REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS

About that "50% Pay No Taxes" Myth

POSTED BY: NIKI2
UPDATED: Thursday, October 13, 2011 11:39
SHORT URL:
VIEWED: 9587
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Wednesday, September 28, 2011 11:26 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


nickerson - it's clear you have no understanding of what you're pasting from WIKIPEDIA, or anywhere else.




" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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Wednesday, September 28, 2011 12:12 PM

STORYMARK


Quote:

Originally posted by Niki2:






LOL.

Sounds about right.

"Goram it kid, let's frak this thing and go home! Engage!"

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Wednesday, September 28, 2011 12:49 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

Originally posted by Storymark:

LOL.

Sounds about right.




Yeah, for y'all.

Me? Not so much.


" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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Wednesday, September 28, 2011 1:31 PM

M52NICKERSON

DALEK!


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
nickerson - I would love to argue with you, but your posts are just far to complicated for my simple talking point brain to understand. Never mind that may own post disproves my original argument regarding Fannie and Freddie. You are just to smart for me, and every time you post I think dirty thoughts and touch myself. I lover you m52nickerson!



I know!

I do not fear God, I fear the ignorance of man.

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Wednesday, September 28, 2011 3:06 PM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
Quote:

Originally posted by m52nickerson: investment instruments.

...and you have been proven wrong on your argument about the rich and taxes in so many threads it silly. Remember a higher rate does not equal a fair share.



Actually, I've not been proven wrong. You're just too stubborn to acknowledge the facts.

And yes, a higher rate does not equal a fair share. It's absolutely UNfair that some should pay a higher rate. On that, we agree.




Aren't you the one who always claims that the Constitution doesn't guarantee that life will be fair? When it comes to the poor and the needy, you're pretty quick to bring up that life isn't fair, things aren't fair, and that's just the way it is.

So now you want things to be fair?

Huh.

"Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservatives." - John Stuart Mill

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Wednesday, September 28, 2011 3:13 PM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
You're going to have to do your own homework and educate yourself, my friend. I have neither the time or interest to do such work for anyone else beside for me. And especially not for you.



Huh. Imagine that - Rappy, who regularly asks for SPECIFIC information and then disappears once it's provided, refuses to provide such specific information when called upon to do so.

Why, it almost looks as if he is completely unable to back up his specious claims with any facts.

I'm sure we're all surprised by this behavior.


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Wednesday, September 28, 2011 3:20 PM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
Quote:

Originally posted by m52nickerson:
Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
Sorry I really can't provide any proof of what I claim, so I concede.



Well thank you vary much. I'm glad you realize that everything you just said was backwords.




You're a liar. I never said those words. I know you think you're being cute and clever, by fabricating something I never said, and portraying it as a quote , but that's really beyond the pale, and shows just how childish and idiotic a person you are.




So you hereby vow to NEVER change someone else's words again, and put "Fixed that for ya" below? Really? Promise? Because you do this shit on a regular basis. Funny that you'd whine about someone doing it back to you.

Quote:



the words are VERY and BACKWARDS.

Please make a note of it.



And now you're going to be pedantic and anal about spelling? Wow. I thought you hated when people did that.

"Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservatives." - John Stuart Mill

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Wednesday, September 28, 2011 4:18 PM

M52NICKERSON

DALEK!


Raptor and Hypocrisy, so happy together!



I do not fear God, I fear the ignorance of man.

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Wednesday, September 28, 2011 4:49 PM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Quote:

Your simplistic chart completely ignores the array of loop holes and exemptions that have come and gone, over the decades.
Well, since tax rates apparently don't mean anything let's just zoom "the rich" back up to 90%. Or maybe Reagan and Bush shouldn't get any credit AT ALL for "lowering" taxes, because loopholes were already in place to make the effective tax rates just like today's?

I know that you want it all three ways...

HOORAY!! Bush lowered tax rates .... which really weren't that high to begin with... and as a result the rich are now paying more taxes than ever before!

... but really, rappy! Do you even listen to yourself? How do you keep all that much bullshit in one place? Doesn't it just explode, or something?
Quote:

I guess this wiki list is something YOU might feel makes your argument, but it fails, utterly , in dealing w/ the issue.
Well, what if I quoted the percentage of taxes paid by the rich? Would that make a valid argument? I really want to know, because you have a habit of skipping and hopping from one crazy idea to another.
Quote:

The rich are paying FAR more than their fair share. That's a fact.
What IS their "fair" share?

Oh, BTW apparently you didn't notice that it wasn't a "wiki" list.

