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Old 12-13-2010, 03:20 AM
 
Location: Texas
44,256 posts, read 64,181,606 times
Reputation: 73922

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Malkiel View Post
Of course hard work is important, but most of the rich are also very lucky. You need luck AND hard-work to be rich. The problem with setting taxes is that people just assume that the rich's wealth is proportional to their effort. I don't think that's true. I think it's more like after a certain amount of effort, you need luck to be super successful.

That's why I think the rich needs to have more taxes. It accounts for the luck factor.

The book Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell talks a lot about how people become successful.

If that's what you got out of the book (which was pretty good, IMO), then you need to read it again.

And what does 'having luck' have to do with paying taxes? Now there's a LUCK tax? Man, you dems...

Btw, luck favors the prepared.
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Old 12-13-2010, 06:47 AM
 
3,566 posts, read 3,725,106 times
Reputation: 1364
Quote:
Originally Posted by Malkiel View Post
Of course hard work is important, but most of the rich are also very lucky. You need luck AND hard-work to be rich. The problem with setting taxes is that people just assume that the rich's wealth is proportional to their effort. I don't think that's true. I think it's more like after a certain amount of effort, you need luck to be super successful.

That's why I think the rich needs to have more taxes. It accounts for the luck factor.

The book Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell talks a lot about how people become successful.
The issue is not whether wealth was accumulated by hard work or luck or a combination of the two. Rather, the issue is whether it was earned honestly or not. If it was earned honestly then there is no moral basis for punishing people because of their success. And that is precisely what the graduated income tax is--punishment.
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Old 12-13-2010, 07:11 AM
 
Location: Dallas
31,288 posts, read 20,670,325 times
Reputation: 9324
Quote:
Originally Posted by Malkiel View Post
Of course hard work is important, but most of the rich are also very lucky. You need luck AND hard-work to be rich. The problem with setting taxes is that people just assume that the rich's wealth is proportional to their effort. I don't think that's true. I think it's more like after a certain amount of effort, you need luck to be super successful.

That's why I think the rich needs to have more taxes. It accounts for the luck factor.

The book Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell talks a lot about how people become successful.

You are correct about needing luck. Everyone needs some luck to succeed in life. You are lucky if you are born healthy. You are lucky if you are born in the USA rather than in Zimbabwe. You are lucky if you don't get killed in a car wreck. etc. etc.

But high income people already pay more in income taxes than poor people. In fact, they pay more in one year than many people will pay in their lifetime.
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Old 12-13-2010, 07:18 AM
 
Location: South East
4,209 posts, read 3,581,038 times
Reputation: 1465
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roadking2003 View Post
You are correct about needing luck. Everyone needs some luck to succeed in life. You are lucky if you are born healthy. You are lucky if you are born in the USA rather than in Zimbabwe. You are lucky if you don't get killed in a car wreck. etc. etc.

But high income people already pay more in income taxes than poor people. In fact, they pay more in one year than many people will pay in their lifetime.

Exactly!!!
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Old 12-13-2010, 07:19 AM
 
Location: West Coast of Europe
25,956 posts, read 24,652,970 times
Reputation: 9728
The absolute amount of taxes doesn't matter. If a rich person paid 50% and a lower middle-class person paid just 10%, the rich person is still a heck of a lot better off. It's 50% of a whole lot vs 10% of very little.

My brother recently told me about his pay raise and he complained about taxes. So I asked him if he doesn't feel a bit ridiculous telling me about that when he earns almost as much per month as I earn per year. He shut up pretty fast
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Old 12-13-2010, 07:24 AM
 
Location: Texas
44,256 posts, read 64,181,606 times
Reputation: 73922
Quote:
Originally Posted by Neuling View Post

My brother recently told me about his pay raise and he complained about taxes. So I asked him if he doesn't feel a bit ridiculous telling me about that when he earns almost as much per month as I earn per year. He shut up pretty fast
Probably because he realized he was talking to an envious, kooky, class-warfare waging so-and-so.
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Old 12-13-2010, 07:28 AM
 
Location: West Coast of Europe
25,956 posts, read 24,652,970 times
Reputation: 9728
Quote:
Originally Posted by stan4 View Post
Probably because he realized he was talking to an envious, kooky, class-warfare waging so-and-so.
Nah, because he realized I was absolutely right. He knows I don't think much of the way he lives his life. Nor am I envious, I deliberately don't work more than I have to to make ends meet. He works, I live
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Old 12-13-2010, 07:29 AM
 
Location: South East
4,209 posts, read 3,581,038 times
Reputation: 1465
Quote:
Originally Posted by Neuling View Post
The absolute amount of taxes doesn't matter. If a rich person paid 50% and a lower middle-class person paid just 10%, the rich person is still a heck of a lot better off. It's 50% of a whole lot vs 10% of very little.

My brother recently told me about his pay raise and he complained about taxes. So I asked him if he doesn't feel a bit ridiculous telling me about that when he earns almost as much per month as I earn per year. He shut up pretty fast

You are joking right? You just made the most ridiculous statements I have read in a long time.

SO WHAT if 50% of a whole lot is 'better' than 10% of very little? That is called life! Get over your jealousy of the 'rich.' We are not a country of robots with everyone making the same and living the same lifestyle nor should we be. This is just crap that people actually feel that way.

It is not fair to tax people whom others feel make more money on a higher rate. Period. The only reason libs are crying for this is so they can find a source to fund their ridiculous entitlement programs.

Your brother should not feel ridiculous complaining about high taxes on his new raise and shame on you if you made him feel that way.

Petty jealousy from those wanting more is really starting to make me sick.
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Old 12-13-2010, 07:31 AM
 
Location: South East
4,209 posts, read 3,581,038 times
Reputation: 1465
Quote:
Originally Posted by stan4 View Post
Probably because he realized he was talking to an envious, kooky, class-warfare waging so-and-so.

Exactly!!
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Old 12-13-2010, 07:32 AM
 
Location: Texas
44,256 posts, read 64,181,606 times
Reputation: 73922
Quote:
Originally Posted by Neuling View Post
Nah, because he realized I was absolutely right. He knows I don't think much of the way he lives his life. Nor am I envious, I deliberately don't work more than I have to to make ends meet. He works, I live
Good. Work more so you can pay more taxes. I mean, that's y'all's favorite thing, right? Giving the government more money. Why don't you give them more instead of insisting the rest of us do it.
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