Should the rich be required to pay higher taxes in the US? |
The rich have been more fortunate
While a lot of rich people will argue they earned and worked hard for their money, let's realize that they were also more fortunate. Most of them were born with high IQ scores, something nothing but genes and chance can determine. I am in the top 2% and am fine with being taxed more. I have worked very hard, but I've also been blessed with a high intelligence quotient and a good family that has given me opportunities a lot of the poor simply do not have. I worked hard, but was also extremely lucky.
Posted by: AnonymousTax the rich, not the poor.
Consumers create jobs. The rich are parasites and completely unnecessary. If they want to continue living in the lap of luxury at the expense of everyone else, which in fact they do, then the least they can do is pay much more tax. In a democracy we don't let a few parasite hover up all the wealth and run a plutocracy. Tax them beyond the worst neo-con nightmares and restore America.
Posted by: BentenI'm middle class so they should have higher taxes than us.
I'm middle class so they should have higher taxes than us. Because we have to do all the work, that's why we should have less taxes. We help the economy with work in factories and are willing to work for our country. So that's why they should have higher taxes.
Posted by: AnonymousThis is the real story
Rich people have large monopolies. They get tons of money. They just have to sit on their personal golf courses and play golf.
Middle class people are pawns in the corporate empire. They get good wages, about 1% of upper class people. They work 5 days a week.
Who is more fortunate? Us or the CEOs?Posted by: AnonymousRomney 13.9 % !!
Make take home pay equal after all taxes. Now total tax paid is far greater for the poor and middle class than the rich. Make the rich take home pay the same % as poor and middle class after all taxes. Include tax the rich on all their income for Soc Sec & Medicare.
TAX THE RICH, TAX THE RICH, TAX THE RICHPosted by: AnonymousAbsolutely. What Ever Happened To "Social Mobility?"
The way Congress is set up right now and all this fiscal cliff BS, is because the Republicans are unwilling to agree to higher taxes on the wealthy. The way things are set up right now social mobility is almost non existent. It is very difficult for someone to get ahead financially in life. There are massive corporations and on main street all the small businesses are boarded up. If someone is smart, and is willing to use their intelligence to start a business, they should be able to compete. Then if they become bigger they should pay more taxes. A lot of people have this false idea that the "rich create jobs" This is true to some degree. However they create jobs so that they can become even wealthier, and stockpile more money while everyone else is barely earning minimum wage. When you decide to "get a job" you are ultimately giving up a lot of your social mobility to becoming a pawn to a major corporation. Tax these people, and these giant corporations. That way it is possible for others to climb up the ladder as opposed to having the 1% at the top and pushing everyone else to the bottom.
Posted by: shawn10000Balance is the key!!!
It is true that people of wealth have a found a way to reach their current income level and it is hard work in terms of research and figuring out tactics that work for the industries they run but they are not the ones doing the back breaking work or working long hours on their feet for minimum pay. In my opinion balance is the key. If a product or service is in high demand and has a high value and business owners are able to fluctuate the prices according to the market then the pay for the employees working under their businesses should be fluctuated as well accordingly. Its not fair that a business can cut cost by laying people off and have the workers left over picking up the slack. A position in a job should be specific in terms of what is expected from an employee and if cuts have to be made a raise should be granted to the worker who is being assigned more work because he/she is working two jobs now. This is where the argument of laziness comes into place. Its not that the people want to be lazy it's the simple fact that people are tired of having to settle for less. "It's a problem of motivation, all right? Now if I work my butt off and Initech ships a few extra units, I don't see another dime, so where's the motivation?" (quoted from Office Space 1999). I'm sure many people can relate to the line in this movie whether you have seen it or not. If Business X sales are up employees do not benefit from it but if the sales decrease then employees have to bite the dust. Its sad to see that a piece of paper has more value than a human being in this time of age. Do you call that progress? Being that the system is not set up that way and a business has that advantage I do feel that rich people should have to pick up the economy's slack because they had us doing so when "times were hard" in their business.
Posted by: AnonymousThe Problem isn't the rich, its the welfare addicts.
Now, I'm a conservative, not a screaming liberal. I'm a Libertarian, I believe in the smallest amount of government possible. But the rich should pay more, not 40% but a bit more than the middle class. Personally I like Singapore's Tax system were each bracket pays a flat rate then pays like 10 to 20 cents off every dollar made after that. Fact is civilians do owe some amount to the government as it does keep a safe environment for business and living through military. But also more benefits should be given to those who put more into the system. Restrictions also should be placed on those that take more out of the system than aka Welfare addicts, they should be forced to live a certain lifestyle because they are relying solely upon society to provide for them. Government should be also cut drastically in military, welfare, unnecessary research I.E. (what foods would be good on Mars), security, politician paychecks (They only represent you, they don't do much), and lastly government bureaucracies. I'm trying to be conservative in a liberal topic so please bear with me.
P.S. Please disregard the communist comments below, the rich do contribute, maybe a little more than the middle class, but poor people don't have much reason to be poor here in the US with our Unions.Posted by: AnonymousThe rich should pay higher taxes because: Tax = National economic investment
Fallacies in the No the rich should not pay higher taxes category:
1. Working hard = Riches. This is not true, the poor are mostly the working poor, who work several jobs, much harder than the rich people. Research it - "working poor"
2. More personal income = More personal benefit. This is false unless you think that a wide screen LCD is the be and end all of your life, personal income cannot really buy anything except widgets and toys. The more important things in life, i.e. safety, job security, affordable accommodations, food quality, pollution free energy, telecommunications, family, health, infrastructure (trains, buses etc.), are best regulated and controlled by a centralized government. Good luck trying to buy your own plane and train with less taxes.
3. Profit orientation = Social good. This is false; the design of profit-oriented corporations will inevitably place profit as priority and above environmental protection, equitable pay, national interests, ethical business practices, and sometimes legal restraints. It doesn't matter how ethical or good-willed the employees are, if the corporation is designed that way to achieve 20% profit growth every year, it inevitably happens.
4. Money for Taxes = Disappears in a black hole. This is false, taxes are spent on an agenda, and are an investment in society. Such an investment would be early childhood development, a better train infrastructure, improvements in minority education, etc etc. Almost all of the complaints made the RH column; complaints about "lazy" people, corporations moving overseas, business inhibition. All of these things may be assisted with government spending on systems and policies. To assist with this, mandate re-education and training for lazy people, government assistance for locally based entrepreneurship, and departments to streamline business regulation. If you paid less taxes, are you going to personally donate your money to assist business in doing something specific, or re-educate a "lazy" person?
Rich people are inherently too busy to organize this; Warren Buffet can't be bothered to split his wealth into a million different philanthropic funds, he just willed it to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation ends up looking more and more like a governmental style global and social welfare enterprise, i.e. like a government.
Tax = National economic investment
A country is like a giant company; it's employees are it's citizens, it's profits are it's GDP.
Paying tax is investing in your country.
Never mind if the politicians are corrupt or not, that is another story. Regardless of if the politicians are corrupt, withholding taxes from your country only makes the situation worse.Posted by: AnonymousYes
I think the rich should ABSOLUTELY pay more because the majority of them are selfish and don't care about anybody but themselves! Trust me, if you are a millionaire, it is NOT going to hurt you if you just pay a little more in taxes. I believe that if you are a good and righteous person, you would want to help the poor or people that are less fortunate. It's as simple as that! People need to stop being so selfish.
Posted by: AnonymousYes, they should pay more tax.
The very rich make more money than most of the population so they should be able to afford to pay higher taxes. It would help people who do not make enough income because those who pay higher taxes will contribute to our country, it helps everyone and it even helps the government.
Posted by: AnonymousWe should all pay our FAIR share!