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Wednesday, September 28, 2011 4:50 PM

GEEZER

Keep the Shiny side up


Quote:

Originally posted by Niki2:
Geezer, again: I do NOT rely on "partisan sites



In this thread you cite:

http://www.taxpolicycenter.org twice

http://www.cbpp.org twice

http://taxvox.taxpolicycenter.org twice

http://www.politicususa.com

http://economistsview.typepad.com

http://www.politifact.com

http://mediamatters.org twice

http://www.republicanoperative.com an anonymous comment in a chat room

http://finance.yahoo.com quoting a Republican pundit

http://news.yahoo.com noting "The true fact -- about half of Americans do not pay federal income taxes -- often gets transmogrified in public discourse into the decidedly untrue claim that half of Americans pay no taxes."

This is not so much "CNN, Fiscal Times, New Scientist, etc.,"

Open most of these sites(aside froom Politifact and Yahoo) and look at the "about" or "who we are" pages, and you'll get a pretty good idea of their political leaning.



"Keep the Shiny side up"

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Wednesday, September 28, 2011 4:53 PM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Quote:

Rule 35: That which does not kill me has made a tactical error
I will be sure to remedy that whenever we meet....

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Wednesday, September 28, 2011 5:29 PM

GEEZER

Keep the Shiny side up


Quote:

Originally posted by SignyM:
Quote:

Rule 35: That which does not kill me has made a tactical error
I will be sure to remedy that whenever we meet....



So you're threatening people's lives now. Guess that puts you in the same boat as Andrew Breitbart. As if I didn't already know that.

"Keep the Shiny side up"

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Wednesday, September 28, 2011 5:31 PM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


It's a joke.

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Wednesday, September 28, 2011 5:48 PM

GEEZER

Keep the Shiny side up


Quote:

Originally posted by SignyM:
It's a joke.



Darn. Sorry. The trace is complete and the hitters are already on the way.

And that is a joke

"Keep the Shiny side up"

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Wednesday, September 28, 2011 6:44 PM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


rappy, I am repeating this so it doesn't get missed.

This is what YOU have said, at various times. I've strung them together for you:

HOORAY!! Bush lowered tax rates .... which really weren't that high to begin with... and as a result the rich are now paying more taxes than ever before!

Like I said: Do you even listen to yourself????

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Wednesday, September 28, 2011 7:24 PM

RIONAEIRE

Beir bua agus beannacht


Interesting that Signe chose that particular time, while you guys are disagreeing, to make that joke, even though Geezer has been carrying that tag line for a while now. Just sayin.

"A completely coherant River means writers don't deliver" KatTaya

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Thursday, September 29, 2011 1:31 AM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)


Quote:

Originally posted by Geezer:
Quote:

Originally posted by SignyM:
It's a joke.



Darn. Sorry. The trace is complete and the hitters are already on the way.





So you're threatening people's lives now. Guess that puts you in the same boat as Andrew Breitbart. As if I didn't already know that.




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Thursday, September 29, 2011 1:34 AM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)


Quote:

Originally posted by SignyM:
rappy, I am repeating this so it doesn't get missed.

This is what YOU have said, at various times. I've strung them together for you:

HOORAY!! Bush lowered tax rates .... which really weren't that high to begin with... and as a result the rich are now paying more taxes than ever before!

Like I said: Do you even listen to yourself????




You forgot "the rich are paying FAR more than their fair share... but because of loopholes and exemptions, NOBODY pays the top rate... NOBODY... and the Constitution doesn't guarantee fairness for all"

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Thursday, September 29, 2011 2:35 AM

GEEZER

Keep the Shiny side up


Quote:

Originally posted by Kwicko:
Quote:

Originally posted by Geezer:
Quote:

Originally posted by SignyM:
It's a joke.



Darn. Sorry. The trace is complete and the hitters are already on the way.





So you're threatening people's lives now. Guess that puts you in the same boat as Andrew Breitbart. As if I didn't already know that.







So posting snippets of a full post is apparently okay if you do it? Why am I not surprised?

"Keep the Shiny side up"

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Thursday, September 29, 2011 2:53 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!



Quote:

So you hereby vow to NEVER change someone else's words again, and put "Fixed that for ya" below? Really? Promise? Because you do this shit on a regular basis. Funny that you'd whine about someone doing it back to you



No, because it's not the same thing. Stating Fixed It For Ya, or FIFY, indicates that I am not attempting to be deceitful in misquoting anyone. Nickerson is blatantly lying, by intentionally misquoting what I say.

You really have no come back on this matter, as I'm 100% right.


" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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Thursday, September 29, 2011 3:01 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

Originally posted by SignyM:
rappy, I am repeating this so it doesn't get missed.

This is what YOU have said, at various times. I've strung them together for you:

HOORAY!! Bush lowered tax rates .... which really weren't that high to begin with... and as a result the rich are now paying more taxes than ever before!

Like I said: Do you even listen to yourself????



