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I was all set to go on diatribe detailing how success is relative...then you had to emphasize the practical.
I think the incentive to be successful isn't there for me anymore, as my definition of success isn't achievable in this world. Instead, I'm forced to settle for society's definition of success...which, I don't think is too hard given enough effort. I mean, a house isn't hard to buy, cars aren't hard to get, vacations aren't hard to have...you just have to work for them.
But, I definitely feel a ceiling, things I'd love to do, but, things I won't be able to because the way the world was set up before me doesn't easily accommodate for it.
More like sour grapes is more like it. Problem is the "job creators" aka the "financially successful" have had it good for far too long on our backs. Tax the millionaires to the hilt, the majority of them got there because they were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. 99% of successful small business owners do not make it to the millionaire class, so there's no point in trying to keep taxes down for them because of some perceived notion of climbing up that ladder. Hell, most people don't even make it beyond 500k, let alone 1 million
Talk about sour grapes. Only 11% of the wealth of all millionares in this country is inherited. The vast majority of the financially successful achieved it purely by working hard. Don't tax those more successful than yourself simply out of the jealousy that this post reeks of. A fair tax rate is for everyone to pay the same percentage. The wealthy have propped up this country for a very, very long time. I am not sure how you can honestly make the claim that the wealthy have had it good 'on your back', when they pay heads and shoulders more in taxes than any other class of people.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JamesGTAIV
You're right, there isn't much of a point. I've worked my ass off my entire short life, only to give over half of it away to people who frankly don't do a god damn thing. I can't even drive a decent vehicle that I worked hard for in this country because people will scratch words like "1%er" on it.
I suggest everyone just does absolutely nothing like the rest of the miserable little ****s and wait for that check to come in the mail.
EDIT: To whoever it was that mentioned the "right-wing BS" -
Clearly you don't make enough money to understand how much is actually taken when you're earning above 100K annually. Guaranteed, you'll be left with less than a third of that income.
Look, I agree with your sentiment, but what person only takes home a third of their income? I am a single male set to make around $105k this year (depending on the market in the next few days), and I have never in my life paid more than a 10% effective tax rate. If a person (at any income level) takes a few weeks to study taxes and available deductions, it is very easy to get your taxable income low. The problem is that most people (especially most middle/lower class people) would rather sit on their asses watching american idol instead of researching tax deduction schemes at night.
Clearly you don't make enough money to understand how much is actually taken when you're earning above 100K annually. Guaranteed, you'll be left with less than a third of that income.
I do, and I'm left with considerably more than that. Endeavor to manage your money better.
I'm just now starting to comprehend how many dumb people there are in this country. Stop ingesting right wing BS all day and you will be better for it.
If you think that living in a subsidized housing project living off food stamps is better than making 100K a year and paying 28% in Federal taxes, you're a hopeless moron.
Is a $100k year job simply a choice?
If you think most people on welfare/food stamps can simply "decide to earn $100k year" then moron is the appropriate terminology.
When people have the option of earning $15,000 yr doing manual labor, or $18,5k year doing nothing... what will they choose?
9 million people are on disability (up 1000 people a day)
13 million are on Worker Comp (the new retirement fund)
47 million people are on food stamps (up 8 million in just five years)
4.3m are on welfare full time (subsidized 100% by the taxpayers)
All this is being funded by just 135 million employed tax payers, and the businesses they work for.
The tipping point has been reached.
Maybe if we stop fining people for being successful, they'll invest in creating better-paying jobs; effectively removing many of those on welfare and food stamps. People abusing disability and worker's comp should trade places with those in prison for minor drug offences.
You're absolutely right that college can be overrated, but you failed to disprove that the life of being poor is worse overall.
Not really. Someone who makes $25K is going to get money back they didn't pay in so their net income is higher than $25K. They'll also qualify for WIC/food stamps. Their kids will go to college for free (what is THAT worth) and they don't need to save for retirement because if they save SS for anyone, it will be them.
I've, recently, become reaquainted with a high school friend who never went to college. The difference between our finances is I have an IRA while she'll get a full SS check (I assume I will not) and her kids went to college for free. Given what I'll pay to put my kids through college, I'm thinking it wasn't worth it. Of course my top wage was just under $100K. If I'd had a career paying a lot more, I would have broken even. Most college grads, however, don't make $100K.
Clearly you don't make enough money to understand how much is actually taken when you're earning above 100K annually. Guaranteed, you'll be left with less than a third of that income.
Can you do math? The years someone is in school, they are going into the red. Instead of making money, they are spending it (assuming they had it and don't have to go into debt). The day I graduated from college, I was over $140K behind someone who started working the day I started college at a $25K job and THAT is before you consider all the tax breaks and hand outs they'd get.
College is a chitload of money and you're not earning anything while you're getting that education. The pay back period on an education is a very long time IF you have one. Between the cost of the eduction, higher taxes, having to handle your own retirement and educations for your kids, it takes a very long time to recoup your losses. Why we punish the ambitious by making them pay more taxes is beyond me. We should be rewarding them for their effort.
Cry me a river. This is nauseating.
Going to college was your choice. It wasn't a ticket to guaranteed payback. You're rewarded by not living in a dumpy neighborhood, you're able to provide nicely for your kids, and do most of the things you enjoy. BTW, there are many ambitious people who did not attend college.
If you think most people on welfare/food stamps can simply "decide to earn $100k year" then moron is the appropriate terminology.
When people have the option of earning $15,000 yr doing manual labor, or $18,5k year doing nothing... what will they choose?
9 million people are on disability (up 1000 people a day)
13 million are on Worker Comp (the new retirement fund)
47 million people are on food stamps (up 8 million in just five years)
4.3m are on welfare full time (subsidized 100% by the taxpayers)
All this is being funded by just 135 million employed tax payers, and the businesses they work for.
The tipping point has been reached.
THIS is what people don't realize. There is only so much you can ask of the educated before it's no longer worth it to count yourself among the educated.
Here's one for you. If dh were to die, I'd be better off quitting my job. The kids would go to college for free, we'd get WIC/Food stamps, I'd get social security for being a stay at home mom, and I'd get money back for taxes I never paid (homestead tax credits, per child tax credits, etc, etc, etc...). Now that is sad. I realize that teachers don't make much but you'd think we'd be better off with me working.
Going to college was your choice. It wasn't a ticket to guaranteed payback. You're rewarded by not living in a dumpy neighborhood, you're able to provide nicely for your kids, and do most of the things you enjoy. BTW, there are many ambitious people who did not attend college.
UGH. I'm not asking you to cry me a river. I'm asking you to realize that going to college doesn't mean you're better off than someone who didn't when all is considered. And this is your only rebuttal???
People do not deserve to be punished, taxwise, because they went to college. THAT's the point.
Unfortunately, college often isn't worth it when all things are considered. That's what the OP asked about.
I mean, why should I put myself through Engineering School, Medical School, a top University, Law School or a Doctorate Program if I know that I will be annihilated by insanely high tax rates if I make a higher-income?
* FINANCIALLY Successful (for the overly-philosophical nuts out there).
Given your thought process, your first concern should be qualification process into any of these.
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