So America fought the British in a revolution................

[Primemuscle]

SAR?

Sons of the American Revolution. It's the male counterpart to the DAR, Daughters of the American Revolution. In order to be a member, you have to prove your direct ancestors fought in the American Revolution.

[Archer77]

Roughly half of Americans who pay no Federal income tax do so because they simply don't earn enough money. The other half doesn't pay taxes because of special provisions in the tax code that benefit certain taxpayers, notably the elderly and working families with children. For example, the tax code excludes a portion of Social Security income and gives larger standard deductions and tax credits to the elderly. And many working families with children qualify for both the child credit and the earned income tax credit. Together, the elderly and working families with children account for 74 percent of all nontaxable households that aren't excluded by income level alone [source: Williams].

Why would they have any reason to be upset about taxes?  

[Primemuscle]

Roughly half of Americans who pay no Federal income tax do so because they simply don't earn enough money. The other half doesn't pay taxes because of special provisions in the tax code that benefit certain taxpayers, notably the elderly and working families with children. For example, the tax code excludes a portion of Social Security income and gives larger standard deductions and tax credits to the elderly. And many working families with children qualify for both the child credit and the earned income tax credit. Together, the elderly and working families with children account for 74 percent of all nontaxable households that aren't excluded by income level alone [source: Williams].

I must be doing something wrong. My wife and I are elderly. We pay Federal and State income tax every year. We also pay a hefty property tax, gas taxes, and other taxes and levies. This year, I have to start drawing down various TSA's/IRA's to avoid paying penalties on these savings. The money I take out will be taxed as income. Lately crude oil production in the U.S. has soared. My wife has received some really hefty royalties from her holdings in Texas, Montana and Wyoming. We will pay capital gains tax on these payouts.

[King Shizzo]

Why would they have any reason to be upset about taxes?  

You never heard someone complain about paying taxes?

What about affluent people? I don't think they get the credit they deserve. They pay a huge amount in taxes.

Imagine the taxes on a football player making 10 million a year.  How much taxes does an actor pay, who makes 20-25 million per film?

I think the debate on whether to raise taxes on middle class or the rich is moot. They need to tax (even if its a hundred bucks a year) the millions of people that you previously mentioned.

[King Shizzo]

I must be doing something wrong. My wife and I are elderly. We pay Federal and State income tax every year. We also pay a hefty property tax, gas taxes, and other taxes and levies. This year, I have to start drawing down various TSA's/IRA's to avoid paying penalties on these savings. The money I take out will be taxed as income.

You are one of the good ones Prime. Proof that senior citizens can/should pay taxes too.

Can't afford it? Take 10 dollars from each social security check each month, and have that go back into the city/county that they live in.

[Archer77]

You never heard someone complain about paying taxes?

What about affluent people? I don't think they get the credit they deserve. They pay a huge amount in taxes.

Imagine the taxes on a football player making 10 million a year.  How much taxes does an actor pay, who makes 20-25 million per film?

I think the debate on whether to raise taxes on middle class or the rich is moot. They need to tax (even if its a hundred bucks a year) the millions of people that you previously mentioned.

I was referring back to what I said about people who don't pay taxes complaining taxes.  You over tax businesses and they leave.  Jobs that supported a healthy middle class are leaving in droves.  Who will be left to pay taxes to support government spending when the middle class is gone? The rich? Tax the rich and they will leave as well.

[Agnostic007]

I must be doing something wrong. My wife and I are elderly. We pay Federal and State income tax every year. We also pay a hefty property tax, gas taxes, and other taxes and levies. This year, I have to start drawing down various TSA's/IRA's to avoid paying penalties on these savings. The money I take out will be taxed as income. Lately crude oil production in the U.S. has soared. My wife has received some really hefty royalties from her holdings in Texas, Montana and Wyoming. We will pay capital gains tax on these payouts.

I'm doing something wrong as well...

I recently (last couple years) had to come to the realization that not everyone is outraged by this ridiculous tax system as I am. I couldn't figure out why everyone wasn't up in arms about how we are working our asses off and the government is taking 30% in various taxes (probably more) and pissing it away on everything from a winless war to a $222,000 bathroom remodel for the Secretary of the Department of Interior.. Seriously, this guy spent a quarter of a million dollars on renovating his office bathroom and we didn't take to the streets?!