First of all is the fact that the average American pays a far greater percentage of their income in taxes of all sorts not just income taxes, which leaves the majority with nothing left after the staples of living are paid for. Which is why most are in debt and the majority are in fact, "The Working Poor". Secondly, with over 90% of the wealth being hoarded by less than 10% of the people, the country is crumbling around them. If the wealthy are so important to our nation's well-being, why are they getting richer as everyone else is going broke?
Lastly, what do you suppose will happen when China calls in their chips on all the debt "We The POOR People" have piled up?
Currently, Mitt Romney's claim that about half the country doesn't pay taxes isn't far from the truth. Do the math. With the immigration numbers growing by the thousands daily serving to thin out the already busted job market and several tens of millions (many of whom are those same immigrants) on Government assistance like food stamps or unemployment extensions, how long can we keep it up? These programs are funded by the FED printing money like there is no tomorrow to sweep their dirty brand of capitalism under the rug. None of the real cost will be felt by the wealthy. No. The wealthy won't need to worry when the house of cards falls because they have been busy looting America for decades. One tax cut or corporate off-shoring at a time.
When a wealthy person like Mitt Romney pays 14% income tax on a $5,000,000 annual income, he stills has millions left to enjoy and reinvest in the kind of capitalism that has sent millions upon millions jobs out of the country while living he and his live high on the hog. He feels no responsibility for the fact that tax loopholes both personal and corporate have at least in part contributed to the desolation of our economy. The ruthless, money grabbing liquidation of the very wealth-building manufacturing that built America in the first place has completed the process.
As for tomorrow? That seems to be one thing the tax-dodging politicians that put us here haven't really thought out too well. Can a couple of million rich folk stand off 300 million starving poor gun-toters? We may not have to wait long to see.Posted by: AnonymousYou didnt get there on your own.
If your wealthy you either from a wealthy family or you made it there yourself. If came from wealth, your family didn't get there on there own. If you made it on your own, you didn't do it without help. At some point along the line you had a grant or scholarship to enable to have the education it took succeed, and you got deductions for the costs of your education as well. You didn't build the police department or the fire department that protects your businesses. You didn't the infastrcuture of roads, interstates, bridges, seaports, and airports that allow goods to travel to your bussiness. You didn't create all the organizations neccary to run that infastructure , as well keep it safe from terrorism. You didn't build the US mail or parrcell system, that you use to drive us nuts with ads and junk mail to advertise your business. These things were built by EVERYONE rich and poor. Yet you would have us belive that because you worked hard for your succes that you don't owe anyone anything because you did it all by yourself. Well I've got news for you YOU DIDN'T GET THERE ON YOU OWN, were all in this together.
Posted by: AnonymousYes, because they can afford to.
If the poor and rich pay same, then it's like there is no difference between them. But in the real world, we separate them. So, in the same way, for taxes, the rich should pay more. This could be a great contribution to the country, and its not much for the rich, it's just a little more than they usually pay.
Posted by: AnonymousReduce income inequality.
The top tier can't balance the budget alone, but they should help pay their fair share as a matter of patriotism. We can't continue to have a democratic system if we become a Banana Republic. History shows that when the top tier paid a higher percentage of taxes, from 1945-1970, the middle class was better off and the US economy thrived. We need to return to the tax rates of the post-WW2 boom years.
Posted by: AnonymousYes
I visited this site because it seems like a no brainer to me, if you have more money you can pay more money. I've been reading the "No" comments and I really resent the implication that I don't work hard. I worked hard all through HS and College. I struggled to pay for books and student loans. I took a full load of classes and I worked full time so I could go to college. I now work, 40 hours a week, everyday and I make around $43,000.00 a year. I struggle everyday to make ends meet. During the Clinton admin I had a fairly nice life. I did not have to pinch pennies, do without and I was even able to go on a vacation or two. Enter George W. and his tax cuts to the wealthy and I now struggle daily. Seems to me there's a direct correlation there...
Posted by: AnonymousWhy should the poor support the rich?
The poor and barely getting by people should not be supporting the rich in terms of taxes. The rich are just that for a reason yes, however they should be paying more taxes to help the country get back on its feet.
The rich people have it very easy while many others are barely getting by. Increase the taxes on the rich and give the remaining a break for once. While at it might as well increase the taxes for Corporations as well since their CEO's get huge bonuses and yet no additional tax. but if a worker makes say 10.00 per hour and gets a bonus of say 500.00 in one month well that puts the person in a higher tax bracket and well there goes his hard earned money.Posted by: AnonymousAre you kidding?
I paid a higher rate than Mitt Romney. Why should the working poor pay a higher rate? Because I don't qualify for loopholes? The county is broke people! Why should those with the least have to tighten their belts while those who can afford to pony up just keep getting fatter?
Posted by: AnonymousHelp others.
You should really help others because it is not nice to be stingy. I mean if you really want to think you're doing something nice, donate money to a charity and help the homeless because you're in a warm house. Others are stranded out in the cold with no clothes food or money and they have to beg, so if I may ask please donate some of your hard-earned money.
Posted by: AnonymousDuh...of course they should!
The rich obviously should pay more because they have more money. If we were all required to pay the same amount, the lower class would eventually get poorer and the upper class would get richer. Without a difference in taxes there are no upper, middle and lower classes anymore. We all are equal. The rich could spare a few of their thousands of dollars. Paying taxes off of income is the right thing to do.
Posted by: AnonymousI call Bullshit
Well lets take a look at how the rich became rich. They didn't just get there all by themselves, they use government funded roads and pay there employees so little that they have to accept financial aid from the government. So with the rich using government resources indirectly shouldn't they pay more? Also a fair rate for the rich should be higher because a middle class person paying a 14% takes far more of there money then a wealthy person making more then lets say 250,000 dollars a year. Another thing is that the rich don't spend all the money they make and so it doesn't end up stimulating the economy, where as if the middle class has a lower tax then they are able to spend more because they have to which stimulates the economy and helps everyone in the long run. And this is where Republicans fail to think for the good of the country and only for themselves and there paychecks.
Posted by: AnonymousThey could still meet all bills if they did.
The very rich would not be hard pressed to pay for their child's medication or their lovers bills if they were taxed more. They would still be able to use the public roads and airways with out leaving the burden on the poor. The poor may have a hard time paying for simile things such as food, water, healthcare even with out the extra taxes. The rich would have no problem hat so ever. They may suffer irritation or have to wait a paycheck to buy something they wanted.
Posted by: AnonymousI give up Freedom is just plain wrong.
The rich should pay more, I think I have the right to say what's enough for people. Its not right that business owners doing a legal business earns any money. Why should Walmart get to have all the money. They routinely offer the lowest prices on things poor people use most, and no one has to shop there but they do anyway. After spending money in their stores the noble poor then begrudge the fact that they made money - go figure, or go somewhere else to shop. Wait, then the other retailer would make money, so they could be seen as evil too, just sayin'.
At any rate we should tax the rich more, but who determines whose rich? Oh wait, I get to decide. It seems that most of the world is very poor, fighting for survival poor, not keeping up with the Jones'es poor. I don't think that people in rural China, or somewhere in Africa can look at the American poor with big screen TVs, air conditioned homes, and air jordans and somehow think they're not rich. So lets start taking from the American poor with their comparatively elaborate lifestyle and give to the world - lets spread the wealth, or misery, depending on your view.
Bottom line-where freedom, including economic freedom, flourishes the rich get richer and the poor get richer. Where the government interferes-the rich get poorer and the poor get poorer, except for the ones at the top of the government who get richer no matter what.Posted by: AnonymousThe very rich need to pay more.
It's not enough, what we're paying right now. Everyone should do their part. I'm sick of these stereotypes, that we're poor only because we "choose not to work and that we're lazy". Some of us are just poor. Our jobs don't pay enough. We can't live on minimum wage. We need food stamps and Medicare and such to help us get by. Yet we still pay taxes to do our part. The well-off and the rich have almost more money than they know what to do with, and rather than giving a significant amount of it to charity, they splurge on useless gadgets and luxuries that they really can do without. Don't you think that the money would be better off used to help pay taxes?
