BusinessInsider: The top 50% Pay 96% of taxes, and Earn 87% of the Total Income (employment, how much)

[freemkt]

Originally Posted by workingclasshero

proves what most have said all the long

the top 50% pay the most taxes, because they earn the most

the bottom 50% earns more of a percent than they pay

we need equality...have everyone pay the same equal rate

I use "discretionary income" as my standard of tax fairness - childless burger flippers pay taxes but it's hard for even a conservative to argue with a straight face that burger flippers have discretionary income. You apparently want burger flippers to pay federal income taxes even though they do not have discretionary income.

[WesternPilgrim]

Originally Posted by InformedConsent

How so? Less than 64% are employed.

And of that 64% who are employed, only 67.1% receive health insurance from their employers, and 20% are entirely uninsured.

[freemkt]

Originally Posted by buddy5

The only 'fair' tax is a straight sales tax.
Pay the same tax per dollar for purchases

Poor people often pay more than middle class and rich people for the same market basket of goods and services, plus it taxes poverty-level income of poor people who don't have discretionary income.

There's also the issue of exactly WHAT do you want to tax. Do you tax services? How about rent? Or a home purchase? Details, please.

[freemkt]

Originally Posted by WesternPilgrim

And of that 64% who are employed, only 67.1% receive health insurance from their employers, and 20% are entirely uninsured.

And the employed uninsured are subsidizing the employed ensured with their tax dollars.

[WesternPilgrim]

Originally Posted by freemkt

And the employed uninsured are subsidizing the employed ensured with their tax dollars.

Not likely. Most people - even most employed middle class people - receive more benefits (directly and indirectly) than they pay in taxes.

[freemkt]

Originally Posted by workingclasshero

proves what most have said all the long

the top 50% pay the most taxes, because they earn the most

the bottom 50% earns more of a percent than they pay

we need equality...have everyone pay the same equal rate

If it turned out that your tax system reduced marriage rates, increased diseases like diabetes, and reduced life expectancy, would you still support it?

[dman72]

Originally Posted by dv1033

Yes. That is the cold hard truth. The rich in this country pay far more than they receive in social programs, which is to be expected and it's how it has been in this country. What you aren't quantifying, as someone else mentioned, is all the other services that aid the rich like the military, transportation, research, etc. You are just looking at one aspect of what government funds (social programs).

Also, the influence that money has over the government. A group of CEO's can lobby the government to legislate in their favor...their wealth gives them disproportionate influence over the government.

[freemkt]

Originally Posted by WesternPilgrim

Not likely. Most people - even most employed middle class people - receive more benefits (directly and indirectly) than they pay in taxes.

(scratching head)


Childless burger flippers working full time at minimum wage pay over $500/yr in federal income tax; I don't receive any benefits, either from my employer or from government.

The overwhelming vastness of government goodies go to parents, and I'm tired of being lumped in with them.

[walidm]

Originally Posted by InformedConsent

Totally FALSE.




Note that THE BULK of benefits are skewed to the lower income earners...

The income derived from the labor of the "lower income earners", isn't the bulk of the benefit?

[freemkt]

Originally Posted by InformedConsent

Exactly.

FLAT tax. Everyone pays the same rate. Earn little; pay little. Earn A LOT; pay A LOT. That's the epitome of "fair share."

If it turned out that taxing nondiscretionary income contributed to bad outcomes like lower marriage rates higher rates of diabetes and reduced life expectancy, would you still support it?