Taxing the rich - what is the cutoff?

[RIGGO/NYC]

You know I was going to join this thread on the discussion of taxes, but when I hear idiots actually defending staying in Iraq because we owe the poor Iraqi people, I just lose all respect for them. We should worry about Americans! Our leaders lied to us and there is absolutely no excuse to keep risking the lives of our troops to make up for the "mistakes" (yeah right) of Bush and Cheaney. The money we are spending on this war could be going to education and healthcare. Instead of feeling bad for Iraqi people, maybe you should think about the 50 million Americans that do not have healthcare. We are the only modern industrialized country that does not have universal healthcare. France is ranked No.1 by the W.H.O. (world healthcare org) and the U.S. is ranked 37th. In France if you are sick a doc will come to your house, here you are thrown in the street if do not have insurance. Anyone who supports Iraq, should not be allowed to speak!!! PERIOD!!!! You are an idiot who really needs to pick up a book and do some research about the ramifications this war has had on our country and for nothing. There is nothing to be gained. We have created more Anti-American sentiment by being there, than there was previously. Iraq was never a threat to us, it was Osama Bin Laden, whom we still have not caught. Thank god the days of the Republicans in Washington are coming to an end!!!!!!!!!! OBAMA says knock you out!!!

[jsarno]

I don't really want to get deep into this discussion cause it ends up being a touchy subject for many, but the only true "fair" way to impose taxes is to make it a flat percentage. It's shouldn't matter if you make 1 million a year, or 10k a year, you should have the same percentage taken out of your check. (note, not the same "AMOUNT", but same "PERCENTAGE"). The fact that people that make more money are taxed more even though they worked for the money is beyond me. Punish the rich is not my idea of equality.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by That Guy

you're adding so much value to the thread saden :/

Thanks.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by jsarno

I don't really want to get deep into this discussion cause it ends up being a touchy subject for many, but the only true "fair" way to impose taxes is to make it a flat percentage. It's shouldn't matter if you make 1 million a year, or 10k a year, you should have the same percentage taken out of your check. (note, not the same "AMOUNT", but same "PERCENTAGE"). The fact that people that make more money are taxed more even though they worked for the money is beyond me. Punish the rich is not my idea of equality.

I couldn't agree more. If we had a flat tax everything would be great. If you make 10K you should get another job or second job and then you might be able to afford that $4.50 gallon of gas and that $4 gallon of milk and won't have to rely on a tax scheme that fleeces the rich.

[That Guy]

Originally Posted by RIGGO/NYC

You know I was going to join this thread on the discussion of taxes, but when I hear idiots actually defending staying in Iraq because we owe the poor Iraqi people, I just lose all respect for them. We should worry about Americans! Our leaders lied to us and there is absolutely no excuse to keep risking the lives of our troops to make up for the "mistakes" (yeah right) of Bush and Cheaney. The money we are spending on this war could be going to education and healthcare. Instead of feeling bad for Iraqi people, maybe you should think about the 50 million Americans that do not have healthcare. We are the only modern industrialized country that does not have universal healthcare. France is ranked No.1 by the W.H.O. (world healthcare org) and the U.S. is ranked 37th. In France if you are sick a doc will come to your house, here you are thrown in the street if do not have insurance. Anyone who supports Iraq, should not be allowed to speak!!! PERIOD!!!! You are an idiot who really needs to pick up a book and do some research about the ramifications this war has had on our country and for nothing. There is nothing to be gained. We have created more Anti-American sentiment by being there, than there was previously. Iraq was never a threat to us, it was Osama Bin Laden, whom we still have not caught. Thank god the days of the Republicans in Washington are coming to an end!!!!!!!!!! OBAMA says knock you out!!!

"if you don't agree with me you're stupid and not allowed to speak or have an opinion."

wow, that's productive and not at all close minded.

maybe you should do some of that aforementioned research.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by RIGGO/NYC

Anyone who supports Iraq, should not be allowed to speak!!! PERIOD!!!! You are an idiot who really needs to pick up a book and do some research about the ramifications this war has had on our country and for nothing.