Absolutely I listen to myself, but it's clear that YOU don't.

I've never said that the rich are " paying more taxes than ever before ". Of course, you didn't quote me on that, nor did you give any ACTUAL quotes on what I said, but what does that matter, right ?

Bush removed some of the lowest wage earners from paying federal income taxes, so this LIE ( and that's what it is ) that the Bush Tax cuts were ONLY for the rich, is laughable.

If you're paying too much in taxes, and you get a cut in that rate, but are still paying too much in taxes, doesn't mean you're still not paying your fair share. And for those who didn't get a tax cut, so what ? You're still getting far more for your tax $ as it is, so quit your bitchin'.




" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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Thursday, September 29, 2011 4:44 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Quote:

I've never said that the rich are " paying more taxes than ever before
rappy, since you obviously don't listen to yourself (or read what you've written) what you wrote was
Quote:

The "rich" have been paying more and more in taxes


Well, its clear you meant "MORE AND MORE". Not "too much" or "more than their fair share" or even "more than everyone else combined" but "MORE AND MORE" -i.e. increasing through time. The obvious question would then be Since when? Well, you didn't answer that question, so apparently you meant More and more since... whenever.

If it makes you feel better, I'll re-ask the question and give you another chance to clarify your answer.

"The rich have been paying MORE AND MORE in taxes SINCE....." (when?)

Unless you're explicit about the time period, I'm going to have to assume you meant more and more on a continuing basis. In other words, more than ever before.

You also wrote
Quote:

The rich are paying FAR more than their fair share. That's a fact.

To which I asked What IS their "fair" share?. Seems an obvious question, and one which you SHOULD be able to answer, since you brought it up. And all you can do is reiterate in a slightly different way: [The rich are] paying too much in taxes and you get a cut in that rate, but are still paying too much in taxes, doesn't mean you're still not paying your fair share.

Again, do you even read what you wrote?

But if it makes you feel better, I will ask the same question in slightly different terms:

What is a "fair share" of taxes? What is "too much"? How much is "enough"? I would hope that you should be able to provide a figure- a percentage or an absolute value - which delimits the threshold for "fair" and "not fair", since you are the one who keeps repeating that idea ad infinitum. I would hope that you, at least, have an idea of what you're talking about.

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Thursday, September 29, 2011 4:51 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


The top 1% make about 18% of the income, yet pay 38+ % of the taxes.

They're paying more than their fair share.


Also, in related news, our dear Community Activist OF Chief is either a liar, or really bad at math. He claims that a teacher making 50K pays a higher tax rate than he does...

Quote:

A single taxpayer with $50,000 of income would have paid 11.9% in federal income taxes for 2010, while the Obamas paid more than twice that rate — 25.3% (and higher rates than that in 2009 and 2008). And if the $50,000-a-year teacher were in Obama's tax situation — supporting a spouse and two children — he or she would have paid no federal income taxes at all.
The outcome is the same whether we count payroll taxes or not, and even if we look at what the $50,000 earner will pay on 2011 income. Whatever the assumption, the rates Obama paid were higher — and usually much higher.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2011-09-28/factcheck-oba
ma-teacher-tax/50589814/1?csp=34news&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+usatoday-NewsTopStories+%28News+-+Top+Stories%29





Less and less of the lower income earners are footing the bill on federal taxes, which is shifting that burden onto the top wage earners.

" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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Thursday, September 29, 2011 5:20 AM

6IXSTRINGJACK


lol....

Everyone (who actually has a SS# here) pays taxes.

After you figure in the EEC, dependents, SSI, SSD, Medicare, Medicade, welfare, unemployment......

well...

a majority of American's don't pay taxes.

Hell....

I've been on Unemployment twice in my life.

Both times, have been at the "worst" financial times we've seen in our lifetimes.

I never did the math, but I would almost bet that my unemployment (at max benefits.... extended) have probably paid off 70% of the taxes I've ever paid. I could only imagine anyone who was married in my circumstance not only taking all their taxes back, but making back on that 2 fold.

I have no doubt that less than 50% of Americans pay into the system much less than what they take back, given that I was well over poverty and I've barely paid any taxes.

If they did, they're stupid.

That's the system as it is.

Got a problem with it? Fix it then!

Next question?

"A government is a body of people, usually notably ungoverned."

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Thursday, September 29, 2011 8:23 AM

M52NICKERSON

DALEK!


Quote:

Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:I have no doubt that less than 50% of Americans pay into the system much less than what they take back, given that I was well over poverty and I've barely paid any taxes.


Really, you don't pay sales taxes. Do you have a drivers lisence? Did you pay for that? What about the gas tax.

Once again taxes are more then just the federal income tax.

I do not fear God, I fear the ignorance of man.

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Thursday, September 29, 2011 9:06 AM

M52NICKERSON

DALEK!


