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Marc Flemming
Renovator
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Registered: Jan 2003
Local time: 08:00 AM
Location: Santa Cruz
Posts: 3663
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Over lunch two friends were discussing the government's recent round of tax cuts:
"I'm opposed to those tax cuts," the retired college instructor declared, "because they benefit the rich. The rich get much more money back than ordinary taxpayers like you and me and that's not fair."
"But the rich pay more in the first place," the businessman argued, "so it stands to reason that they'd get more money back."
He could tell that his friend was unimpressed by this meager argument. Even college instructors are a prisoner of the myth that the "rich" somehow get a free ride in America. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Let's put tax cuts in terms everyone can understand.
Suppose that every day ten men go to a restaurant for dinner. The bill for all ten comes to $100.
If it was paid the way we pay our taxes, the first four men would pay nothing; the fifth would pay $1; the sixth would pay $3; the seventh $7; the eighth $12; the ninth $18. The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.
The ten men ate dinner in the restaurant
every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement until the owner threw them a curve.
"Since you're all such good customers, he said, I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily meal by $20."
Now dinner for the 10 only costs $80.
The first four are unaffected; they still eat for free. Can you figure out how to divvy up the $20 savings among the remaining six so that everyone gets his fair share?
The men realize that $20 divided by 6 is $3.33, but if they subtract that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would end up being paid to eat their meal.
The restaurant owner proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay under the same assumptions: Now the fifth man
also paid nothing, the sixth pitched in $2, the seventh paid $5, the eighth paid $9, and the ninth paid $12 leaving the
tenth man with a bill of $52 instead of $59.
Outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings. "I only got a dollar out the $20," complained the sixth man, pointing to the tenth, "and he got $7!"
"Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got seven times more than me!"
"That's true," shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get $7 back when I got only $2? The wealthy get all the breaks!"
"Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison. " We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor."
The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up. The next night he didn't show up for dinner, so the nine sat down and
ate without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important.
They were $52 short!
And that, boys, girls, and college instructors, is how America's tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show
up at the table any more. After all, there are lots of good restaurants in Switzerland and the Caribbean.
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01-06-2003 06:42 AM
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Bush Is A Liar
[Why Pink?] [Ignore User]
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Registered: Nov 2003
Local time: 04:00 PM
Location:
Posts: 37
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lots of folks think like you. i see things differently. as a chess player, i know there are no losing moves, only losing players. its the same with taxes and govt. an inc. tax, a sales tax, whatever... they all can work, but none will in fact work if the lawmakers that maintain it subvert the integrity of its provisions in exchange for money -- that is, campain contributions. in a country where the repuke akins can buy any favor they want, the tax law can be skewed to favor the rich. whether you have a sales tax or a vat tax or whatever, so long as the greedy repukers can buy polititions and delude the public thru the medea, no tax system will work. same with govt. socialist, commy, "democratic" -- it don't matter here either. get a guy like the Bushit in office and we're back 100 years on some imperiaist adventure to steal resouces from other countries. the repukers are a cancer that is killing the vigor and integrity of america. all repukers are scum , and that's why the nature of the tax system is irrelevant.
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12-23-2003 07:07 PM
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Bush Is A Liar
[Why Pink?] [Ignore User]
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Registered: Nov 2003
Local time: 04:00 PM
Location:
Posts: 37
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| quote: |
becker said this in post #9 :
i would appreciate an analysis of how a national sales or value-added tax would be worse than the current system.
as i already said, they are regressive. if you want to increase the burden on the poor, sales tax is your answer. again, the rich may spend a lot, but they don't spend all they earn, so some of theire NOw taxable income would go untaxed under a vat or sales tax.
I repeat the rich can afford to buy the brains to help them pay as little as possible with our current tax system.
they could do that with a sales tax also. what's covered? software, intellectual property, capital assets, homes. the running dogs and lakeys of the repukers can write the tax code to exempt yachts, second homes, jets, season tickets, all that shiest the rich consume. so you say, no dam exemptions. well fine, if you did that with an inc tax, all the problems would also be gone. so its not the tax law, its the greedy repukers who will always wreck any system because they value material possessions and don't care about people.
I realize people buy their way into office-but where's the connection?
you are so naive. politicians don't buy there way in, the sell there way in, and what they sell is access to them and exertion of their influence.
And what has Bush got to do with this matter? What's a "repuker"? |
bush is the ultimate greedy, liar, worthless, stewpit repuker there has been in a while -- repuker = republican
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12-23-2003 07:45 PM
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Ken NJ
INReview Maven
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Registered: Dec 2003
Local time: 11:00 AM
Location: NJ
Posts: 4930
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<<< Bush signed the law for a healthy tax deduction for people that purchase vehicles over 6 tons(hello gas sucking pig SUV lovers!). >>>
The word "healthy" is an understatement, lots of shananigans besides the $100,000. tax deduction for the heavy weights of the fat cats. Gets better and can trade in for a slimer and luxurious model tax free. Another hole in that loop. 
<<< You've got my vote. Except, I would make a provision that those under the poverty level would be exempt from paying sales taxes on basic commodities. If they want to buy Nike shoes, though, or t-bone steaks, they can pay the same tax as I pay. >>>
Marlene, this is the first crack in disassembling another tax infrastructure the same as creating loopholes in the progressive system. Once there is an exception or exemption, others will follow by lobbyists and legislation....so eventually the system is worst then originally intended. A clear example here.
Remember this, it's easier to put a NEW law or exception to the books than to take the law away. Once you signed up for NRT or flat tax or whatever name you called it, you're in it for life and will regret it. Sorta like trading in one problem for another WORST one. At least I KNOW this problem now, but I know the next one is no better and the monster lurking in the closet some believing will help them is nothing but a shocker that can't put back in there once released.
<<< i would appreciate an analysis of how a national sales or value-added tax would be worse than the current system. >>>
Wonder why those politicians who endorse it won't tell you the truth? They yanking you!
I can, but will scare the be-jesus out of you. Not sure the average American can handle it. I might not like the one bird in the hand now, but the three promised ones in the bush ain't no better.
| quote: |
Artist: Johnny Nash Lyrics
Song: I Can See Clearly Now Lyrics
I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.
I think I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is the rainbow I’ve been prayin?for
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day. |
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02-07-2004 11:53 AM
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