It's also true that many of the rich have gained their wealth through dishonest and illegal means. A lot of them don't even work full-time jobs. So don't call us lazy. "Hard work pays"?! You must be joking. Don't you dare say that we're not hard-working. Some of us work more than a full day at a time. More than eight hours, and we still can't get by. Because the rich keep getting richer, and the poor keep getting poorer. Others on the opposing side argue that everyone should be treated equally. Are the poor being treated equal to the rich? No. The help that we from taxes are so that we can even survive in this failing economy. Imagine this: A poor man pays 10% of their $20,000 annual income. The rich pays 10% of their $200,000 annual income. That's $2,000 and $20,000, respectively. Although it's a $18,000 difference, the rich man still has $180,000. Than poor man has a measly $18,000. That's not including deductions from utility bills, rent, and whatnot. The rich man will have way more than enough left over that he will spend on luxuries and useless things rather than donating some to charity to help a specific group, or to help the economy that he lives in by paying higher taxes. It's not as if he's being asked to give all that he has left to taxes. And even if he were asked to give in an extra 10%, he would still have a lot more than he knew what to do with. It's not the same for the poor. Why can't you see it?Posted by: AnonymousPay now or you will pay much more later
With inequity of wealth comes civil unrest. Here's a little history for you. If you look back to the 1930's, President Roosevelt understood the rich had to pay more or something far worse would be coming from the people....a real SOCIALIST MOVEMENT that would change our way of governance. There was a highly organized, highly popular with the population, and a very vocal socialist movement To quiet the uprising Roosevelt convinced enough of the wealthy to pay much more. They agreed to pay an astonishing 94% on all earnings beyond what would be an equivalent of $350,000 today. Social Security and Medicare came in play too. When workers have a stake and say in the company for which they work they always make sure the profits are shared, unlike now, when just a few own the majority of shares in a company. Today they tend to give the lion's share of the profit to the CEOs at grossly amounts. We have enough money in our country to pay for and balance our financial woes. It is called taxing the wealthy and corporations. The wealthy need to step up and do their civic responsibility to the greater society needs of America. America is always strongest and healthiest financially, when the middle class is stronger. This pulls more of the poor up to the middle class. The arrogance of wealthy to say the poor and middle class are just lazy is such an lie and insult. I think we should tax at least 90% on all income beyond $350,000. Next, reintroduce the Glass-Siegal and shut all the loop holes. The rich do not pay enough. Not even close.
Posted by: AnonymousTax everybody that makes over a million dollars 100%.
We should just tax everybody that makes over a million dollars, 100%. Force all corporations to give up at least 85% of their dividends to the government, and if you make less than fifty thousand dollars per year, no taxes whatsoever. Void all government subsidies, no stimulus of any kind, void the mortagage exception, and tax inheritances up to 90%. If you drive a car, you should pay a variable tax of $1.50 per mile driven either on city streets, or open highways. The government should be able to tax every conceivable way possible out of the poplulation. If you don't like the new taxation policy, then I suggests you go to North Korea, China, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, or the Sout Pole. Kapish.
Posted by: AnonymousI support tax breaks for poorer Americans.
The rich are giving so many tax breaks. They take advantage of it, either raise the tax on them or take out their tax breaks to make up the cost. Plus rich make more then poor combined, and they have been give break for over 20 years. Time for the rich to pay up.
Posted by: AnonymousYES!
the rich should definatley have to pay more taxes than the middle class. IS it even close to being fair that Mitt Romney has to pay less taxes than us, but with a bigger income?! i think people that get paid more, and have more money should have to fork over even more of their paychecks than we do. is it for for a man who is struggleing to keep his house and kids to have to fork over almost half of his check every payday? it is very much bullshit that we have to pay more so stupid big headed government and celebrity can throw money around and not have a care in the world, but us people in the middle class have to pay for them to do that
Posted by: AnonymousMiddle class
The middle class and the lower class pay more taxes, which benefits the rich. We are also the main reason they are rich because we buy their products and services. The rich should be entitled in this form to help our nation.
Posted by: AnonymousReally? I mean really?
If the rich were to pay a few more dollars out of their already 6-7 digit sum salary, we would all be better off. And if the government had some balls to tax these people, then it would have some money and wouldn't need to depend on so much from other countries to "loan."
It's like insurance. If you have a nice car, are you not going to pay the most premium coverage? Also, "The Rich own 90%+ of all of the wealth in this land, but only currently pay 70% of the taxes." There are so many loopholes and it pisses me off that I pay about the same amount of money in taxes as some of my bosses who earn 3 times as much as I do. I believe that what you earn is what you earn but everybody must loose something to gain something. Some should loose more to gain more. After all, the money comes back to you in any way shape or form. The parks you sit on, the schools your children go to. This is possible due to the taxes that we pay.Posted by: AnonymousYes, the rich should pay higher taxes.
Most in favor of the rich paying higher taxes cite an appeal to fairness, as though they were entitled to it. You are unfortunately not entitled to fairness.
That being said, in actual favor of rich paying higher taxes, perhaps one should think of it in terms of what you have been given. You live in a country of great opportunity. Regardless of where you came from, you have either been given great chances or have come into great circumstances. You have been given a chance, and like it or not, it is not entirely your own doing. Your family, your friends, your community, your environment have all shaped who you are, the chances you've been given, and how you responded to them. It seems to me that paying higher taxes is an acceptable and beneficial way of repaying a debt that society has provided to you, at very little true detriment to yourself. If you choose to think that you have made your own fortune, all on your lonesome, then that is your viewpoint. Perhaps you should consider that it may be a limited one, because no one becomes who they are entirely on their own.Posted by: AnonymousIt is the most natural societal structure. It is good for economy.
If you crashed on a desert island with 100 people including yourself, nobody would even thin of having 1 person get 35% of what the island has to offer. Especially while 10 others got nothing and 40 others got less then enough to make them happy while that one guy had one more stuff than he needed to be happy.
Also, taxing the rich higher is an absolute economic necessity. Yes, we tax people in order to pay for nice things like roads and schools. We also tax people to stabilize the economy. If everyone was taxed the same percentage, and the lower incomes have to spend a higher percentage of income on basic needs while richest people spend smaller percentage of income, the wealth gap would increase indefinitely until currency systems didnt make any sense anyway and wed go into a real depression.Posted by: paulereeceIn a time like this, they need to.
The very rich benefit most from national security, government-funded research, infrastructure, and property laws. Defending the country benefits the rich more, because they have more to defend. Taxpayer-funded research at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (the Internet), the National Institute of Health (pharmaceuticals), and the National Science Foundation (the Digital Library Initiative) has laid a half-century foundation for their idea-building. The interstates and airports and FAA and TSA benefit people who have the money to travel.
Here's another good reason for the rich to pay more taxes: With the drop in tax revenue, funding for the preservation of American culture is disappearing. Do we want our national treasures deprived of maintenance because of budget cuts, as is currently happening in Italy? Do we want our national parks sold to billionaires? Do we want programs for music and the arts eliminated from schools, so that only children of the wealthy can
participate in them?Posted by: Anonymousthe rich should pay higher taxes in the usa
the rich are not suffering financially. the Lord our creator said more is expected of he who has much. the rich do not go hungry, they do not work their fingers to the bone, they don't "need" so much when the country we live in is desperate. please, wealthy, help out. the rich would not even really know they have a bit less.