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
The top 1% make about 18% of the income, yet pay 38+ % of the taxes.

They're paying more than their fair share.



Define fair share.

I do not fear God, I fear the ignorance of man.

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Thursday, September 29, 2011 9:55 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

Originally posted by m52nickerson:

Define fair share.



I'd prefer it if you asked the Left to define it first, they're the ones who keep using it.

But since you asked me, I'll not dodge the question -
23%




" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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Thursday, September 29, 2011 10:25 AM

M52NICKERSON

DALEK!


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
But since you asked me, I'll not dodge the question -
23%



23% if calculated as an inclusive tax, 30% if calculated as triditional sale tax is, or 34% if you want it to be deficit neutral, but I got it.

http://www.factcheck.org/taxes/unspinning_the_fairtax.html

I disagree, to me the fair share would be the greatest amount a person could afford while still able to maintain a reasonable good lifestyle. That would mean that I would not have a problem taxing someone making $10 million as year at 50% or more.


I do not fear God, I fear the ignorance of man.

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Thursday, September 29, 2011 10:28 AM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)


Quote:

Originally posted by Geezer:
Quote:

Originally posted by Kwicko:
Quote:

Originally posted by Geezer:
Quote:

Originally posted by SignyM:
It's a joke.



Darn. Sorry. The trace is complete and the hitters are already on the way.





So you're threatening people's lives now. Guess that puts you in the same boat as Andrew Breitbart. As if I didn't already know that.







So posting snippets of a full post is apparently okay if you do it? Why am I not surprised?

"Keep the Shiny side up"





Have I complained about you doing this?

You just bitched at Signy about threatening peoples' lives, and then you went on to threaten her life.

Your post would make some sense if I'd complained that you were posting snippets of a full post, and then did the same thing.

As it stands, your post makes no more sense than any of your usual right-wing blather.

"Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservatives." - John Stuart Mill

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Thursday, September 29, 2011 10:51 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

Originally posted by m52nickerson:
Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
But since you asked me, I'll not dodge the question -
23%



23% if calculated as an inclusive tax, 30% if calculated as triditional sale tax is, or 34% if you want it to be deficit neutral, but I got it.

http://www.factcheck.org/taxes/unspinning_the_fairtax.html

I disagree, to me the fair share would be the greatest amount a person could afford while still able to maintain a reasonable good lifestyle. That would mean that I would not have a problem taxing someone making $10 million as year at 50% or more.




The FAIR tax is calculated as inclusive, the same way as taxes are calculated now.

Quote:

The 23 percent FairTax rate set out in HR 25/S 1025 is a tax-inclusive rate, as is the current personal income tax, whereas most state-level sales taxes are quoted on a tax-exclusive basis. For ease of comparison, FairTax.org gives the tax rate both ways. Both rates are relevant, since the FairTax is replacing an income tax system, and 23 percent correctly represents the tax burden compared to the current system. http://www.fairtax.org/site/News2?news_iv_ctrl=1541&page=NewsArticle&i
d=8248



Now, you've shifted one arbitrary term 'fair share' to another, a " reasonable good lifestyle ". Based on whose criteria ? Yours ? Mine ? The governments ?

You see, this is what freedom is suppose to be about. I go out , earn what I can / want, what ever. What business is it of the govt if I make 1 million or 50 million ? Why should I be taxed more if I do ok, if I do well, or if I do really kick ass awesome ! I'm still paying taxes, and no matter how much money I have, if I spend it, that creates a need for goods and services, which employs people to provide those things, or if I put it in a bank, they can loan it out to others who need to borrow to build houses , buy cars or start up businesses. ( Didn't you see IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE? )

I shudder at your suggesting that citizens be forced to pay " the greatest amount they can afford " to the govt. That's just simply horrific, and Orwellian.

That you think we owe that much of our lives to the imperial federal govt.

That's just sad.



" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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Thursday, September 29, 2011 11:41 AM

M52NICKERSON

DALEK!


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
The FAIR tax is calculated as inclusive, the same way as taxes are calculated now.



The same way income taxes are calculated now. See I'm not disagreeing with you that they are calculated as inclusive. I was merely pointing out what the equivalent is as calculated the way sale tax is. Since the fair tax is very close to a sales tax. It ends up being the same amount.

Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
Now, you've shifted one arbitrary term 'fair share' to another, a " reasonable good lifestyle ". Based on whose criteria ? Yours ? Mine ? The governments ?



Any way to define fair is going to be arbitrary. Even the fair tax is an arbitrary number.

Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
You see, this is what freedom is suppose to be about. I go out , earn what I can / want, what ever. What business is it of the govt if I make 1 million or 50 million ? Why should I be taxed more if I do ok, if I do well, or if I do really kick ass awesome ! I'm still paying taxes, and no matter how much money I have, if I spend it, that creates a need for goods and services, which employs people to provide those things, or if I put it in a bank, they can loan it out to others who need to borrow to build houses , buy cars or start up businesses. ( Didn't you see IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE? )



I disagree, I think your view is quite self centered (just meaning centered on ones self, not ment a an insult).

What you are not considering is that your life style, how you earn money, even your health is very much dependent on the people and society you live in. If wealth becomes to concentrated there are problems. If a majority of people can no longer afford the goods and services they need, the people who provide them lose also.

Yes, the wealthy can loan money, but even then they are most likely to bring back more then the loaned out because to interest. Which means they take even more of the total wealth.

So in the end the rich maybe free, but the poor are not.

Now before you state the poor can just work harder and make more, how are they to do that when they have to look to the wealth for loans just to get what they need?

Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
I shudder at your suggesting that citizens be forced to pay " the greatest amount they can afford " to the govt. That's just simply horrific, and Orwellian.

That you think we owe that much of our lives to the imperial federal govt.

That's just sad.



Not lives, but money. No one get rich or makes a living on their own. We are all part of society.

No man is an island.

Oh and Orwellian is used to describes something that George Orwell would disagree with.




I do not fear God, I fear the ignorance of man.

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Thursday, September 29, 2011 12:07 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

Originally posted by m52nickerson:

Not lives, but money. No one get rich or makes a living on their own. We are all part of society.

No man is an island.

Oh and Orwellian is used to describes something that George Orwell would disagree with.




Time = money. The time you spend working to acquire money is a portion of your life. When the govt takes some of YOUR money, it's taking some of YOUR life.

This crap that no one gets rich alone is just that. Crap. By suggesting that ' no man is an island ', you're basically saying that society, govt , has some sort of right to the fruits of his labor. And if you have a 'right' to my labor, my money, you're saying you have a right to a portion of MY life.

I do not hold to that.

And as for Orwellian, form your favorite source, Wikipedia...

"Orwellian" describes the situation, idea, or societal condition that George Orwell identified as being destructive to the welfare of a FREE society
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orwellian

Which is exactly why I used that term. Your concept of ownership by the govt over a FREE people is exactly what Orwell was trying to warn us about.


" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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Thursday, September 29, 2011 1:35 PM

M52NICKERSON

DALEK!


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
Time = money. The time you spend working to acquire money is a portion of your life. When the govt takes some of YOUR money, it's taking some of YOUR life.



Only when you use your time to make money, but not everyone works to acquire money, many just work to survive.

Plus if time really equaled money it should be at a flat rate.

Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:This crap that no one gets rich alone is just that. Crap. By suggesting that ' no man is an island ', you're basically saying that society, govt , has some sort of right to the fruits of his labor. And if you have a 'right' to my labor, my money, you're saying you have a right to a portion of MY life.

I do not hold to that.



They do have some right to that. Without society there would be no way for a person to get rich. Everyone uses that things that society has provided, roads, laws, etc.

Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:And as for Orwellian, form your favorite source, Wikipedia...

"Orwellian" describes the situation, idea, or societal condition that George Orwell identified as being destructive to the welfare of a FREE society
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orwellian

Which is exactly why I used that term. Your concept of ownership by the govt over a FREE people is exactly what Orwell was trying to warn us about.



I doubt that seeing he had a strong belief in democratic socialism.

I do not fear God, I fear the ignorance of man.

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Thursday, September 29, 2011 1:48 PM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)


Quote:

Posted by Rappy:


This crap that no one gets rich alone is just that. Crap. By suggesting that ' no man is an island ', you're basically saying that society, govt , has some sort of right to the fruits of his labor. And if you have a 'right' to my labor, my money, you're saying you have a right to a portion of MY life.



Name me one person who got rich all by himself. No help from anyone else, no use of the public roads, public utilities, postal service, military defense to protect him, etc. Name just one.

If nobody has any "right" to ANY portion of my "life" via the fruits of my labor, then when can I expect those deadbeat soldiers to send me a refund check? I never supported the wars, so they have no "right" to be paid with my tax money, and I sure as hell never chose to spend my money in such a foolish adventure.


"Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservatives." - John Stuart Mill

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Thursday, September 29, 2011 1:58 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

They do have some right to that. Without society there would be no way for a person to get rich. Everyone uses that things that society has provided, roads, laws, etc.


Who is talking 'with out society' ? You don't think we have the right in a free society to succeed and live as we wish ? So long as we don't interfere with the rights of others. And whether anyone is making money " to survive " or what ever, the same rules apply. It's THEIR money, not the govt's.

But I'm wasting my time w/ you. You clearly have taken the blue pill, and can't be told otherwise.