Then it was explained to me that almost half of americans don't pay taxes and many of those MAKE money with Earned Income Credit. They don't have ANY problem with our tax code.. So nothing is going to change..   

[Primemuscle]

You are one of the good ones Prime. Proof that senior citizens can/should pay taxes too.

Can't afford it? Take 10 dollars from each social security check each month, and have that go back into the city/county that they live in.

Seems like a plan until you know someone who is barely getting by on their SSI or SSD. My much younger sister lives on SSD and a small retirement annuity. She gets about $1,600 a month combined. The assisted living place where she has a single apartment charges $1,250 for the apartment, meals and other incidental services. This leaves her around $350 a month for co-pays on prescriptions and incidentals. She's more fortunate then some folks in that she has some income in addition to SSD. There are people who are trying to survive on less than $1,000 a month which is next to impossible.

My sister gets every penny she pays in income tax back each year and then some (earned income credit). I do her taxes for her.

[King Shizzo]

I was referring back to what I said about people who don't pay taxes complaining taxes.  You over tax businesses and they leave.  Jobs that supported a healthy middle class are leaving in droves.  Who will be left to pay taxes to support government spending when the middle class is gone? The rich? Tax the rich and they will leave as well.

Tax the poor. If you drive down public roads, send your children to public school, use public transportation, and call on the police and fire dept in an emergency, then you need to pay something back.

[Archer77]

Tax the poor. If you drive down public roads, send your children to public school, use public transportation, and call on the police and fire dept in an emergency, then you need to pay something back.

Tax what?   They don't have anything to tax.

[Knooger]

Tax the poor. If you drive down public roads, send your children to public school, use public transportation, and call on the police and fire dept in an emergency, then you need to pay something back.

Keep trying, you'll get to 100 posts!

[King Shizzo]

Tax what?   They don't have anything to tax.

Take 10 bucks away from food stamps or unemployment checks each month "tax deduction"

Done.

Everyone contributes. Not just leech.

[Primemuscle]

Tax the poor. If you drive down public roads, send your children to public school, use public transportation, and call on the police and fire dept in an emergency, then you need to pay something back.

Again, that seems like a fair idea. Unfortunately, you can get money from people who don't have it.

Portland, OR seems to be a haven for the homeless. You see them everywhere, camped out under the freeway overpasses, panhandling at the on and off ramps. One of the reasons given for this is because apartments and other rental housing is in short supply and thus high demand in Portland. This drives up the rental rates. Coupled with this, Portland lacks sufficient homeless shelters.

Are these the poor you are referring to when you suggest everyone should pay their way? How do you propose collecting taxes from them? Perhaps the tax man could crash the emergency room at various local hospitals when these folks show up for treatment they will never be able to pay for.

[Archer77]

Take 10 bucks away from food stamps or unemployment checks each month "tax deduction"

Done.

Everyone contributes. Not just leech.

You would be subtracting from something they didn't pay for to begin with. You wouldn't be taking anything from them.

[Primemuscle]

Take 10 bucks away from food stamps or unemployment checks each month "tax deduction"

Done.

Everyone contributes. Not just leech.

Assuming they get food stamps or unemployment. http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligibility

[The Ugly]

 

[King Shizzo]

That's fucked up. Hahahahahaha

[King Shizzo]

Again, that seems like a fair idea. Unfortunately, you can get money from people who don't have it.

Portland, OR seems to be a haven for the homeless. You see them everywhere, camped out under the freeway overpasses, panhandling at the on and off ramps. One of the reasons given for this is because apartments and other rental housing is in short supply and thus high demand in Portland. This drives up the rental rates. Coupled with this, Portland lacks sufficient homeless shelters.

Are these the poor you are referring to when you suggest everyone should pay their way? How do you propose collecting taxes from them? Perhaps the tax man could crash the emergency room at various local hospitals when these folks show up for treatment they will never be able to pay for.

