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You are aware the government steals more of your paycheck in Britian than our gov here in the states, which means they have less freedom of choice than we do here.
Thanks for making my point.
Actually Britain itself is about to enter a protracted period of class warfare as the Conservatives have recently taken over administration of the Gross Domestic Product and are bringing on the austerity like House Republicans are gearing up to do. The student revolts are but one obvious example of how well that is going down with the middle class. The only difference between GB and the USA: when the elite come for the GB middle class they take to the streets and fight it out. In this country we hand it over to them and beat anyone who objects about the head, neck and shoulders. Even if that 'beating' is only figurative it still smacks of sell out to me. Make them fight for it.
H
Don't forget the working classes. They're pissed off as well.
the top 50% of all earners pay 97% of all the personal federal income tax colected by the IRS
the bottom 50% of earners, pays 3%
how much more do you want?????
uhm... if paying 50% on only the first 250K = 97% of the personal federal income tax then I for one am not impressed by that 97% figure. Are you? Really? You shouldn't be. Look past the smoke and mirrors. Way I see it, the wealthy are good for more... a lot more...
uhm... if paying 50% on only the first 250K = 97% of the personal federal income tax then I for one am not impressed by that 97% figure. Are you? Really? You shouldn't be. Look past the smoke and mirrors. Way I see it, the wealthy are good for more... a lot more...
H
reading comprehension lately
the top 50% of ALL EARNERS pays 97% of ALL PERSONAL INCOME TAX COLLECTED by the IRS
personal income tax makes up about 45%(I believe the exact number is 44.6%) of ALL REVENUE to the government
Quote:
Way I see it, the wealthy are good for more... a lot more...
btw there is a difference between wealth and income
Don't forget the working classes. They're pissed off as well.
You are correct, however, in America our class distinctions are much broader. The American middle class is pretty working class by British standards. I applied the U.S. definition of middle class to the British. Mea culpa. Interesting thing though... my SO is British and blind from birth... very working class roots. She made good though and so did her brother... rest of the family is rather hard up but most read the Daily Mail and go on about 'scroungers' even though there are plenty of 'scroungers' right in the family who are going to get hit hard by the new austerity measures coming in. My SO has advanced degrees in computer science and is all but dissertation in an International Policy Degree but if she were to go back to the U.K. they would assess her and find her "fit to work". No one would hire her of course because of her disability... so she would have to report to "work sites" established by the government and perform "make work" to be eligible for benefits. Make work like weaving baskets with developmentally disabled individuals... a near doctor... I'm sure that seems fair to some of the rabid conservatives here but it doesn't seem fair or sane to me. The other scroungers in her family will also be found fit to work and they will have to be taken in by other family who will then have to support them... also fair, of course, but you have to understand, these scroungers were never allowed to get jobs or learn life/work skills. They have never worked, ever. There weren't any jobs in Britain in the 80's. They come by their idleness very honestly... Britain and America stand apart from the rest of Europe and the civilized world in the intensity of disdain for the Welfare State and the right to Collective Bargaining by a large number of the very individuals who benefit most from those institutions.
I think the top 10% should be paying 100% of the income tax in this country. They own it so they can pay for operating it.
This has been a exercise in 59 posts of pure Right Wing drivel. You guys wouldn't know a good deal if you saw one. The hyper wealthy (10 million per yr +) ARE RIPPING YOU GUYS OFF EVEN MORE THAN THE REST OF US!! That is the way they maintain their exclusiveness.
Oh Please, i do know someone living there right now as i type. Do you feel that Middle Calss Brits have it easy, well if they do, that is not what i am told, and their Country is not without fault where the middle class is concern.
Up to now I've been reading this forum from time to time, because I find the court of public opinion interesting. I created an ID today because I must say, that after reading this thread, it is apparent to me that most people simply have no idea why we're in the trouble that we're in, or how to get out of it.
It's a simple answer really. One word, in fact.
Globalization
This is where US corporations travel the world, taking advantage of other countries. They seek out those countries with loose employment laws, and a low cost of living. They then ship American jobs to these countries, and tell Americans how we have to be "more competitive in the global economy".
It's nonsense.
You can't compete with a country that still allows child labor. You can't compete with a country whose idea of health insurance is keeping a spare jar of leeches in the mud hut. You can't compete with countries who can eat for a week on what you HAVE TO spend for lunch. .....and you can't compete with countries that are allowed to produce substandard goods and services.
If one wishes to fix the US economy, it's quite simple really. We need to enact legislation that makes it less profitable to outsource.
1. Impose a tax on corporations that employ over a certain percentage of foreign workers, on their total income.
2. Impose a tariff on imported goods AND services. If you hire an Indian customer service rep, you should be taxed 40% of their salary.
3. Give tax breaks to US corporations for providing US jobs, but ONLY if the salaries of those jobs are over a certain level. The level should vary by region, in accordance with cost of living. Giving tax breaks for minimum wage jobs is ridiculous. Let's start with $30k per year jobs in MS, and end up in Los Angeles giving tax breaks for $70k plus jobs.
4. Institute a flat tax, no deductions. Start taxing the rich who hoard cash. If you hoard money for longer than a certain period of time, you pay a 1 or 2% tax on it. I'd say 5 years is reasonable. In other words, if you've had in excess of 3 million dollars in your possession for longer than 5 years, you should be taxed on the excess, every 5 years. 2% is a small price to pay.
5. Institute an inheritance and gift tax of 8% on amounts over 5 million. When this money changes hands, it is effectively income for the recipient. While I don't expect it to be taxed that way, SOMETHING would be reasonable.
I have a few other ideas that I'll keep to myself, but the bottom line is the greatest trick the super-rich ever pulled off was making low-income conservatives think they're on the same team. (low income meaning below $300k per year) These bastards hoard millions, pay next to no taxes on their hoardings, and then gamble their holdings in business to make more money. If they lose, they get to write off their losses. However they do not have to pay tax on the principle that they're hoarding. Something is wrong with that.
These people are not like us. It's not "class warfare". It's the simple fact that they are not paying their fair share, and because their circumstances are vastly different, they need to be paying taxes differently.
Incidentally? These super-rich folks are the ones selling out your jobs, taking away your ability to make money. Remember that.
Lastly, some might say that my ideas about corporations may cause corporations to leave our shores. I say good, let them leave. Let them try operating in China under the threat of being taken over by the state at any time. The corporate tax code was written with the assumption that US corps would be providing JOBS. They're no longer doing that. As their business practices have changed, so must the tax structure. Because if they're not creating US jobs, then all they're doing is skating along using the freedoms and protections that our system of government provides. That's why they STAY HERE, but EMPLOY THERE. THAT is what we need to stop. If you want to base your operations in the US, there should be a price. Either employ our people, or lower their tax base with tariffs and penalties. It makes no difference to me, but something has to change.
Last edited by HomeWurkin; 03-07-2011 at 01:15 PM..
Reason: spelling
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