Bar Stool Economics: Simple Guide to the American System of Taxation and Distribution

reply to post by daynight42

If your problem with my post is that I didn't clarify as to who I felt were "the rich," all you had to do was ask. The rich would be the people who own the corporations that profit the most. I could have said the rich included corporations, but those things are nothing without the men and women profiting and running them. It doesn't help to identify a faceless 'thing' that has no power on its own. It's the people behind it. Anyhow...

Only a small percentage of the top fortune 500 companies get away with big tax evasion. Unfortunately Obama is going after everyone who makes over $250,000. Is that ok with you?

I am against swindling people, but I realize the need to get rid of the biggest swindlers first.

We simply need to close the loopholes for those crooks at the top so that small group who makes the most pays it's taxes like everyone else. When I say "the top" that doesn't mean everyone who makes over $250,000. I mean the elite 1% like GE, the banking cartels, etc.

I read the "story" portion of your post, and it seemed to me like you were in favor of having the wealthy (including the wealthiest, aka as you term them, the 1%) keep even more than they already do.

I don't think anyone's taxes should be raised. We just need to ensure that nobody is gaming the system. It's also important for people to understand that when we say 'corporations' need to pay their share we mean those corporations at the very top who are cheating, not all corporations. People somehow believe every corporation is getting away with murder and that's BS. It's not an accident people think that way...they were led to believe it. 

It was never earned fair and square in the first place, is what I'm saying. With for-profit businesses, it never is.

Sorry but that's ridiculous. You obviously are not a fan of capitalism. 

The business (owned by a small number of people) seeks to hoard the money made by the business at the expense of everyone else, so they can get bigger and bigger.

It's not at the expense of everyone else. Companies compensate their employees for work. If the company makes profit after it's employees and taxes are paid the company is entitled to do whatever it wants with that profit. Companies aren't obligated to share profit. 

It reminds me of a drug addict to who can't get enough. These people are addicted to getting free stuff, and they want more and more freebies, and they use their power to get it.

 

You're right but as I said, it's a small percentage of the top fortune 500's that do this. The vast majority pay their taxes and follow the rules. You need to stop lumping them all together. 

Attacking capitalism because a few people are crooks is like attacking guns because a few people are crazy - it's just stupid IMO.

Originally posted by seabag

I have a friend with 9 kids that makes @$20,000 a year (seriously) and gets over $14,000 back every year, yet he pays no taxes! How does one deserve a "tax refund" when they pay no "tax"?? How is it a refund??

This is simply wealth redistribution....admit it.

Your personal standard of living is your own responsibility.

The wealthy and the elite designed the entire system and tax code in their favor. The $14,000 is not an expense to the super rich, it's an investment. They are investing in 9 children who will one day become the type of adults who will help to keep them rich. They are hoping that their standard of living, low quality of education, and media influence will help this family produce the next generation of prison inmates and slave wage laborers. They earn the greatest returns on these kinds of people.

Our economic system is based on the pyramid with its many tiers. It's a delicate balancing act. The population has to be divided into each of the tiers in order to keep the system up and running. If too many of the poor people try and become educated or increase their standard of living, their wouldn't be enough poor people who have no other option but to work for very low and unfair wages and the system would collapse. This is the main reason why the super rich promoted outsourcing and turn a blind eye to illegal immigration. Everyone in US nor the world can live a life of leisure and luxury with servants. Who is going to farm the land, build the houses, design and sew clothes, cook the food, clean the toilets, etc.

The very rich are okay with some wealth redistrubtion, as long as their taxes are being spent to keep the balance of power in their favor. A little bit of money spent on helping poor people produce the next generation of low wage earners and prison inmates is only an investment, not an expense. However, when the poor begin to rise too much or the upper middle class starts approaching, it's time to start beating people back.

The elite purposely crash the economy or go to war when they feel threatened. This is the conservative agenda. To "conserve" the status quo and make sure whoever is rich today will also be rich in the future.

reply to post by MaryStillToe

The wealthy and the elite designed the entire system and tax code in their favor. The $14,000 is not an expense to the super rich, it's an investment. They are investing in 9 children who will one day become the type of adults who will help to keep them rich. They are hoping that their standard of living, low quality of education, and media influence will help this family produce the next generation of prison inmates and slave wage laborers. They earn the greatest returns on these kinds of people.

OK…I can agree with you on this. The problem I have is that the “super rich” must be clearly defined. Obama and Reid say its anybody over $250,000. Is that “super rich”?

Our economic system is based on the pyramid with its many tiers. It's a delicate balancing act. The population has to be divided into each of the tiers in order to keep the system up and running. If too many of the poor people try and become educated or increase their standard of living, their wouldn't be enough poor people who have no other option but to work for very low and unfair wages and the system would collapse. This is the main reason why the super rich promoted outsourcing and turn a blind eye to illegal immigration. Everyone in US nor the world can live a life of leisure and luxury with servants. Who is going to farm the land, build the houses, design and sew clothes, cook the food, clean the toilets, etc.

While I agree that there need to be people on all levels (someone has to be a butcher, baker and candlestick maker in order to make the world go around). The problem with this wealth redistribution scam going on is that they are trying to do exactly what you claim; everyone on the same level financially. This is why we have an ever growing progressive tax system.

The very rich are okay with some wealth redistrubtion, as long as their taxes are being spent to keep the balance of power in their favor. A little bit of money spent on helping poor people produce the next generation of low wage earners and prison inmates is only an investment, not an expense. However, when the poor begin to rise too much or the upper middle class starts approaching, it's time to start beating people back.

I’ve never seen the people “beaten back” in any sense…please elaborate. Nobody in America is held down or prevented from becoming successful. Many people today just don’t want to work for it…they rather the government just take from the wealthy and give it to them.

The elite purposely crash the economy or go to war when they feel threatened. This is the conservative agenda. To "conserve" the status quo and make sure whoever is rich today will also be rich in the future.

That is not the conservative agenda. You’re spewing propaganda.

The agenda you speak of is that of the NWO elite, not conservatives. The majority of conservatives are working class Americans who just want to be left alone. You have a good understanding about what’s going on but you are blaming the wrong crowd. Conservatives want limited government, limited welfare, personal responsibility, free market capitalism, the opportunity for all Americans to become whatever they want, less dependence on government, a constitutional government, etc. There would be NO wealth redistribution if conservatives were in charge.