The redistribution of wealth

[unrecogniseduser]

Re: The redistribution of wealth

I hadnt realised this was a Bush vs. Obama thread.

[Shpira]

Re: The redistribution of wealth

I hadnt realised this was a Bush vs. Obama thread.

Its not but rather than being angry about people being given money to survive...perhaps it would be more productive to look at the tax profile of United States...who pays what tax and how did you end up at this level...high spending low income...i.e. corporate and high grade taxation. Should be the rich paying social welfare not the middle class...that is how social democracy is intended to work...anyway I don't want to be bogged down in discussion just thought it puts things into perspective...

[unrecogniseduser]

Re: The redistribution of wealth

Its not but rather than being angry about people being given money to survive...perhaps it would be more productive to look at the tax profile of United States...who pays what tax and how did you end up at this level...high spending low income...i.e. corporate and high grade taxation. Should be the rich paying social welfare not the middle class...that is how social democracy is intended to work...anyway I don't want to be bogged down in discussion just thought it puts things into perspective...

the thing i really dont understand about the US is the employment law and the attitude of normal people towards it. In many states normal working people (on say 40-50 k) can be terminated from their job with no notice and without reason (maybe just because the economy goes bad). Then, it is these people, who have potentially most to lose if the economy goes bad and their number comes up, who are the ones who moan most about unemployment benefits for the poor. It seems to me that people are so blinded by their contempt for the poor that they will actually vote against their own interests...crazy.

In a semi related issue, In Austria where I am now my friend just lost his job at a big company. For the first few weeks he gets 80% of his former salary in unemployment benefit, and this reduces fairly quickly to a subsistence level. This is a real safety net because it gives him reasonable time to find a new job without having to move out of his place immediately and sell all his shit. For this, (and many other things I should add) I am happy to pay 30% of my salary in taxes, because next month it could quite easily be me...

[unrecogniseduser]

Re: The redistribution of wealth

i just re-read my own comment above and realized that it might read like i am criticizing the arguments put forward by other people in this thread and putting words in their mouths. This is not my intention, i just got rambling and find it difficult to stop on issues like this, which is why i tend to leave them well alone...

[Shpira]

Re: The redistribution of wealth

i agree with what you said...

[CircleGuy]

Re: The redistribution of wealth

let's keep the topic focused on redistribution of wealth, not your hatred of the GOP...

[floridaorange]

Re: The redistribution of wealth

I want to take this moment to thank all who are contributing to the political discourse in the politics section lately. It's really a breath of fresh air, interesting and educational. A far cry from what was. Thank you

[vinnie97]

Re: The redistribution of wealth

True, it makes an easier go of it in here.

And to recent posts, I'll just post this revealing graph from another thread:



This also makes me wonder what percentage they've been responsible for in the past when the rich faced higher taxation if the percentage is that high today.

[unrecogniseduser]

Re: The redistribution of wealth

True, it makes an easier go of it in here.

And to recent posts, I'll just post this revealing graph from another thread:



This also makes me wonder what percentage they've been responsible for in the past when the rich faced higher taxation if the percentage is that high today.

this is kind of the point tho isnt it? why are those around the middle paying a higher proportion of their earnings that those in the top 1%, i.e. the millionaires?

[floridaorange]

Re: The redistribution of wealth

this is kind of the point tho isnt it? why are those around the middle paying a higher proportion of their earnings that those in the top 1%, i.e. the millionaires?

Yes!

[clintlove]

Re: The redistribution of wealth

On the rate of percentage taxed on each income bracket, I see yall's point. But 37% of say a million dollars is more than double of 57% of 250,000. And I guarantee you that top 1% makes way more than one million. The point of the graph is to show you that the top 1% pays the most money in taxes by far. It's just a shitty way if showing it.

[unrecogniseduser]

Re: The redistribution of wealth

One day while checking out in the grocery store, I was standing behind a woman that just happened to catch my attention. I'm a dick, so I was looking her up and down, and some things caught my attention. She's got on what look to be designer shoes, blue jeans with those fancy bedazzled ass pockets on them, a leather jacket, a gold ring on nearly ever finger, a gold necklace with a diamond medallion, this nice looking designer purse with 2 C's on it (whatever brand that is), some pretty damn big diamond earrings, and a leather beret to match the jacket. Even if all the brands and jewelry were fake, she was trying hard to look like she had money. Her groceries were all brand name items, some being expensive brands, like grey poupon type shit. While she's checking out she reaches behind her and grabs several candy bars and a couple cold drinks from the cooler and adds them to her groceries. She then reaches and pulls out her Louisiana Purchase card to pay for her groceries. Not thinking too much about it, I buy my $99 sour cream my wife couldn't have tacos without, and walk out to my car. On the way, I just happen to pass the same lady getting into a brand new Honda Accord. This lady dresses with an intent to look wealthy, drives a newer car than mine, and then uses my tax dollars to pay for her brand named groceries and junk food.

Regarding this, yes this is shit. This person is most likely screwing the system and she should be punished if it is proven. No doubt about it. The guys that lived next door to me in NOLA had no car, no new clothes and almost no food a lot of the time. I remember telling you that one they borrowed 30 dollars from me for a week to get by. These are the people that need the help...

[clintlove]

Re: The redistribution of wealth

Salary of the US President - $400,000 includes a 50,000 expense allowance
Salary of the US Vice President - $230,700
Salary of retired US Presidents - $180,000
Salary of House/Senate members - $174,000
Salary of Speaker of the House - $223,500
Salary of Majority/Minority Leaders - $193,400
Salary of US Chief Justice - $223,500
Salary of Associate Justices of the Supreme Court - $213,900
Salary of US Federal District Judges - $174,000

Guess who doesn't pay taxes? (Congress members do have to pay into Social Security but don't have to retire under it - FERS) Real easy for government officials to decide how much to tax wealthy Americans to help them pay for the national debt, when they don't have to pay any taxes at all.

Average Salary of a US Soldier deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq - $38,000

[clintlove]

Re: The redistribution of wealth

Regarding this, yes this is shit. This person is most likely screwing the system and she should be punished if it is proven. No doubt about it. The guys that lived next door to me in NOLA had no car, no new clothes and almost no food a lot of the time. I remember telling you that one they borrowed 30 dollars from me for a week to get by. These are the people that need the help...

Agreed.

[clintlove]

Re: The redistribution of wealth

Ooh, Ooh... Just throwing this out there. What if people on any type of government assistance, excluding the disabled, were not allowed to vote? If you are getting government assistance that pays for you to live, who are you going to vote for? The candidate that will continue to give you or increase that assistance. It's a locked in vote for that candidate.