Never did read Animal Farm, did ya ?

I'm guessing not, and if you did, you clearly have forgotten Orwell's message.


" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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Thursday, September 29, 2011 3:16 PM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
Quote:

They do have some right to that. Without society there would be no way for a person to get rich. Everyone uses that things that society has provided, roads, laws, etc.


Who is talking 'with out society' ? You don't think we have the right in a free society to succeed and live as we wish ? So long as we don't interfere with the rights of others. And whether anyone is making money " to survive " or what ever, the same rules apply. It's THEIR money, not the govt's.




So you agree that no person gets rich 100% on their own. They NEED society in order to do it.

Glad to hear you admit that. Just above you claimed it was "crap".

"Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservatives." - John Stuart Mill

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Friday, September 30, 2011 2:02 AM

M52NICKERSON

DALEK!


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
Who is talking 'with out society' ? You don't think we have the right in a free society to succeed and live as we wish ? So long as we don't interfere with the rights of others. And whether anyone is making money " to survive " or what ever, the same rules apply. It's THEIR money, not the govt's.



You are talking without society when you say no man is an island is crap. Government is part of society, you can't separate them. See what you don't understand is that people greedily going after more and more money does in fact interfere with other peoples rights and lives.

No it is not their money, they did not print it, nor do they have the right to do anything they want with it.

Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
But I'm wasting my time w/ you. You clearly have taken the blue pill, and can't be told otherwise.



Sorry, I don't need the blue pill!

Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
Never did read Animal Farm, did ya ?

I'm guessing not, and if you did, you clearly have forgotten Orwell's message.



Yes, it rebukes Stalinism, not socialism.



I do not fear God, I fear the ignorance of man.

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Friday, September 30, 2011 2:56 AM

GEEZER

Keep the Shiny side up


Quote:

Originally posted by Kwicko:
Have I complained about you doing this?



Quote:

Originally posted by Kwicko:
So when you keep using the out-of-context snippet from Hoffa, you're doing so in order to show your bias?


http://fireflyfans.net/mthread.asp?b=18&t=49723

Looks like it.

Quote:

Your post would make some sense if I'd complained that you were posting snippets of a full post, and then did the same thing.


Guess my post does make sense then, considering that you did complain I was posting snippets and then you left this out of your copy of my post:
Quote:

And that is a joke


Thanks for conceding the point.



"Keep the Shiny side up"

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Friday, September 30, 2011 3:19 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!



Just because a person gets rich while living in society, doesn't mean he owes anyone any damn thing more than what he's already giving.

To live IN a society, to interact with others, there is a mutual exchange. I make something, you buy it, I take that money, and go buy something else.

But that's not what you're talking about. YOU think that, in addition to the natural exchange of goods / services, 'society' has the right to then come back and take MORE from me, if I'm doing very well, than they would otherwise. THAT is 'crap'. You're misconstruing the very nature of what it means to live in a FREE society. The 'rich' already pay taxes for roads, fire, police, defense, etc... that's not the issue. YOU'RE talking about penalizing others for doing TOO well.

It IS their money. They earned it. They DO have the right to do with it as they see fit, as long as it's legal. Who the hell are you to tell another person what they can or can't do ?

Not a fan of the movie The Matrix, are ya ? The reference sailed right over your head.

Stalinism, Communism, Socialism... Orwell hated the first two, and believed in a form of the latter, which never has or will exist in the real world.



" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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Friday, September 30, 2011 3:49 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Quote:

Just because a person gets rich while living in society, doesn't mean he owes anyone any damn thing more than what he's already giving
Huh?

Now here we go again... why do you draw the line at "what he's already giving?" What makes that such a sacred amount? Maybe the current amount isn't enough to cover the actual monetary benefits that person is receiving. Maybe the current amount it's too little. So why not give more? Maybe it's too much. So why not give less?

Also, I'll have to get back to that philosophical point about not owing society anything later. It's too big a topic for my weekday mornings.

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Friday, September 30, 2011 4:29 AM

M52NICKERSON

DALEK!


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:

Just because a person gets rich while living in society, doesn't mean he owes anyone any damn thing more than what he's already giving.



Then he is already giving, who decides that? The answer is society.

Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
To live IN a society, to interact with others, there is a mutual exchange. I make something, you buy it, I take that money, and go buy something else.



You seem to think that all exchanges are equally benifical. They are not. If you own all the food, I have to pay you what ever you demaind, unless society tells you what you can charge. They would do so to make sure people don't starve.

Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
But that's not what you're talking about. YOU think that, in addition to the natural exchange of goods / services, 'society' has the right to then come back and take MORE from me, if I'm doing very well, than they would otherwise. THAT is 'crap'. You're misconstruing the very nature of what it means to live in a FREE society. The 'rich' already pay taxes for roads, fire, police, defense, etc... that's not the issue. YOU'RE talking about penalizing others for doing TOO well.