Posted by: AnonymousHard to gauge what the majority of Americans really feel about this
There are so many issue polls on this, that it's hard to get an exact gauge on how the MAJORITY of Americans really feel on this issue. Let's use America's Ballot Box as the ONE POLLING PLACE to decide what the will OF THE PEOPLE really is. Vote at: www.http://www.americasballotbox.com/issue24.php
Posted by: brodYes, people are making much more than they need to live.
So you make 1 million a year a with a tax of 20% you still make %800,000. The national median of income is roughly about $45,000. So way to go you make more money then you need to earn to live, if someone can live off of $45,000 and your income is far more then tripling their income. So why can't you be taxed? What costs so damn much that you don't wanna lose money? Sure, we overspend as a government. Well don't elect the leaders who do over spend. We have a government based on our choice, so don't point fingers.
Posted by: AnonymousThe corporate tax rate is the lowest in 20 years
Google for example, paid no federal taxes for 2011, The rich have the money to hire the best lawyers and accountants to filter their money through tax shelters. The whole point of civilization is to support each other in bad times, We are still in one of the worst economic periods ever, So the rich need to step up and help out their fellow Americans instead of buying another yacht. By the way the 2% is buying them more than ever because they have so much cash they don't know what to spend it on.
Posted by: AnonymousTax rich more.
A lot of people on Social Security have no other income. We must quit widening the gap between the rich and the poor to reduce the deficit. Income tax must be BASED ON ABILITY TO PAY which is the fairest way to tax. The wealthy have the ability to pay more which would even out the income tax burden on everyone because we're all in this together.
Posted by: AnonymousWhy not?
We already punish success in our schools, so lets do the same to our most successful citizens. Why should I have to actually earn my own money when I can leach off of those at the top.
Posted by: AnonymousBecause the rest of us cannot afford to and they can.
Income inequality is destroying America. Taxes are the grease that keeps the machine of society running smoothly. We have been lied to for 30 years about how not taxing the wealthy would create more jobs, but the opposite is true. The middle class is being destroyed so these hoarders can keep on leeching the very life out of the rest of America. Tax the 1%!
Posted by: AnonymousMy reason for voting yes.
I said they should pay more taxes because the rich have more stable income and they can keep paying taxes without having to fear the worst. Most of all the rich may give out jobs but as i see in America's economy is that the jobless people are starting to grow more and more.
Posted by: Knightsofthe8I's not the Reagan years
Whe Reagan proposed and implemented trickle down economics, the highest income tax bracket tax rate was 70% Reagan cut it to 50%. He cut capital gains from 70% to 28%. Now, for someone making 20M, these were really big cuts so instead of deferring income (slowing the economy) the rich could get richer without paying as many taxes. Worked great, in 1986 when the rich had astronomical tax rates. FLASH FORWARD to 2012. The top income tax rate is 28% and the long term capital gains is at an all time low of 15%. This was done by Georrge W Bush to try an emulate the stimulus that occurred in Reagan years. Didn't work, can't work. The rich already get to keep most of their money (if not all when using tax loop holes). Today, with the rich holding so much cash, it is more profitable to be a corporate raider then it is to actually employ people and build things. Lets take the tax rates back to the Reagan tax rates. Lets add deductions for the rich who actually employ people and build things.
Posted by: AnonymousThey pay little to social security, and are the only persons in US with increased incomes in 20 years.
I am disgusted that the President is talking about reducing the CPI for those of us getting social security, and living on less than $25,000/year, when those making over $95,000 /year don't pay any additional into social security. The President's proposal is very unfair, and should not be accepted by Congress. I've written my Senators that those making more should pay more.
Posted by: AnonymousPay people well and treat them well and we are all happy
Lots of those on the left believe in a lot of the same ideas and they have different ways to express those beliefs. Those on the right tend to be less creative. I’ve never seen so many statements from the right that is literally verbatim. There must be one piece of paper they are passing around to each other. Now, let’s get to the taxes. I am tired of hearing the same, tired rhetoric from the right about, “I worked for it and I deserve it!” Do you? How honest were you while “earning” this money? How many people believe they were paid enough by you? Why can’t you pay them more? Oh, because you are being taxed to death! Boohoo! First, YOU did not work for what you have, someone else did, your employees! You owe it to them while you are sitting on your yacht not caring about whether you people are paid enough. You have never had to work a poor paying job where your boss is a tool. Ask yourself this question, “How much money is enough money?” Who on this earth truly NEEDS to be a millionaire? Who needs 10 expensive cars and a massive house? That does not mean you are successful! Ask yourself whether or not you treat other people well. Can you look in the mirror and ask that question? Like it or not, no one is an island. So, pay people well, treat them well and we on the left will not fight you for more money with the IRS. Deal? No one should ever have to feel they need to be rich in order to mean something. I can live a perfectly happy lifestyle making much less than $100,000 so, why can’t you?
Posted by: AnonymousThe question should be reframed: Should the rich pay equal taxes?
Most people earning more than $250k want to pay their fair share. Capital gains taxes are at 15% which is their lowest level in 65 years. The rich make most of their wealth through capital gains. This means that the effective tax rate for the rich is much lower than the middle class. Raising taxes to allow the rich to pay their fair share is morally right.
Posted by: AnonymousTax the top.
4% increase in taxes for INCOMES over 250 K / year. these people are not suffering - many many in this country are. Have they no sense of country? You want to bail us out now that you've been bailed out for years. Do away with the Bush tax cuts. He imposed them when we were in a terrible war - with no one to pay for it. That debt should not come onto me (with a salary of less than 100K/yr)
Posted by: CullicocopopTax based on the ability to pay.
A lot of people on Social Security have no other income. We must quit widening the gap between the rich and the poor to reduce the deficit. Income tax must be BASED ON ABILITY TO PAY, which is the fairest way to tax. The wealthy have the ability to pay more, which would even out the income tax burden on everyone, because we're all in this together.
Posted by: Anonymousworking class should pay less
They have a hell of a lot more money hence deserve a higher tax rate than us working people. Why should working class people being paying the same amount in tax as the rich! Or why should a working middle class family pay a higher percentage than the rich! We're poor over here hello! Pay your fair share! Stop bing greedy and making working middle class families pick up your slack that we cannot afford to!
Posted by: AnonymousPeople are Lazy???
Sure there are a ton of lazy people out there...Probably just as many lazy rich people as there are lazy poor people! The funny thing is, many wealth people dont even work hard! They have money and we all know it takes money to make money. There are a TON of people working their butts off everyday who make $25k a year while the president of their company plays golf everyday and has 5 weeks vacation per year. It has NOTHING to do with laziness. Don't you think that people living paycheck to paycheck WANT to make more money?? Now I agree there are a few things that make it easier for a person to do nothing with their lives and still be able to make it through every day. However, there are also a TON of people who really do need assistance and really do need the help of the government.
Posted by: nickster151Start with congress
Nearly 47% of our congressional members are millionaires. However their salary is only $174, 000.00 a year, so they only pay 15% on investments. Makes you kind of wonder doesn't it. They talk about the rich not paying their fare share of taxes, WELL. Our representatives, Democrats and Republicans alike will never pass any bills, or laws that would make the rich pay more. They will however, protect the rich and powerful, yes the very people that support their campaign funds if you think something is going to be done, GUESS AGAIN
Posted by: AnonymousThe rich should be required to pay higher taxes in the US as they are taxed at some of the lowest rates in the industrialized world.
The United States currently faces deficits as far as the eye can see coupled with 10% unemployment levels that should be considered unacceptable. The wealthiest 1 percent of this country now has more money than the bottom 150 million people and wealth inequality is at an all time high in this country. This cannot go on forever and the government should seek to moderate some of this disparity through higher taxes on the rich which are conducive to economic growth. For example in the 1950s the top rate on taxpayers was 91% and the economy grew at 4% annual rate. Compare this to the 1980's when the economy grew at a 2.5% annual rate and the upper tax bracket was 28%.