Be glad that I don't think like you and ban you. "If you don't agree with me, I don't want to hear you talk." You and the Bushies are two sides of the same coin. It's that kind of close-mindedness that has gotten us into the trouble that you are complaining about.

If you can't engage others with different viewpoints in a civil manner, you will not last long here. We had to shut down the political threads a while back because of troubled individuals. I hope we don't have to do the same thing again.

[onlydarksets]

This wasn't even supposed to be a political thread - I was just wondering what the cutoff for "rich" is these days.

[Slingin Sammy 33]

Originally Posted by RIGGO/NYC

You know I was going to join this thread on the discussion of taxes, but when I hear idiots actually defending staying in Iraq because we owe the poor Iraqi people, I just lose all respect for them. We should worry about Americans! Our leaders lied to us and there is absolutely no excuse to keep risking the lives of our troops to make up for the "mistakes" (yeah right) of Bush and Cheaney. The money we are spending on this war could be going to education and healthcare. Instead of feeling bad for Iraqi people, maybe you should think about the 50 million Americans that do not have healthcare. We are the only modern industrialized country that does not have universal healthcare. France is ranked No.1 by the W.H.O. (world healthcare org) and the U.S. is ranked 37th. In France if you are sick a doc will come to your house, here you are thrown in the street if do not have insurance. Anyone who supports Iraq, should not be allowed to speak!!! PERIOD!!!! You are an idiot who really needs to pick up a book and do some research about the ramifications this war has had on our country and for nothing. There is nothing to be gained. We have created more Anti-American sentiment by being there, than there was previously. Iraq was never a threat to us, it was Osama Bin Laden, whom we still have not caught. Thank god the days of the Republicans in Washington are coming to an end!!!!!!!!!! OBAMA says knock you out!!!

When I see posts like this which are mainly rhetoric and name-calling I lose all respect for the poster.

Here are some places where people are not allowed to speak; Cuba, Venezula, North Korea, Iraq (pre-2003), Afghanistan (pre-2001), Soviet Union (pre-fall of the Berlin Wall)

Before you call people idiots and suggest they don't read, I would suggest you read the attached links rather than get all your info from the headlines of the NY Times, Washington Post and ABC:

Saddam's Dangerous Friends

The Mother of All Connections

Andrew C. McCarthy on Iraq on National Review Online

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by RIGGO/NYC

You know I was going to join this thread on the discussion of taxes, but when I hear idiots actually defending staying in Iraq because we owe the poor Iraqi people, I just lose all respect for them. We should worry about Americans! Our leaders lied to us and there is absolutely no excuse to keep risking the lives of our troops to make up for the "mistakes" (yeah right) of Bush and Cheaney. The money we are spending on this war could be going to education and healthcare. Instead of feeling bad for Iraqi people, maybe you should think about the 50 million Americans that do not have healthcare. We are the only modern industrialized country that does not have universal healthcare. France is ranked No.1 by the W.H.O. (world healthcare org) and the U.S. is ranked 37th. In France if you are sick a doc will come to your house, here you are thrown in the street if do not have insurance. Anyone who supports Iraq, should not be allowed to speak!!! PERIOD!!!! You are an idiot who really needs to pick up a book and do some research about the ramifications this war has had on our country and for nothing. There is nothing to be gained. We have created more Anti-American sentiment by being there, than there was previously. Iraq was never a threat to us, it was Osama Bin Laden, whom we still have not caught. Thank god the days of the Republicans in Washington are coming to an end!!!!!!!!!! OBAMA says knock you out!!!

Wow. I mean, I've had my share of run-ins with the forum guidelines, but this is a doozy.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by saden1

I couldn't agree more. If we had a flat tax everything would be great. If you make 10K you should get another job or second job and then you might be able to afford that $4.50 gallon of gas and that $4 gallon of milk and won't have to rely on a tax scheme that fleeces the rich.