It is not a penalty. It is demainding of them more to support the society they live in, and that they achived thier wealth in. Yes they pay for those things, they also have more to lose and more to gain because of those things.

Free society does not mean monitarly free.


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
It IS their money. They earned it. They DO have the right to do with it as they see fit, as long as it's legal. Who the hell are you to tell another person what they can or can't do ?



They can do with it as they see fit as long as it is legal? So which is it, can they do what they want, or are they restricted by the laws of society. It can't be both.


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
Not a fan of the movie The Matrix, are ya ? The reference sailed right over your head.



As did my joke.

Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
Stalinism, Communism, Socialism... Orwell hated the first two, and believed in a form of the latter, which never has or will exist in the real world.



Your funny, so forms of Socialim don't exist. Damn someone tell Norway they are not real.

I do not fear God, I fear the ignorance of man.

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Friday, September 30, 2011 10:51 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...


Quote:

Just because a person gets rich while living in society, doesn't mean he owes anyone any damn thing more than what he's already giving.
You've become just too damned funny with your out-there idiocy. Why bother trying to get through to you?

You won't get it, but:





Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off



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Friday, September 30, 2011 2:19 PM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)


Quote:

Originally posted by Geezer:
Quote:

Originally posted by Kwicko:
Have I complained about you doing this?



Quote:

Originally posted by Kwicko:
So when you keep using the out-of-context snippet from Hoffa, you're doing so in order to show your bias?


http://fireflyfans.net/mthread.asp?b=18&t=49723

Looks like it.

Quote:

Your post would make some sense if I'd complained that you were posting snippets of a full post, and then did the same thing.


Guess my post does make sense then, considering that you did complain I was posting snippets and then you left this out of your copy of my post:
Quote:

And that is a joke


Thanks for conceding the point.



"Keep the Shiny side up"




Seems to me I was pointing out that YOU were complaining about it, and doing it at the same time. I wasn't complaining about it, just noting your usual hypocrisy.

I notice you left out Signy's response when she said it was a joke, though. How very expected of you, and I accept your apology and thank you for conceding the point.

"Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservatives." - John Stuart Mill

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Friday, September 30, 2011 2:27 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

Originally posted by SignyM:
Quote:

Just because a person gets rich while living in society, doesn't mean he owes anyone any damn thing more than what he's already giving
Huh?

Now here we go again... why do you draw the line at "what he's already giving?" What makes that such a sacred amount? Maybe the current amount isn't enough to cover the actual monetary benefits that person is receiving. Maybe the current amount it's too little. So why not give more? Maybe it's too much. So why not give less?

Also, I'll have to get back to that philosophical point about not owing society anything later. It's too big a topic for my weekday mornings.



The current amount taken by govt is too much already. The " benefits " received ? Hell, benefits are being CREATED, by the rich, not given TO them. The rewards earned by the rich, should be theirs to do with, as they see fit. Not confiscated by the State, for " the greater good ". What bullshit.

And here you go again, w/ the distortion of my position, about not owing society ANYTHING. I never said that society deserves 'nothing'. I made that perfectly clear, that due taxes for public services are perfectly reasonable. But to then come back , and take MORE from the rich, just because...that's nonsensical.


And nickerson, I found your 'viagra' reference to be pretty lame, and a sign that you didn't get my Matrix reference. 2 weak attempts of humor, passing each other in the night.

oh well.

" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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Friday, September 30, 2011 2:58 PM

M52NICKERSON

DALEK!


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
I made that perfectly clear, that due taxes for public services are perfectly reasonable. But to then come back , and take MORE from the rich, just because...that's nonsensical.



...and how do you know that the taxes collected now are what should be rightfully due? Go back before tax cuts and that amount was higher. So in that regard, since the tax cuts is it right that the Rich are now paying less then they were in their due taxes?

Plus if we raise the tax rate, those would then be due taxes, so by your own argument they are perfectly reasonable.

I do not fear God, I fear the ignorance of man.

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Friday, September 30, 2011 4:02 PM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)


What specific "benefits" are being CREATED by the rich? What specific "benefits" do we as a nation enjoy that no other nation on Earth enjoys, and that were CREATED by the rich?

"Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservatives." - John Stuart Mill

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Friday, September 30, 2011 4:02 PM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


MACK: Exactly.

Rappy: So how do you know that current taxes are "too much"? Have you made any attempt to monetize (express in dollar amount) the various benefits that anyone receives while living in a society? If you haven't, how do you know what is "due"?

