Zone1 Tax the Rich! Make them Pay their Fair Share!

[dblack]

A couple of years ago, at a family function (graduation party), the subject of taxation came up. It wasn't me that brought it up, but I did make the mistake of kicking the hornets' nest.

The subject was mostly about the economy and Trump (again, it wasn't me), and one of my in-laws said something about "tax cuts for the rich," or "the rich not paying their fair share."

I wanted a clear answer and explanation for how to know or calculate what "their fair share" should be. That's all.

You would have thought I threatened them with a gun or something.

Needless to say, I never got an answer.

In my view, each and every citizens "tax burden" should initially be the same dollar amount. Thereafter, there should be taxes based on usage. For example, if you have a trucking company with 200 trucks running up and down the road every day.

My reasoning goes like this.

If Trump, Musk, or any other Billionaire were standing in line to buy a gallon of milk at the grocery store, should their cost for their gallon of milk be exponentially higher than what I pay, just because they have and make more money than I do?

In my view, fairness means we all pay the same.

Change My Mind.

Generally agree with you here, except that I think trying to tax based on usage is a mistake. Either a government function servers a general purpose, that we should all be willing to pay for, or it doesn't - in which case it shouldn't be a government function.

 

[Lisa558]

Generally agree with you here, except that I think trying to tax based on usage is a mistake. Either a government function servers a general purpose, that we should all be willing to pay for, or it doesn't - in which case it shouldn't be a government function.

The problem is that right now, we have almost half of all adults NOT paying for a government function.

Are you saying that every working-age adult should pay federal income tax?

 

[dblack]

The problem is that right now, we have almost half of all adults NOT paying for a government function.

Are you saying that every working-age adult should pay federal income tax?

No. I'm agreeing with the ideal that we should all pay the same in taxes. In particular, I think that every spending bill should be accompanied by a tax increase to fully fund it - across the board, so it his everyone. Everyone should feel the pain of increases in government spending.

But just in general, we abuse the power of taxation. The government needs funds to operate, but today Congress uses taxation as a carrot and stick to coerce social change. Collecting revenue for the state is a secondary function. And it's become a huge source of their power. Their power to tweak tax policy is used to punish enemies, reward friends and push society into doing as the politicians want.

 

[Lisa558]

No. I'm agreeing with the ideal that we should all pay the same in taxes. In particular, I think that every spending bill should be accompanied by a tax increase to fully fund it - across the board, so it his everyone. Everyone should feel the pain of increases in government spending.

But just in general, we abuse the power of taxation. The government needs funds to operate, but today Congress uses taxation as a carrot and stick to coerce social change. Collecting revenue for the state is a secondary function. And it's become a huge source of their power. Their power to tweak tax policy is used to punish enemies, reward friends and push society into doing as the politicians want.

If you’re saying we all should pay the same in tax, it sounds as if you don’t like that half of Americans don’t pay in.

 

[dblack]

If you’re saying we all should pay the same in tax, it sounds as if you don’t like that half of Americans don’t pay in.

Uh huh. And? What's your point?

 

[Lisa558]

Uh huh. And? What's your point?

You want it both ways:

1) You want everyone to pay the same.
2) You don’t think lower-income should have to pay,

Unless I’m not understanding you….

 

[dblack]

You want it both ways:

1) You want everyone to pay the same.

Yep.

2) You don’t think lower-income should have to pay,

It sounded like you were off on some tangent. Anyway, no. I never said that.

Unless I’m not understanding you….

!

 

[BULLDOG]

It’s more risky to start a business than to start a new job. Business owners should be rewarded for taking that risk and creating jobs for others.

Why? are they going to share their profit?

 

[Natural Citizen]

Income tax is theft.

It's based on the idea that the government owns you, owns 100% of your income and that it alone sets the terms for which you may keep a certain percentage.

The solution is to repeal the 16th Amendment and end the Fed as well as its collection wing, the IRS, all of which are a product of the year 1913 in the dark of night behind closed doors.

The Framers are surely rolling over in their graves by now...

 

[Grumblenuts]

It’s more risky to start a business than to start a new job.

Nope.

 

[Captain Caveman]

A couple of years ago, at a family function (graduation party), the subject of taxation came up. It wasn't me that brought it up, but I did make the mistake of kicking the hornets' nest.