Posted by: SCrossThe rich should be required to pay higher taxes to support the country that has given them not only great wealth but a disproportionate tax breaks in past decades.
For those wealthy citizens who have benefited from a society, they should be more than willing to support that system, not loot it, as has happened recently. The famously wealthy Warren Buffet supports taxing the wealthy at a higher rate, citing that his tax rate is less than his secretary's. How grossly unfair and unsustainable is that!
Posted by: vempyrik 66It's About Time
God forbid the rich should have to pay higher taxes. They don't even pay as much tax as the average middle class person does right now. Higher taxes on the rich is something they can afford. They can at least afford to pay as much as the middle class, or they're not doing their part. They act like we're asking them to give up all their revenue, but they're just being asked to do their fair share. At the very least, the Mega Corporations that make billions of dollars should contribute.
Posted by: AnonymousBecause they can afford to give more.
The rich can afford to give more. They have many loopholes and other benefits that many Americans don't have. They are already at the top of the system, so it wont hurt them that much to have to pay a little bit extra. It could also substantially help the economy in many more ways then one. We could lower our debt by just under 1 trillion dollars in just 10 years. In the long run its better for society as well as our economy. I know this and I myself am a 14 year old girl in the 8th grade. Many more people should start to realize this.
Posted by: AnonymousThey can afford to pay more.
The rich people can afford to pay more, as some of them bring in millions or billions of dollars a year and the rest of us don't. The middle and working classes cannot do everything to help us out of this economic slump, but if the upper class helps also, then rainbows and unicorns will live again!
Posted by: AnonymousEat the rich
The top 1% should support us all like we are their children how dare they be rich and I'm not we should tax them till they are poor like the rest of perhaps we could tax them till they are poor as the average guy that way the government can spend more money on ant farms and studies of stuff we already know or don't care about we can chase all the top money makers out of our country that way we won't have to mow their lawns or drive their fancy cars or work in their businesses that way we will have a fair shot
Posted by: AnonymousYes the rich should pay more!!!
I love how rich people talk about trickle down economics. The only thing they are worried about is more money trickling into their pockets. Of course I guess that is how you get rich in the first place by being greedy, selfish and unethical. I can't believe that people making 50000 or less should be expected to pay the same tax percentage as the wealthy.
Posted by: AnonymousWhy is this even a debate?
Of course the wealthy should pay more than the rest of us! It is simple numbers.
Firstly, people like to say that the wealthy already pay the majority of the income taxes. However, when the top 10% of the country owns around 80% of the wealthy, its to be expected that they will carry the Federal Income tax.
Secondly, people like to say that the wealthy get taxed twice (once at the income level, and once at the corporate level). But, our income tax levels on the wealthy are only around 10-15%, and even though Corporate taxes are 35% the effective corporate (meaning the actual tax rate of large businesses) is only around 10%.
Thirdly, lets be clear on this. Someone making 1,000,000 dollars, who is taxed up to 60% (EFFECTIVE corporate and income taxes) still comes home with 400,000 to live off of.
Taxing someone 25% on 50,000, leaves that person with 37,500 to live off of.
If you still think that its fair, then you are either stupid, or wealthy yourself (and therefor greedy).
Also, shame on the people who accuse the poor for not working hard, or for saying that hard work will make you rich. If that were true, then the Mexican immigrants to this country would be millionaires.
Some of the wealthiest people in this country got that way by inheriting from their father's who lied, cheated, and stole their money, and made it on the backs of hard-working people.Posted by: AnonymousYes, the rich should be taxed!
People that are not rich doesn't mean that they don't work hard every single day and accomplish something. Many middle-class tax payers work hard to provide for their families and to keep themselves out of debt. It don't make any sense to take more money from families with less income when you have the rich that has everything they could want and need and plus more money. In my opinion, this is one reason why the economy is falling apart, there are too many people that are stingy with their money and as long as everything is going good for them, they don't care about anyone else. It doesn't mean that anyone is trying to punish the rich. All they need to do is help out more. I'm sure they would want the same if they were in the same situation as the middle-class and poor.
Posted by: AnonymousDepends on how much you earn.
I think a 80% tax for the rich is too far basically. I think every wage levels should have 10% increases so it would be more sensible and sustainable for our economy and we still have an "equality" in how much we earn after tax somehow.
For example,
A tax of 10% for under $39,999 and then 10% increase in tax for every $10,000 like between $40,000 to $49,999 and so it goes on. The higher you earn, the higher the tax it will be BUT it will still be same as the lower-wage tax payers anyway?
It is NOT fair for the entire society to pay on same tax amount. If the standard tax is 50%, and a family of five only earns $25,000 a year so that means they will only have $12,500 a year after tax comparing to a CEO who earns $250,000 a year and gets $125,000 after tax every year. That's extremely unfair.
So that concludes my point that rich people SHOULD pay considerable tax price. I think it is unfair for us to charge rich people 80% tax, of course, but I think it is fair for us to charge them a reasonable tax price based on their wealth.Posted by: WheelYes!
Of course rich should pay more taxes. Taxes being paid go for things like education and job training. which means people will be educated and will be able to make more money which mean they will have more money to buy a rich man's product. NO ONE got there by themselves. Everyone at some point needed grants, loans, scholarships, etc. Or government assistance to help them because the rich man hates Obama and doesn't want to hire anyone and gives people who do work for him like 20 hours a week. Politicians make hard decisions, but this should be the easiest one.
Posted by: AnonymousTo those whom much is given, much is expected.
Although there are some rich folks who balk at the idea, people like Suze Orman agree that since they are doing well financially they are obligated to pay more in taxes since they can.
Posted by: Ramon GriffithYes, the rich should be required to pay higher taxes. Why shouldn't they?
They make more money than the middle and lower class, so it's only natural they should have to pay higher taxes while we pay less. We barely make enough money to live on, let alone pay a ridiculous amount of taxes every year. We have bills to pay and children to feed. What do the rich have? A multi-million dollar house to pay off? A swimming pool as big as a football field to install in their backyard? Maybe that's an exaggeration, but that's how I see it. The rich don't understand need vs want, because they can buy whatever they want and already have everything they need. They don't know what it's like for their children to come home from school and go to bed hungry because there's no food in the house. They don't know what it's like to go without a shower because the water company cut you off when you had to use your pay check to buy food for your kids instead of pay the bill. And if they do know what it's like, if they were poor in the past, then they should be grateful for all that money they have and pay higher taxes without complaint. That's how I see it.
Posted by: AnonymousPay the IRS.
Why do we need to type this? That is the reason why there are more nos. Rich need to pay more because if they don't, there is no point. A rich person who lives in a mansion paying $125,000 must pay more a year than a person living in a house as a single mom having to pay $30,000 out of her $70,000.
Posted by: AnonymousRich people should pay more taxes.
I certainly believe that rich should pay more taxes than the poor. At the moment, rich people are not paying adequate taxes. I think government should take some serious action against them. The taxes are still very low in certain areas like stock exchanges, property taxes, and agriculture taxes.
Posted by: IianDreamONLY a little bit higher!
okay, Im not US citizen, Im from Europe, but the economy in Europe is falling really fast and normal citizens can feel it. Big companies usually earn a lot of money comparing to smaller businesses employing not more than 5 people. If the government sets taxes for big companies really higher comparing to smaller ones, it will kill big ones slowly and the economy will be falling, etc... The government wants big money and now. Are they so stupid, really? .. I just cant believe it. Why not to set taxes lower but they have high percentage of raising economy because everyone will pay taxes because theyre not high! Right? ..
Posted by: AnonymousThe rich need to support the system
Firstly, the rich should pay a higher percentage of tax because they have more to give. It shouldn’t be drastically changed, but 5% or 6% higher would be fair. People with a lot of money can afford to do or have things they don’t need. For example, nobody ‘needs’ four or five enormous houses. They might not even use all of the houses; it’s just an extra thing to worry about. Plus, that money could have gone to a better cause.