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Friday, September 30, 2011 4:10 PM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)


Some quotes on progressive taxation from some of our nation's Founding Fathers, and one from the "founder" of capitalism itself:

Quote:

All Property, indeed, except the Savage's temporary Cabin, his Bow, his Matchcoat, and other little Acquisitions, absolutely necessary for his Subsistence, seems to me to be the Creature of public Convention. Hence the Public has the Right of Regulating Descents, and all other Conveyances of Property, and even of limiting the Quantity and the Uses of it. All the Property that is necessary to a Man, for the Conservation of the Individual and the Propagation of the Species, is his natural Right, which none can justly deprive him of: But all Property superfluous to such purposes is the Property of the Publick, who, by their Laws, have created it, and who may therefore by other Laws dispose of it, whenever the Welfare of the Publick shall demand such Disposition. He that does not like civil Society on these Terms, let him retire and live among Savages. He can have no right to the benefits of Society, who will not pay his Club towards the Support of it." -- Benjamin Franklin
"Another means of silently lessening the inequality of property is to exempt all from taxation below a certain point, and to tax the higher portions of property in geometrical progression as they rise. Whenever there is in any country, uncultivated lands and unemployed poor, it is clear that the laws of property have been so far extended as to violate natural right. The earth is given as a common stock for man to labour and live on. If, for the encouragement of industry we allow it to be appropriated, we must take care that other employment be furnished to those excluded from the appropriation." -- Thomas Jefferson
"The great object should be to combat the evil: 1. By establishing a political equality among all. 2. By withholding unnecessary opportunities from a few to increase the inequality of property, by an immoderate, and especially an unmerited, accumulation of riches. 3. By the silent operation of laws, which, without violating the rights of property, reduce extreme wealth towards a state of mediocrity, and raise extreme indigence towards a state of comfort." -- James Madison
"Separate an individual from society, and give him an island or a continent to possess, and he cannot acquire personal property. He cannot be rich. So inseparably are the means connected with the end, in all cases, that where the former do not exist the latter cannot be obtained. All accumulation, therefore, of personal property, beyond what a man's own hands produce, is derived to him by living in society; and he owes on every principle of justice, of gratitude, and of civilization, a part of that accumulation back again to society from whence the whole came." -- Thomas Paine
"The necessaries of life occasion the great expense of the poor. They find it difficult to get food, and the greater part of their little revenue is spent in getting it. The luxuries and vanities of life occasion the principal expense of the rich, and a magnificent house embellishes and sets off to the best advantage all the other luxuries and vanities which they possess. A tax upon house-rents, therefore, would in general fall heaviest upon the rich; and in this sort of inequality there would not, perhaps, be anything very unreasonable. It is not very unreasonable that the rich should contribute to the public expense, not only in proportion to their revenue, but something more than in that proportion." -- Adam Smith



There's quite a fascinating discussion going on over here:

http://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/knzdl/the_reason_for_elizabe
th_warrens_newfound/c2lsogb



"Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservatives." - John Stuart Mill

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Saturday, October 1, 2011 5:02 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


The first part of the discussion, which I tried to articulate to Tony, goes like this
Quote:

Everyone who says that they they don't owe the government anything is ignoring one thing even beyond the expenditures for police, fire, roads, schools, et cetera: Your "basic" right to property is absolutely something made up by government and enforced by government. Your contracts are governed by laws that protect both parties. The laws of this country are what enable you to do very basic things with your business that you probably take for granted. Without 'em, you get completely fucked over -- anyone stronger could take your property and you'd have no recourse.
Yep, the "right" to property is guaranteed by government.

There is also "currency", also a creation of government. How far would we get without it?

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Saturday, October 1, 2011 2:12 PM

6IXSTRINGJACK


Quote:

Originally posted by m52nickerson:
Really, you don't pay sales taxes. Do you have a drivers lisence? Did you pay for that? What about the gas tax.

Once again taxes are more then just the federal income tax.



Yup, I do. And I have. Just like everyone else has.

And I will refer to my post above where I mention that I don't have 20 kids and I've never been married, and that those people who get all the breaks and paybacks get that money back as well as their income taxes.

In a fair world, I would get the same tax breaks, and even more because I wasn't polluting the world with 20 kids of my own.

Ask yourself.... What is the largest carbon footprint you could possibly leave in this world?

........

It's your kids.... particularly if you have more than two, because now you have more in the future leaving their own carbon footprint and (it could be assumed) leaving more kids of their own in the future to do the same.

In a "fair" world, I would be rewarded for not having children, not the other way around. But here I am... a single guy paying top rate taxes, not getting any dependent paybacks and paying high property taxes to put other people's kids through school.

I swear to god man... (With all of the government incentives to push out as many babies as you can even if you're a completely unfit parent......) If I had 20 kids I'd be making money every year off the government and never have to work a day in my life.





"A government is a body of people, usually notably ungoverned."

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