Ah the homeless, I have an idea for that. Create an agency called the PEA (Panhandling Enforcement Agency) and have them peruse the local bum hangouts across the country.

They catch someone asking for handouts? The bum has to give up 10% of whatever is in his bucket. He doesn't want to cooperate? Rough him up a bit. Nobody cares about bums anyway. Its time for America to get out of debt.

[Archer77]

Again, that seems like a fair idea. Unfortunately, you can get money from people who don't have it.

Portland, OR seems to be a haven for the homeless. You see them everywhere, camped out under the freeway overpasses, panhandling at the on and off ramps. One of the reasons given for this is because apartments and other rental housing is in short supply and thus high demand in Portland. This drives up the rental rates. Coupled with this, Portland lacks sufficient homeless shelters.

Are these the poor you are referring to when you suggest everyone should pay their way? How do you propose collecting taxes from them? Perhaps the tax man could crash the emergency room at various local hospitals when these folks show up for treatment they will never be able to pay for.

Seattle is another haven for the homeless.  Large tent cities are being erected.  I'm sure there are good intentions but the end result will be to the detriment of the city.

[Agnostic007]

Seattle is another haven for the homeless.  Large tent cities are being erected.  I'm sure there are good intentions but the end result will be to the detriment of the city.

Austin Texas is the Mecca for homeless in Texas.

[Primemuscle]

Ah the homeless, I have an idea for that. Create an agency called the PEA (Panhandling Enforcement Agency) and have them peruse the local bum hangouts across the country.

They catch someone asking for handouts? The bum has to give up 10% of whatever is in his bucket. He doesn't want to cooperate? Rough him up a bit. Nobody cares about bums anyway. Its time for America to get out of debt.

None of what the goons you suggest rustle from the panhandlers would come from me. I make a point of not giving folks a handout. I am not sure your plan would be profitable. PEA employees would likely make much more per hour than they could every hope to extract at 10% of the panhandler's take. Really, you should think these ideas through a little before you post them.

The police in our neighbor make quick work of panhandlers and bums. I am not sure what local laws we have in West Linn, but on rare occasion when someone sets up shop at one of our freeway on or off ramps they disappear within a very short time....like a half hour later, they are long gone.

[Archer77]

Austin Texas is the Mecca for homeless in Texas.

I'm all for helping the homeless but large tent cities aren't the answer.  Affordable housing isn't either. If you can't afford to live in a city you should move.  In Seattle these tent cities are causing a lot of problems. Many of the homeless are mentally ill and money should be spent to help or house the mentally ill.

[Agnostic007]

I'm all for helping the homeless but large tent cities aren't the answer.  Affordable housing isn't either. If you can't afford to live in a city you should move.  In Seattle these tent cities are causing a lot of problems. Many of the homeless are mentally ill and money should be spent to help or house the mentally ill.

They don't come to Austin for a place to rent. They come here because we have gone out of our way to make it comfortable and lucrative for them. So moving isn't a consideration. As long as we provide shelter, or have moderate weather, soup kitchens and well meaning citizens that hand money out the window at intersections, a city council who can't or won't figure out how to create an ordinance against panhandling on the sidewalks and in the streets, we are going to be infested.  

[King Shizzo]

None of what the goons you suggest rustle from the panhandlers would come from me. I make a point of not giving folks a handout. I am not sure your plan would be profitable. PEA employees would likely make much more per hour than they could every hope to extract at 10% of the panhandler's take. Really, you should think these ideas through a little before you post them.

The police in our neighbor make quick work of panhandlers and bums. I am not sure what local laws we have in West Linn, but on rare occasion when someone sets up shop at one of our freeway on or off ramps they disappear within a very short time....like a half hour later, they are long gone.

I was trolling about the bums Prime  

Im serious about the people on foodstamps and wellfare though.

Either give everyone 10% less across the board, or make them pay some amount of tax

Do you agree with people on wellfare or foodstamps not paying anything?

The "not able to afford it" dont fly.

[King Shizzo]

My point is tha there should never be 47% of people who dont pay taxes.

Prime still pays all of his taxes, and he is really old.

Good for you Prime