Also, the poor need their money to survive. Unlike the rich who have a superabundance of money, the poor use all of their money for food and shelter. In addition, the poor don’t want to have to worry about tax. They have enough problems on their own. Also, the wealthy need to support the structure or else it will fall down. They are the people in charge.Posted by: penusLook at the past
Budget surpluses in the past when the "wealthy" were taxed higher. Currently our deficit is so high because of the effects of TAX CUTS in the past. Disproportional taxes that gave higher percentage breaks to the wealthy rather than the middle class. On top of that, there are the loopholes that allow the wealthy to have lower tax rates anyways by defining their investments as something else. At least write a tax code that allows for increased revenue.
Posted by: AnonymousTaxes
I think they should pay more because if you can afford it then why cry about it. We already have a lot of people who can't afford to pay taxes now. Some people get rich just by their parents passing down the business to them, they don't even get their hands dirty.
Posted by: AnonymousWhy should the rich pay More?
Isn't that more fair? Shouldn't everyone pay the same amount?
In a word-- no. It's not more fair; it's appallingly unfair. Why? The rich should pay more taxes, because the rich get more from the government.
Consider defense, for example, which makes up 20% of the budget. Defending the country benefits everyone; but it benefits the rich more, because they have more to defend. It's the same principle as insurance: if you have a bigger house or a fancier car, you pay more to insure it.
Social security payments, which make up another 20% of the budget, are dependent on income-- if you've put more into the system, you get higher payments when you retire.
Investments in the nation's infrastructure-- transportation, education, research & development, energy, police subsidies, the courts, etc.-- again are more useful the more you have. The interstates and airports benefit interstate commerce and people who can travel, not ghetto dwellers. Energy is used disproportionately by the rich and by industry.
As for public education, the better public schools are the ones attended by the moderately well off. The very well off ship their offspring off to private schools; but it is their companies that benefit from a well-educated public. (If you don't think that's a benefit, go start up an engineering firm, or even a factory, in El Salvador. Or Watts.)
The FDIC and the S&L bailout obviously most benefit investors and large depositors. A neat example: a smooth operator bought a failing S&L for $350 million, then received $2 billion from the government to help resurrect it.
Beyond all this, the federal budget is top-heavy with corporate welfare. Counting tax breaks and expenditures, corporations and the rich snuffle up over $400 billion a year-- compare that to the $1400 budget, or the $116 billion spent on programs for the poor.
Where's all that money go? There's direct subsidies to agribusiness ($18 billion a year), to export companies, to maritime shippers, and to various industries-- airlines, nuclear power companies, timber companies, mining companies, automakers, drug companies. There's billions of dollars in military waste and fraud. And there's untold billions in tax credits, deductions, and loopholes. Accelerated depreciation alone, for instance, is estimated to cost the Treasury $37 billion a year-- billions more than the mortgage interest deduction. (Which itself benefits the people with the biggest mortgages. But we should encourage home ownership, shouldn't we? Well, Canada has no interest deduction, but has about the same rate of home ownership.)Posted by: AnonymousThe middle class is suffering
The middle class work just as hard if not harder for their paycheck. So, why should they suffer to pay more taxes? It doesn't make sense as to why the rich shouldn't have to pay more since they're not hurting for money. The middle class can barely make it as it is.
Posted by: AnonymousThe rich owe it to the middle and lower classes.
If there was no middle or lower class, the rich would cease to exist. If the rich, middle, and lower class paid the same exact amount in taxes, the middle class would also cease to exist. This is the exact kind of thing that caused the French Revolution, in which the poor were sick of the extreme inequality between them and the rich and KILLED OFF the rich. So, what will it be? Sacrifice a tiny more sum of your money that you have outrageous amounts of already, or let the pot of class warfare implode in flames and turn you and your platform into ash?
Posted by: AnonymousWhat I think the real question should be.
I believe the question should really be, are those who should be paying taxes doing so? A few years ago a whistle blower in the Swiss banking system came forth with the revelation that roughly ten thousand wealthy Americans had stashed their earnings in Swiss banks without paying a penny in Federal income tax. Corporations have moved their earnings overseas to countries that have zero income tax. Decades ago corporation accounted for about 35 to 40 percent of all Federal tax intake. Now it is about ten percent. Smaller business should be lobby for their larger brothers to pay their fair share. Yeah sure we would all like to keep 100% of what we earn but I for one also want maintained roads, schools, police, fire, etc.
For the libertarians who want government to go away and have corporations and the free market become the new government I say this. Much of the structure in which business operates is here because of government funding. The intranet is great example. No, Steve Jobs or Bill Gates did not invent it. The military with tax payer funding conceived of the Internet as a means of more efficient interdepartmental communication.
I would like to dispel some of the myths that I see here. 1) Not all of the wealthy are job creators. Some recent statistics show that less than ten percent of income of millionaires is derived from businesses. Most in the 1% earn their income from capital gains or from family money. Many of the very wealthy either don't own businesses or that is just a side show if you will. In the past when the tax rate was higher on the 1% it didn't affect hiring at all. 2) Not all people on government assistance are lazy. This come from the "pull yourself up by your own boot straps" mantra of libertarians. I work in a large hospital and my job takes me into the mental health wings. I also live two houses down from a group home. From personal experience we will always have people in society who don't have the "boot straps" to pull themselves up by. Do we just let them slip through the cracks? Someone has to provide for them. If not then we cease to be a civil society. 3) Most millionaires and billionaires earned their money. Ah, sorry but that answer is not always. Many, many of the wealthy in this country come from privileged backgrounds or got lucky in the stock market with an initially small investment. Yes, some people worked their fannies off and made good. I salute you! Also not all of us can be millionaires. The vast majority of American workers are hourly or salaried. There is almost always caps and restrictions on pay. If someone chooses that type of work it doesn't mean they are lazy or not ambitious. The reality is that the number of really high paying jobs is limited. I think most Americans work extremely hard.Posted by: CaptainHiltzWell they are rich
Well the rich are rich! Yes they did earn that money but, come on they shouldn't be greedy and mean snotty people and not pay up a little bit more. It's not like they can't afford it. The lower class could barely pay their taxes and the rich can pay it like a piece of cake. Even though they work for it and earn it they should at least be a little bit more nice and pay higher taxes.
Posted by: AnonymousOf course they should!
The rich should have to pay higher taxes because they make more money. Now, given they sometimes work harder, but most of them also like to buy nicer and more expensive things which the poor and middle class can't afford. So how about instead they keep their spending to a minimum and pay some higher taxes, and they can help to pay off our debt.
Posted by: AnonymousWealth Gap
The USA has one of the largest wealth gaps in the world. And that isnt changing. The rich are getting richer, while the poor are getting poorer. The top 1% control 1/2 our wealth. Along with that, they are finding loop holes to pay less taxes. Warren Buffet, one of the richest men the world, recently called the richest people moochers. Yes, you read that correctly. Tell me why when corporations takes billions of dollars of tax subsidies, they are considered good businessmen, but when a homeless man needs food to survive, he's a moocher. The fact is both are taking advantage of the government. The difference is one is abusing the system for wealth, while the other is trying to get by. When the tax rate was high for the rich under Clinton, people thought the economy would not create jobs. In fact, he created more jobs than Reagan. When we invest in infrastructure and expand opportunity, we create a stronger society.
Posted by: oakhan34I'm just gonna put some facts.... (No right or wrong answer)
Rich people do not work harder as most rich people are
usually a high seat in a corporation,business,etc.
