In a message dated 10/27/2004 5:50:13 PM Central Standard Time,
halpert@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
"What about tax breaks for the rich?"
I can't stand it anymore and my apologies ahead of time for all those
offended. For those who feel compelled to respond to what follows, please do
exactly that and don't give me/us your opinion about everything else other
than
what I have stated.
The facts: In the USA, close to 70% of all income taxes collected each year
are paid by the top 10% of income earners. The bottom 50% of taxpayers
account for less than 5% of all income taxes paid.
The opinion: There seems to be something inherently wrong with a tax system
which allows for the vast majority of your population to have little or no
financial stake or ownership in the system. This majority can easily take a
position and vote to let government pay for more and more, because they know
it
will cost them little or nothing.
My extremely simple and therefore probably not workable solution: 1) have
every one who lives in this country fill out a tax return each year and pay
some taxes and 2) create a more even distribution of taxes, which would mean
that yes, those on the bottom will pay a little more and those on the top
would
pay a little less, but guess what, everyone would pay something. Today
there are many who from an income tax standpoint pay absolutely nothing and
when
you are paying nothing you tend to have absolutely no concern about how much
the government spends on anything.
To everyone who has read this far, this an example of what can and does
happen when we stray from our intended path. Most of the OT posts (including
this one) are divisive, counter productive (no minds are going to be changed
by
this kind of post) and I say they are a waste of everyone's time.
Is what I have posted really how I feel? Absolutely, and it is my sincerely
hope that no one on this list gives a rat's ass about how I feel about the
income tax system in the USA. In the context on this list I really don't care
what your politics are or aren't. While visiting in London in 2003, a group
of us went on a lovely afternoon photo shoot, had a spectacular time, broke
bread and yakked about photography and such. The politics of the group were
pretty diverse, but guess what, we didn't talk politics . . . we talked
photography which was an area in which we all had a common interest and the
rest
of it didn't matter. A good time was had by all.
I suggest we stick to our knitting and perhaps take a walk on the Thames
with some of our OM buddies and the stock price in this list will escalate
through the roof.
My 2 cents worth and then some. Bill Barber
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