or they're supposed to anyway.

which government?? we have 3,,,

 

[Anomalism]

ROFL! No it doesn't. If anything has been shown this year, it's that government represents itself.

You won't get much opposition from me from the position that the government isn't doing its job well enough.

 

[bripat9643]

Government is not society.

Our government represents our society, or they're supposed to anyway.

Reality differs.

 

[TNHarley]

Government is not society.

Our government represents our society, or they're supposed to anyway.

No, they arent supposed to. The federal govt is basically there for military, citizenship and making sure the states arent acting crazy.

 

[bripat9643]

ROFL! No it doesn't. If anything has been shown this year, it's that government represents itself.

You won't get much opposition from me from the position that the government isn't doing its job well enough.

It can't do the job you claim it should do. Government is thoroughly corrupt, and it always will be.

 

[Cellblock2429]

Surely something, right? I see a lot of people talk like taxes are theft. Is it not just our obligation?

/——/ No, taxes aren’t an obligation. Especially when most of the money is squandered by unelected bureaucrats.

 

[Anomalism]

It can't do the job you claim it should do. Government is thoroughly corrupt, and it always will be.

I think we can make it better so it's capable of accomplishing more. We need more transparency and better safeguards against corruption.

 

[Crepitus]

They also give a lot of money and time, to charity.

As tax shelters.

who cares as long as they are paying it,,

anytime the people get more and the government gets less is a good thing,,

Except that isn't how it works out. There pay less, the government gets less, and the people they don't pay a living wage to get less to make up for it.

as long as the government gets less there is more for the company to pay employees,,

But they don't. The government's job is to protect it's people, even if what they need protected from is greedy corporations and billionaires.

their job is to protect our rights not our jobs or paychecks,,,

youre thinking of fascist or communist countries,,,

Really? Did you forget "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"?

that has nothing to do with forcing others to provide for you against their will,,

Nobody is doing that. However they should be made to make up the difference between real wages and what they get away with paying the folks who's backs they ride to wealth.

 

[Anomalism]

No, they arent supposed to. The federal govt is basically there for military, citizenship and making sure the states arent acting crazy.

Why do we call politicians representatives?

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

That is straight from the Communist Manifesto! You knew that, right?

You seem to be a lot more familiar than me.

That's because you are stupid.

 

[progressive hunter]

They also give a lot of money and time, to charity.

As tax shelters.

who cares as long as they are paying it,,

anytime the people get more and the government gets less is a good thing,,

Except that isn't how it works out. There pay less, the government gets less, and the people they don't pay a living wage to get less to make up for it.

as long as the government gets less there is more for the company to pay employees,,

But they don't. The government's job is to protect it's people, even if what they need protected from is greedy corporations and billionaires.

their job is to protect our rights not our jobs or paychecks,,,

youre thinking of fascist or communist countries,,,

Really? Did you forget "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"?

that has nothing to do with forcing others to provide for you against their will,,

Nobody is doing that. However they should be made to make up the difference between real wages and what they get away with paying the folks who's backs they ride to wealth.

what are real wages???

I live on less that 5K a yr right now and have no savings or pensions,, and next yrs looks like its gonna be worse,,

 

[dblack]

Nope. Government is a parasite. Nothing more.

I don't think it's necessary to characterize it so negatively. More importantly, government is the "servant" of society. We don't owe it anything more than a paycheck for services rendered.

But those services rendered also has to include things like supporting widows and orphans.
Historically that was a purpose of government going back 10,000 years or more.

The "purpose of government" is the real question. To avoid totalitarian government, we've tried to constrain the purpose, and the means, of government with the Constitution, but it's been only partially successful.

 

[progressive hunter]

That is straight from the Communist Manifesto! You knew that, right?

You seem to be a lot more familiar than me.

That's because you are stupid.

hes ignorant not stupid,, well he could also be stupid,,

 

[Anomalism]

That's because you are stupid.

Your hostility makes you look ignorant.

 

[bripat9643]

It can't do the job you claim it should do. Government is thoroughly corrupt, and it always will be.

I think we can make it better so it's capable of accomplishing more. We need more transparency and better safeguards against corruption.

You are naive. Furthermore, I don't want the government "accomplishing more." I want it to do far far less. You will never get transparency and better safeguards against corruption. That's like asking the fox to guard the hen house.