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Because I have to pay Social Security, medicare, Federal,
Right, because we have a developed and civilized country. The developing world doesn't have a high tax burden, but they don't provide the safety and stability that developed countries do.
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Originally Posted by DoniDanko
State,
That's a state issue, not every state has an income tax.
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Originally Posted by DoniDanko
Property (home and for each motor vehicle I own),
Property taxes are for local services. You can find a place with no property taxes, but it's doubtful that you would want to live there.
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Originally Posted by DoniDanko
and then I get taxed again when I purchase something.
Again, that depends on where you live. NH, IIRC, has no sales tax.
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Originally Posted by DoniDanko
Now I may have to pay another tax for Obamacare.
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Originally Posted by DoniDanko
Then if I die and want to leave my money to my loved ones, it'll get taxed again...
Only on the amount exceeding $5,250,000
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Originally Posted by DoniDanko
So basically, using your logic, if:
Top Murder rate per 100,000 inhabitants:
USA: 150
Australia:165
UK: 163
Germany: 165
Belgium: 170
Italy: 160
Not really, the higher taxed places tend to have lower murder rates because it takes money to educate people and to provide police and court services.
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Originally Posted by DoniDanko
We as Americans shouldn't think 450,000 deaths per year is too much just because some countries have a higher rate? Taking almost half my pay in taxes, taxing my money multiple times, and taxing my purchases annually that were already taxed when I originally brought it is ridiculous and obsessive.
I think because some working folks at the upper income range have a 50% tax rate, between federal, state and local.
What we do have is a spending problem. We have $3.7 trillion in annual federal spending, and $1.5 trillion-$800 billion in deficit spending each year, not counting almost a trillion more in QE3 spending by the federal reserve in 2013.
Well, it depends on who decides what is "enough". I would think "enough" is when we see 17 trillion in debt, not counting trillions more in Social Security, Medicare etc...obligations. Giving more money to people that will just toss it out the window and "hope it sticks" is not the way to go.
That's like trying to justify buying a Cadillac you can't afford because the guy down the street bought a Mercedes. Trying to keep up with Jone's isn't a sound financial plan.
The problem is that we have entirely too damn many freeloaders who don't currently, nor ever have produced anything in their lives. Takers...not makers.
Judging from the tenor of your post....are you one of them?
If you consume, then you should be taxed....PERIOD! Upping the tax for the top tier of earners wouldn't even begin to make a dent in the deficit. However, if there was a federal income flat tax of something in the low-mid teens, that WOULD make a dent.
It's all irrelevant though. The Government already has it spent before it gets there....what's the use?
Yes, one reason the rest of us have to pay so much in taxes is because of the "luckie-duckies" who are getting off scot-free, yet many of them are the biggest beneficiaries of this costly government. Of course they see no problem with all kinds of expensive government programs because they don't have to pay for it all. An across the board tax would make everyone have a stake in the national debt.
Why do uneducated people continue to compare the U.S., a capitalist country that relies heavily on consumerism, to other countries? Taxes often go up faster than inflation, particularly property taxes.
Taxes are at a historic low actually. Property taxes usually go up as the value of the property goes up.
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Originally Posted by malamute
Speak for yourself, maybe you are among the almost half that pays no income taxes. Mine are far too high.
I agree with those who say taxes should be across the board. There are too few who pay taxes at all, of course they don't see any problem.
Um, no, I pay taxes and although it would be nice to pay no taxes I'm not going to try and say taxes are too high when the USA has the lowest taxes.
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Originally Posted by thebigr
The only people who think taxes are not high are the people who don't pay any income tax.
Become a business owner and you will find out just how high taxes really are.
Corporate taxes are high, but I was speaking about individual income taxes.
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Originally Posted by tinman01
I guess high or low is relative according to your perspective. If they are 40% with minimal gov waste, minimal debt and systems are not being abused then I would say taxes are fair.
If the Fed is spending money like a drunken sailor, burying the nation in debt then no matter what the taxes are they are too high.
If taxes are raised for the purpose of wealth redistribution they are always wrong.
I won't speak for the countries mentioned in the OP other than to say each and every one of them have lived under the umbrella of US generosity.
We didn't start "burying" the nation in debt until we cut taxes. Reagan cut taxes too much and then he and Bush raised taxes numerous times - same with Clinton. Bush Jr cut taxes right before the baby boomers were expected to draw on the social insurance funds, but those taxes never went back up.
I think because some working folks at the upper income range have a 50% tax rate, between federal, state and local.
What we do have is a spending problem. We have $3.7 trillion in annual federal spending, and $1.5 trillion-$800 billion in deficit spending each year, not counting almost a trillion more in QE3 spending by the federal reserve in 2013.
Yes, but the spending is on Medicare and boomers don't want that program cut, so that leaves raising taxes or running a deficit to pay for it. cutting the military spending doesn't solve any long term debt problem and cutting discretionary funding doesn't solve any long term debt problem. Cutting Medicare or lowering the cost of healthcare does solve the long term debt problem.
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Originally Posted by totsuka
Well, it depends on who decides what is "enough". I would think "enough" is when we see 17 trillion in debt, not counting trillions more in Social Security, Medicare etc...obligations. Giving more money to people that will just toss it out the window and "hope it sticks" is not the way to go.
That sounds more like an argument in favor of cutting social programs and not an argument in favor of cutting taxes.
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Originally Posted by thecoalman
That's like trying to justify buying a Cadillac you can't afford because the guy down the street bought a Mercedes. Trying to keep up with Jone's isn't a sound financial plan.
With the exception of Italy, all the countries I mentioned perform better than the USA does.
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Originally Posted by Red_Diamond
The problem is that we have entirely too damn many freeloaders who don't currently, nor ever have produced anything in their lives. Takers...not makers.
Judging from the tenor of your post....are you one of them?
If you consume, then you should be taxed....PERIOD! Upping the tax for the top tier of earners wouldn't even begin to make a dent in the deficit. However, if there was a federal income flat tax of something in the low-mid teens, that WOULD make a dent.
It's all irrelevant though. The Government already has it spent before it gets there....what's the use?
I never proposed raising taxes on higher earners. It just doesn't make any sense for people to say our taxes are too high when they aren't. Compared to Africa we have high taxes, but compared to Australia or Germany we aren't a high tax country. If you compare us to Canada we are a high tax country for lower earners and corporations, but a low tax country for the wealthy individuals.
Your right everyone should pay taxes. 17% across the board..
Sign me up. I could use the break.
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