They make the choices for the corporation while the workers just do the job. The only area i would expect rich people to work harder is that if they are a doctor,lawyer, or someone who works hard in a certain area that does not include you sitting there bossing people around. Also some people might be rich because they saved money to become a millionaire. They also have a more stable income as i read in the opinion section (Knightsofthe8). Yes i would expect them to have a stable income unless they have their business is failing. Also this is not debate so i will not always put massive facts in this opinion (because it is an opinion),
anyways the rich also probably own more property so they should pay a lot more property tax then most people.Posted by: Knightsofthe9Yes
The rich should be taxed more than the poor because someone who works their butt off and get's about $2100 every week should definitely not be qualified to pay the same as someone who earns over $50,000 every two weeks. The middle class suffer because of the lazy rich people who make the government pay them. Teachers are on strike because they don't get payed enough and that's because the government does not have enough money because the rich people pay the same amount of taxes as us and up getting ten times more in return. There may be more voters for no on the other side but I believe in what I'm saying. I bet you at least 10% of the people on the other side are on the no side because the rich people payed them too.
Posted by: AnonymousThe Rich Create Bubbles, Not Jobs
On June 7, 2001, HR 1836 the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act was signed into law. This was the first and largest of several tax cut bills passed during the Bush Administration. It was estimated to cost $1.35 trillion with most of its benefits going to rich. So this should have spurred job creation. Give money to the "job creators" and they will create jobs, no?
Posted by: LIZAENOLAYes
The rich currently pay a historically low percentage of their income, and hold a historically high percentage of the total wealth. Tax 'em more and make them pay a fair share. Under Eisenhower, the top tax bracket was 90%. Now, it is 35%. All Obama wants to do is bring it to 39%.
Posted by: Mr_AnonIt's simple economics
A progressive tax on wealth, like our income tax, is the fairest type of tax because it taxes based on utility rather than just amount. A flat tax is unfair, because although the percentage of income is equal, the utility of each increment of income is not. Simple economics.
Think of it this way. If you have 100 dollars and it's taxed at 10 percent, and your neighbor has 1,000 dollars and that is taxed at 10 percent, the flat rate seems fair. But it is quite obvious when you deal with real dollars and cents that the more money you have, the less each individual dollar is worth to you. Percentages aside, that ten dollars will hurt your wallet far more than your neighbors 100 dollars.
A progressive tax takes money based on utility rather than raw numbers, and that is the type of tax that is fairest and makes the most sense.Posted by: hypatiaAbout Time it Happens!
Pay your share to the government and the rest of us. Its not like the rich will become poor, they'll just pay a little more. Being equal and fair is what this is about. The what America is, equality. So lets act on that. We can't just simply do nothing. Tax the rich a little more. The government has been coddling them long enough, giving them tax cuts and all that. Its time the government takes action and does the right thing for us as a nation. Look at the bigger picture and what will help us as a whole.
Posted by: Maryam-ENothing wrong with a progressive income tax
The real question should be, "should all U.S. citizens be required to pay higher taxes on the portion of their income that falls in the highest tax brackets." Everyone in America, from the poverty-stricken to billionaires, pays the exact same tax rate (assuming married filing jointly) -- approximately 10% on the first $18,000, 15% between $18,000 and $70,000, 25% between $70,000 and $142,000 and so on up to 35% over $388,000. The idea behind taxing the top brackets more is for two reasons: 1) People with incomes in those top brackets tend to use that money for things like savings, vacations, purchases, etc., thereby increasing their use and need of infrastructure like roads and bridges and services such as firemen, policemen, etc., and 2) The more money people have, the less value it has for them (the economic idea of "diminishing marginal value"): once a person's physical needs are well-met, additional money is worth less to them, so a homeless recipient of a $20 bill will see more value in it than a billionaire would with a $100 gift. Fairness in taxes should be not be all people paying the same percentage, but paying at the same level of sacrifice.
Posted by: AnonymousJust because I'm not rich does not mean I'm lazy
The rich claim to be successful due to "hard work." Now, I don't doubt that there are at least some rich people who have rightfully earned their way to the top, but money generally flows from one end to another: most money of the rich is taken from the lower classes. I think rich people try to justify their "success" by claiming they worked hard for it. In truth, the rich, (ESPECIALLY the super-rich) earn their money by charging ridiculously high prices for a good or service (such as gas). And what do rich people even need their excess money for, anyway? If they have more than enough to live comfortably, they should use the rest to fund schools and healthcare--things that actually matter. Money isn't meant to just sit there and accumulate. It has to circulate. That's the way the economy is supposed to work.
Posted by: AnonymousI think getting them to pay their taxes at all would be a good first step.
After that, I think the important thing to understand, is what our tax dollars pay for. The United States had the largest military expenditure of all the countries in 2012. The total expenditure per capita was $2,141. China had the second largest military expenditure of all the countries in 2012. The total expenditure per capita for them was $74. With that being said, why do you think we have such a large military? What are we protecting? Our land? Our "freedom"?
We are protecting our wealth. Our top 1% represents the bull's eye to the target that has been painted on America by other countries. They should be the ones paying to defend it. They say that the amount of money it takes to protect a fortune exponentially increases when compared to the amount of the fortune itself. To me, that sounds like excellent framework to begin building the tax bracket on.
But paying their taxes in the first place would absolutely be a good start.Posted by: krantzHave more, Contribute more.
Why should someone making 12,000 a year pay the same tax as someone making 13 million a year. If you look at other countries such as Sweden you'll see the benefit of wealthier people paying more tax. For a country to work you have to pay into it, or the infrastructure falls apart. Americans get very little in return for their tax dollars, as opposed to European countries where students need not worry about paying for college, boarding, or working whilst getting an education, or graduation in debt. Stresses most American students live with day by day. This country needs more tax dollars to support its people and maintain it's infrastructure, and someone making 12,000 a year is already hard pressed enough, to ask them to contribute more would be out right stupid. If you have more, you should contribute more.
Posted by: AnonymousThe Gap Needs to be Lessened
Yes, the rich should be required to pay higher taxes in the US. Those who are amongst the wealthiest in the United States have gotten to be the wealthiest because of the lower classes. The lower classes need to be able to pay their bills, eat, buy clothing and commute to a job. Lower wages means they can buy less, therefore, the more taxes that are taken, the less likely they are to have what they need to live. The rich don't have that burden, but excess.
Posted by: inaneoneThe value of money is not the same for all people.
Of course the wealhty should be taxed more. Those who say they shouldn't like to say that it isn't "fair", and that's baloney. The truth is that the less a person makes the more taking an equivalent percentage of money away form them will affect the quality of their life. I'm not arguing that the wealthy should pay more because "they can afford it", I'm saying the super wealthy should pay more because they won't notice an amount that could mean a world of difference to another equally hard working American in need.
Posted by: AnonymousYES, because you make more and you should pay more.
If you make more money and salary larger, your taxes should get higher on the money you have made. Our government needs the money as it is in debt and a lot of it. It will help our country get back on its feet. Middle class is diminishing and without it our country would be rich and poor and then it will be in a worse state.
Posted by: AnonymousThe rich in the US should pay higher taxes.
With any level of income, the more you make, the higher tax bracket you move into. The rich should pay more taxes to help eliminate some of the debt in this country. The rich usually have more deductions and credits to lower their income, thus lowering the looks of their income anyway. Most wealthy people do not pay the amount of taxes they should anyway. By raising their tax level, they might actually have to pay what they should be paying in the first place. It does not bother them to go out and pay higher taxes on their expensive cars and homes, so why shouldn't they have to pay higher taxes on their income as well?
Posted by: babydollxixLet's tax everybody to the hilt.
