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Wow, that's depressing, I earn that much in 9 weeks, and I'm nowhere near being Bill Gates, can only imagine earning that in 52 weeks now in 2021, when it has much less purchasing power than it did 12 years ago, the last year I earned that little in nominal dollars
44% of Americans earning less than $18K per year is pretty meaningless without additional context. How many of these are teenagers or college students who work part time? Or part time people in general? How many heads-of-households earn that little? How many people are in the household? Do they work?
There are good reasons we don't have a pure democracy, not the least of which is this topic. Freeloaders will vote to continue their freeloading ways. When the number of freeloaders outnumber productive people, pandemonium will ensue. As someone who earns an OK salary, are you comfortable with paying taxes to keep these people in a comfortable lifestyle?
Location: Live:Downtown Phoenix, AZ/Work:Greater Los Angeles, CA
27,606 posts, read 14,594,858 times
Reputation: 9169
Quote:
Originally Posted by YourWakeUpCall
There are good reasons we don't have a pure democracy, not the least of which is this topic. Freeloaders will vote to continue their freeloading ways. When the number of freeloaders outnumber productive people, pandemonium will ensue. As someone who earns an OK salary, are you comfortable with paying taxes to keep these people in a comfortable lifestyle?
First off, welfare doesn't keep people in a comfortable lifestyle at all. I was on foodstamps and medicaid for about 6 months after the 2008 financial crash, and if I hadn't had a free place to live at the time with family, I would have been on the street. My unemployment only paid $211/week after taxes were taken out, and I got like $60/month put on my EBT card. Try eating on $2/day! I spend hundreds per month on groceries now that I'm doing good. My unemployment basically let me keep my vehicle (since I didn't have rent to pay).
Second, one man one vote is the foundation of this country. If you only give wealthy people votes, you get neofeudalism.
Third, I don't vilify poor people like you do, since I was poor at one time, and didn't want to be vilified myself just because construction (the field I was working in at that time) took a total dump
Pretty sure that means that literally 60% of the country is in poverty.
The 2020 median household income is $70,000. Poverty? Really? Median means 50% earn less. So 10% of people making over $70,000 paid no taxes. This is not average, where one millionaire can wipe out 20 low income people. This is "median". It literally means, those smack dab in the middle. $70,000 per year and no federal tax bite. I don't know how that can be, but it is.
This is probably weighted to people living in very expensive cities and states, where that impacts their adjusted gross income. Probably has a lot to do with tax credits as well. Again, it stuns me that anybody could earn $70,000 and pay no federal taxes, but if 60% of income earners did not pay fed tax, and the median household is $70,000, then it is what it is. Obviously there are lots in there who make minimum wage too.
Location: Live:Downtown Phoenix, AZ/Work:Greater Los Angeles, CA
27,606 posts, read 14,594,858 times
Reputation: 9169
Quote:
Originally Posted by Igor Blevin
The 2020 median household income is $70,000. Poverty? Really? Median means 50% earn less. So 10% of people making over $70,000 paid no taxes. This is not average, where one millionaire can wipe out 20 low income people. This is "median". It literally means, those smack dab in the middle. $70,000 per year and no federal tax bite. I don't know how that can be, but it is.
$70k household works out to $35k per earner, since the average household has two earners. $35k/year in 2021 isn't that much money
Most households have 2 earners, so that would be $36,000 for a household. In some families, adult children work and help add to that. $36,000 is not much but it is not as if raising a family of 4 on $18,000. And some of that 44% of Americans may be those adult children. Some of that 44% may be married to someone who makes six figures, so there is that too.
The poverty rate is around 15%. If 44% of households made only $18,000 or less, then the poverty rate would be around 50%.
Beyond that, why do you think both parties love illegal immigrants. They work for minimum wage or less than minimum wage if you now how to cheat and pay them under the table.
Location: Live:Downtown Phoenix, AZ/Work:Greater Los Angeles, CA
27,606 posts, read 14,594,858 times
Reputation: 9169
Quote:
Originally Posted by Igor Blevin
Most households have 2 earners, so that would be $36,000 for a household. In some families, adult children work and help add to that. $36,000 is not much but it is not as if raising a family of 4 on $18,000. And some of that 44% of Americans may be those adult children. Some of that 44% may be married to someone who makes six figures, so there is that too.
The poverty rate is around 15%. If 44% of households made only $18,000 or less, then the poverty rate would be around 50%.
Beyond that, why do you think both parties love illegal immigrants. They work for minimum wage or less than minimum wage if you now how to cheat and pay them under the table.
If you're on your own, $18k IS a poverty wage, unless you live in a miraculously paid off house in the middle of nowhere
Status:
"It Can't Rain All The Time"
(set 27 days ago)
Location: North Pacific
15,754 posts, read 7,591,221 times
Reputation: 2576
Quote:
Originally Posted by YourWakeUpCall
There are good reasons we don't have a pure democracy, not the least of which is this topic. Freeloaders will vote to continue their freeloading ways. When the number of freeloaders outnumber productive people, pandemonium will ensue. As someone who earns an OK salary, are you comfortable with paying taxes to keep these people in a comfortable lifestyle?
Poor people don't vote. They were poor before the election and they are still poor after the election. Voting is meaningless to poor folks. ssdd
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