The subject was mostly about the economy and Trump (again, it wasn't me), and one of my in-laws said something about "tax cuts for the rich," or "the rich not paying their fair share."

I wanted a clear answer and explanation for how to know or calculate what "their fair share" should be. That's all.

You would have thought I threatened them with a gun or something.

Needless to say, I never got an answer.

In my view, each and every citizens "tax burden" should initially be the same dollar amount. Thereafter, there should be taxes based on usage. For example, if you have a trucking company with 200 trucks running up and down the road every day.

My reasoning goes like this.

If Trump, Musk, or any other Billionaire were standing in line to buy a gallon of milk at the grocery store, should their cost for their gallon of milk be exponentially higher than what I pay, just because they have and make more money than I do?

In my view, fairness means we all pay the same.

Change My Mind.

Generally, those that claim the rich should pay more tax don't have a clue how taxation, and life, works. A person getting rich doesn't make someone else poor. Folk get so focused on income tax, but if they had a clue about income, they wouldn't pay themselves a wage, it attracts income tax. They simply follow the rules and the more rules you know, you can reduce your tax burden in some areas. It's a pay as you go society, the likes of sales tax and property tax means a billionaire probably contributed more tax in one year than most folk do in a life time. Many support charities giving millions and billions away.

 

[Lisa558]

Why? are they going to share their profit?

Of course. I paid my staff out of my profit. If I had no profit, I would have closed shop.

 

[Chuz Life]

The rich don't pay more for milk....so to me, your question is silly.

That isn't the question that was asked.

You answer your last question first....

No.

I'll ask again and if yiu troll again with your response (zone1), I'll report, ignore or both.

 

[22lcidw]

The rich benefit and make all of their profit and gains off of our labor gain.

The rich utilize our international banking systems and the safety net built around them (through our labor) and we have ant FTC, FCC, the Treasury, and other agencies to protect mostly them, the rich utilize our airports on a near daily basis where many Americans have never been on one, we have an FAA to protect them....

the rich use many services and benefit greatly from many financial protections the government provides....there is a price to maintain that.....

ARE you paid when hired, BEFORE you work your first week...? Nope!.....you produce the labor, then are paid....

They pay more in taxes because they earn more in profit off of our labor than we do.

The rich pay the exact same rate as everyone at the level of money earned.

They pay no more taxes on their first $100,000 earned as I would on my $100,000 earned, and no more taxes on $250,000 taxable income as my $250k earned.... If we don't pay any taxes on the first $12000 we earn, the rich also don't pay any taxes on the first $12000 they earn too.

We tax them the same rate as everyone else for income in that range...

So, if we tax the rich more, are we doing it to reduce the deficit or to add more social programs thus keeping the deficits high. Also, the rich will not spend as much on their comforts of life. We always talk of the income tax and all of the other taxes take a bite. A huge one from all. The sales tax of 8% most likely affects the lower classes much more than the rich. And there is a host of other taxes.

 

[Billiejeens]

How about they quit employing people? Problem solved.

How would the rabble that worship survive?

 

[BULLDOG]

Of course. I paid my staff out of my profit. If I had no profit, I would have closed shop.

That's not how it works. You pay them for the work they did. That's not sharing anything.

 

[Lisa558]

That's not how it works. You pay them for the work they did. That's not sharing anything.

I paid them well. That’s how it works. They helped me make a profit, and as a result they had well-paid jobs.

People who want to make a profit need to start their own business. Most people don’t want the headaches, the risk, the contribution of one’s own money to get it off the ground.

 

[Chuz Life]

Federal flat tax for everyone making over $35,000. States can do whatever the hell they like.

This would be much "fairer" but I don't think it would be completely "fair."

Just a much better policy than what we have now.

 

[initforme]

I paid them well. That’s how it works. They helped me make a profit, and as a result they had well-paid jobs.

People who want to make a profit need to start their own business. Most people don’t want the headaches, the risk, the contribution of one’s own money to get it off the ground.

Dont hire. If all budiness owners did this theyd be ahead.

 

[Lisa558]

Dont hire. If all budiness owners did this theyd be ahead.

It makes more financial sense for me to hire someone to do the less highly compensated tasks and I can devote my time to the high-skill projects.