No...it's righting what is already wrong.
You see the "rich" as people that can afford to pay more, and you're right, they can...but why should they? If you can somehow convince me that is equality, then your sarcasm holds water...until then get off your poor me soapbox and think of someone other than yourself...think of what is "fair".

ps- if you only make 10k a year, you're damn right you need a second job, or a better first...you shouldn't expect others to pay the way for you. (which is what you are suggesting with your sarcasm)

[saden1]

Originally Posted by RIGGO/NYC

You know I was going to join this thread on the discussion of taxes, but when I hear idiots actually defending staying in Iraq because we owe the poor Iraqi people, I just lose all respect for them. We should worry about Americans! Our leaders lied to us and there is absolutely no excuse to keep risking the lives of our troops to make up for the "mistakes" (yeah right) of Bush and Cheaney. The money we are spending on this war could be going to education and healthcare. Instead of feeling bad for Iraqi people, maybe you should think about the 50 million Americans that do not have healthcare. We are the only modern industrialized country that does not have universal healthcare. France is ranked No.1 by the W.H.O. (world healthcare org) and the U.S. is ranked 37th. In France if you are sick a doc will come to your house, here you are thrown in the street if do not have insurance. Anyone who supports Iraq, should not be allowed to speak!!! PERIOD!!!! You are an idiot who really needs to pick up a book and do some research about the ramifications this war has had on our country and for nothing. There is nothing to be gained. We have created more Anti-American sentiment by being there, than there was previously. Iraq was never a threat to us, it was Osama Bin Laden, whom we still have not caught. Thank god the days of the Republicans in Washington are coming to an end!!!!!!!!!! OBAMA says knock you out!!!

Another Marxian propaganda perpetrator in the house. If you like France so much why don't you move there? It seems to me that you'll be much happier there.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by jsarno

No...it's righting what is already wrong.
You see the "rich" as people that can afford to pay more, and you're right, they can...but why should they? If you can somehow convince me that is equality, then your sarcasm holds water...until then get off your poor me soapbox and think of someone other than yourself...think of what is "fair".

ps- if you only make 10k a year, you're damn right you need a second job, or a better first...you shouldn't expect others to pay the way for you. (which is what you are suggesting with your sarcasm)

Since you feel the rich have no obligations for the welfare of society, would it be fair to say that I am entitled to be unsupported in matters concerning their welfare?

p.s. If the world was fair and everything was equal the word rich would be undefined.

[That Guy]

Originally Posted by onlydarksets

This wasn't even supposed to be a political thread - I was just wondering what the cutoff for "rich" is these days.

most people consider it 250k, but i think 500k for a household is a much better figure due to the cost of living around DC.

and, btw (not to onlydarksets, but other wh've mentioned it), i don't think a flat tax is entirely fair, since someone making 25k/year needs that extra 15% a lot more than someone making 20mill/year.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by That Guy

most people consider it 250k, but i think 500k for a household is a much better figure due to the cost of living around DC.

and, btw (not to onlydarksets, but other wh've mentioned it), i don't think a flat tax is entirely fair, since someone making 25k/year needs that extra 15% a lot more than someone making 20mill/year.

It's about being able to put food on the table and having enough to live.

BTW someone making 250K a year makes ~14K a month after taxes (without deduction) in Virginia. Are we subscribing to the Sprewell mantra here?

[That Guy]

Originally Posted by saden1

It's about being able to put food on the table and having enough to live.

BTW someone making 250K a year makes ~14K a month after taxes (without deduction) in Virginia. Are we subscribing to the Sprewell mantra here?

wtf are you talking about? i said someone making 25k a year needs the 15% that a flat tax would charge them to live on, since 25k/year is dick money. I don't see what's so sprewell about someone who'd make $1770/month w/ rent or a condo mortgage running $1100 in NoVa needing the 15% extra that a flat tax would take from him.

please read my posts more carefully :P it's not like this is the first or fourth time.