US Taxes---Who pays what.

[amckillip]

In yesterday's world the "hardworking middle class" did not own 3 color TV's, multiple computers and cell phones, 2 or more new cars, video games, and eat out many times weekly. I was raised in that class 20+ years ago and can tell you we did not miss what we did not have. This, I believe SFP, is where the problem lies with today's middle class.

None of this really matters. When you were growing up your parents didn't have TV, there was only one car per family, no one had air-conditioning, and computers were mechanical.

I can tell you sousaman that in today's world $250,000 is NOT a lot of money. It is firmly upper middle class in most communities. Once you join the working world and have a family who you must house, feed, educate, provide entertainment for, while saving for both college and retirement you will find that $250,000 does not go far.

And yet the median household income is $50,000. Meaning half of the US lives on 5x less than that. Oh, and another 48% of the country is under $250,000. Only 2% of the country makes over $250,000... If that doesn't go far how do you think those other people are feeling?

[saluki762]

What drives me the most crazy about discussions like this is many people ignore that across the board, we all pay smaller percentages of our income in taxes today than ever. Many people like to spout off about the 50's and 60's and the "golden age" of this country but are unwilling to spend the money to return there.

http://www.stanford.edu/class/polisci120a/immigration/Federal%20Tax%20Brackets.pdf

Of course the 1950 and 60's tax laws also allowed much easier reduction of income through deductions but past precedent has been set and shows that this country does prosper when taxing the rich.

I am one who leans towards a flat tax rate with no deductions. Keep it low and allow no loopholes and we would be much more fair across the board.

[Chico]

None of this really matters. When you were growing up your parents didn't have TV, there was only one car per family, no one had air-conditioning, and computers were mechanical.



And yet the median household income is $50,000. Meaning half of the US lives on 5x less than that. Oh, and another 48% of the country is under $250,000. Only 2% of the country makes over $250,000... If that doesn't go far how do you think those other people are feeling?

Know it sounds cruel, but many of those other people brought it on themselves. 9 kids when you can't afford one, etc.

[Braves4Life]

Know it sounds cruel, but many of those other people brought it on themselves. 9 kids when you can't afford one, etc.

Exactly Chico! And the two cars, blackberries/i-phones, multiple computers, video games, and TV's..... No one made today's "middle class" go into debt to buy all of these "luxuries". At least, they were considered luxuries when I was a kid. People just didn't do it unless they could afford it. Why does the middle class today have to try to be something they are not? What ever happened to values, discipline, and patience? That's where our problems lie as a country..... That's a big part of why we're in the mess we're in as a country, IMO.

[amckillip]

Know it sounds cruel, but many of those other people brought it on themselves. 9 kids when you can't afford one, etc.

Actually that has nothing to do with anything. How does # of kids at all factor into the median household income?

[Chico]

Actually that has nothing to do with anything. How does # of kids at all factor into the median household income?

If someone has no income, why even have one child? Who's going to pay for what that child needs if there is no income? Defend it if you want, but I'm not.

[Beninator]

I was sitting in a American Lit. 1860-2000 class at BU and our professor was talking about how families who make more then $200,000 a year would be put into a newer/higher tax bracket and pay more.

My initial reaction: $200,000 a year???? That's a ton of money!
Girl right next to me: $200,000 a year???? That's nothing!

Discussing money with lots of people on a sports forum= always a good idea.

I can tell you sousaman that in today's world $250,000 is NOT a lot of money. It is firmly upper middle class in most communities. Once you join the working world and have a family who you must house, feed, educate, provide entertainment for, while saving for both college and retirement you will find that $250,000 does not go far.

I think that it depends on what part of the country a person lives. For example, a household income of $250k will go a lot further in a place like Peoria compared to cities like Chicago and New York.

[Beninator]

In actual fact, Americans in the top 10% of income pay 68% of federal taxes. Higher taxes on upper income Americans will accomplish nothing except to increase unemployment, lower economic growth, and prolong the current downturn.

It has been proven time and time again that we cannot tax our way out of a recession. The downturn will only end when we find ways to foster the growth of the GDP, primarily by helping American small and medium businesses to expand and grow.

You might want to look up Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton regarding your post. After the 1981 tax cuts, Reagan increased corporate taxes in 1982, enacted higher payroll taxes in 1983, and enacted a higher energy tax in 1984. Bill Clinton also raised taxes in 1993.

[Beninator]

I find it hilarious that my post about NPR and Fox News was deleted!

and I have never complained about my posts being deleted until now. The post was entirely harmless and even included humor!

[Da Coach]

It was completely off topic.

[Beninator]

Even NPR, not exactly a conservative voice, admits that in 2009, 47% of all wage earners did not pay any federal income taxes-
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=125997180

It was completely off topic.

My post was a direct response to this part of your previous post. I threw in my part about Fox News to illustrate my personal opinion about media bias backed up with facts of course.

My post did not call anyone from the board out, did not say anything negative about Bradley University or any staff member. This is a political thread in a message board. Differing opinions are going to result in posts that will stray away from the original topic. See Drudge Report Post on the other part of the board.

Thank you once again for the laugh today!

[amckillip]

If someone has no income, why even have one child? Who's going to pay for what that child needs if there is no income? Defend it if you want, but I'm not.

Once again, how does that have anything to do with median househould income?

[Heemeskerk]

I was sitting in a American Lit. 1860-2000 class at BU and our professor was talking about how families who make more then $200,000 a year would be put into a newer/higher tax bracket and pay more.

My initial reaction: $200,000 a year???? That's a ton of money!
Girl right next to me: $200,000 a year???? That's nothing!

Discussing money with lots of people on a sports forum= always a good idea.

The sad thing is I get a just as bad an impression when I listen to politicians who claim to have answers to problems and really only just know their own parties rhetoric.

You make it sound as if the people on this board are a bunch of *****s... they represent our voting population and my guess would be that they are more educated than the average population. So really what is the problem with the discussion on here?

[Da Coach]

My post was a direct response to this part of your previous post. I threw in my part about Fox News to illustrate my personal opinion about media bias backed up with facts of course.

My post did not call anyone from the board out, did not say anything negative about Bradley University or any staff member. This is a political thread in a message board. Differing opinions are going to result in posts that will stray away from the original topic. See Drudge Report Post on the other part of the board.

Thank you once again for the laugh today!

Ben, you are an intelligent poster, so I am baffled why you cannot see that your post against Fox News has nothing to do with the topic- taxes, and who pays them.
You are entitled to believe Fox News is an ultra-right wing news organization. I would not agree. I believe they are the one news organization that is not severely biased to the left. That may be why people who like the liberal ideas expoused by every other news outlet think they are too conservative. But I see both liberal and conservative commentators on every Fox program. I rarely see anything resembling a conservative on NBC, MSNBC, CNN, CBS, ABC, and especially NPR.

[Braves4Life]

I rarely see anything resembling a conservative on ..... NPR.

What about Juan Will... Oops! That's right, he was fired for speaking his opinion.