I'am all for taxing the rich that makes over a million per year, 95%. All corporations dividends to be tax at 80%, no more mortagage execptions, if you want to own a house you must be willing to pay 50% tax up front. No more stimulus for private enterprises, corporations, etc...etc... Inheritances that exceed one hundred thousand dollars to be tax at 85% to 95%. If you drive a car anywhere in the continental U.S. you must pay an additional National Highway Tax of no less than $1.50 per mile for cars, $3.00 per mile for suv's, $6.00 for pick ups, and the rest $15.00 per mile. If you don't like the new taxation policies we are about to implement, then I suggest you migrate to North Korea, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iran, or Cuba. You'll get the picture.
Posted by: TaxmageagonThe problem is the Federal Goverment and people who can work but wont
Higher taxes are fine above a certain amount, but at the 33% of anything over a certain amount, that's plenty. The US government doesn't need a penny more than that and needs to get the freaking budget in order. We are taxed to the hilt beyond Federal income taxes, in fact more than 50% of our income goes to taxes whether people realize that or not. Federal taxes, State taxes, Social security, medicare, Sales, property, gasoline tax, and the list goes on. The other thing I disagree with is the marriage penalty, because it isn't cheaper for two to live than one. That's ridiculous. However, for the rich people such as the doctor who complains about going to school for so long and working hard to get to where he is, that's a fair argument, but just because he is blessed by the good lord with intelligence to be a doctor and do a job that commands a higher pay that he should live a better life than say someone that is mentally retarded? I think not. Things do need to be fair. The two biggest problems is the government wasting money, allowing too many loopholes in taxes so that rich actually pay a smaller percentage in taxes than people who make less, people who simply refuse to work and live off of the government. I still believe that even 33% is too high. The biggest problem is really the Federal Government.
Posted by: AnonymousTo the person on the right side who is titled RICH
Fair is not who is paying more. Its how much you are putting in your pocket and how much is being contributed back into society and thats done in percentages. Its like saying Papa Johns crappy pizza is $10 for me because I only make $100 per day but its $100 for you because you make $1000 per day. Make sense?
Posted by: AnonymousYes, the wealthy should pay more taxes, because they make more money.
Poor people pay taxes according to how much they have, so why shouldn't the rich be required to as well? When the wealthy used to pay their fair share (before they bought out the government), this country was economically healthy, and everyone benefited from a stable economy. Ever since, the rich have not been requir3ed to pay taxes equal to their incomes. And since then, this country has slid into a recession that is now so bad that there can be no real or lasting recovery.
Posted by: N3vinFaceYou can't balance the budget on the backs of the poor
The rich aren't smarter, wiser, or harder working than the poor. That doesn't mean that they shouldn't get any sort of reward for their success, but simply that wealth alone should be it's own reward. Simply speaking, the primary ways people become rich involve mostly luck, and may or may not have anything to do with hard work. Typically, they come from upper middle class to wealthy families that can pay for college without saddling them with a crushing debt that would make it impossible to invest their money properly after college, who can offer them positions in their company, and sometimes offer them the company themselves. They are the people who grew up interacting with the rich and their families, developed connections that helped them financially, and put them in the position they needed to be in to succeed. I am not saying they should be penalized for this, however, merely that being rich should be it's own reward. Even if the rich were taxed a higher percentage than some guy making $12,000 a year, they would still be far richer than that guy, and still make far more than they could ever possibly spend. Furthermore, taxes are not a punishment. Taxes are you paying your part into society so that society continues to function, so why shouldn't those who society has given so much to give a little more than someone who society has left hungry and financially devastated? I make $1,200 a month. Every week in taxes, I pay one day's wages in taxes. At the end of the year, I usually get about $37 back. The working poor pay this all the time with so little complaint that the rich aren't even aware that they're paying it, so my question is why should a person making more than a million dollars, even more than $250,000, yelp and whimper over every dollar they are asked to pay to keep our roads paid, to pay for our military, our fire department, our police. And when you ask why the poor can't pay as much in sheer dollars as you, then I say you only deserve the police, roads, and fire department that the poor can afford. More money goes into these services than goes into programs for the poor, and these services are often quicker and more thorough in helping the wealthy than the poor. If wealthy are going to use loopholes to get out of paying taxes, and whine over every tax they're left with, then I say let them, but when their house burns, the fire department should let it burn, and if their house is broken into, they should be the only one who defends it. I don't think the rich should be punished for being rich by any means, but I do think that they shouldn't whine over every penny paid to government, or 'lobby' money at congress to keep their taxes down, if they want to reap the benefits of living in a society that has served them so well.
Posted by: SewerratYes
Someone on the "no" side said poor people are lazy. Are you dense? There are so many people that did have well paying jobs, but the economy is in the sh*tter, and people get laid off or the company goes out of business. There are low income families that work their butts off and even have multiple jobs, just to put food on the table. So don't tell me that is being lazy. Get educated on real life and not just your college textbooks. Why should someone that makes 20,000 a year have to pay the same amount as someone that makes 100,000 a year? Especially celebrities. They make millions. People like Paris Hilton and Kim kardashian who are famous for what? Absolutely nothing.
Posted by: Anonymousthe rich should pay more
the rich have more money and therefore have an obligation to contribute more because they have a better standard of living and will still have a lot of money even if they pay higher taxes. some argue that the rich have worked harder for their money, well if a single mother with two jobs is working just as hard, if not harder, to pay the basics like rent and food, and then how is it right to go and increase their taxes?! How is that fair in any way? If the rich payed more it would lesson the stress on the middle class (majority of the population) and people could actually pay their taxes.
Posted by: AnonymousFair share
Despite the arguments from the con side about rich pay their fair share, me must look at the facts. Yes the rich do pay more money in quantity, then the rest of the people. But it is the percentage of taxes that matters, an average income earner of $48,000 have to pay 16% in taxes, average income earners of $95,000 have to pay 18%, and people who earn $173,000 have to pay 23% in taxes. The top 1% who earn $110 million only pay about 21% in taxes, less than people who earn $173,000. But 90,000 people who earn over 1 million, pay only 50% in taxes. It is evident that the top 1% should pay a higher percentage in taxes than the average people since they earn more.
Posted by: Sjs497The rich are causing debt
It is not fair that the middle class is getting taxed more than the rich. The rich have much more money than the middle and lower class, but they still pay less taxes than them. Did you know that 2 out of 3 major corporations do not get taxed at all ?! If the rich did pay more and payed their fair share, then we would be in less debt, we would have more money to fix the economy and we could do plenty of things that would make America better. The rich are making millions and millions off of the poor. If we keep going this way it will give more money to the people that don't need it and less to the people that do.
Posted by: AnonymousThe Wealthy Made Their Coin on the Backs of Everyone Else
They make their money because of the wonderful infrastructure they have access to. They reap significant benefits of this through access to a strong population of well educated or skilled workers, and a good infrastructure for these people to get to their workplaces. This infrastructure requires money to function and grow, and since the rich can scale their wealth against this, it would only make sense for them to pay a larger percentage of their income toward taxes.
I take this from personal experience, earning enough to be well within the top 1%. I have a good business because I have a strong team of intelligent and hard working employees that are incredibly productive. They are all products of a subsidized education system and have a much stronger base set of knowledge and skill sets when compared to their equivalents in other countries (where I also have businesses and experience). This allows me to provide a substantial level of service, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Like many rich people, I am ambitious, and with ambition like mine, comes a certain level of greed. I do what I do so I can make more money. I know I can charge an enormous sum of money to my clients who will gladly pay seven figures for my services. I know I can pay my hard working employees a fraction of what they are really worth, because that is the market for it, and because there isn't really enough competition to warrant an increase in salaries. I know I can pay all of my employees significantly more, but that it would also mean I would take home significantly less. The other people like me, rich business owners, all think like me - we're all wired the same way, that is, to generate more revenue, and put more money into our bank account. After all, that is what led us to become entrepreneurs in the first place.
If you tax me more, I may say that it will mean I have less money left to hire more employees - that is only true because in order to keep my luxurious lifestyle, I would rather reduce my expenses, cut my workforce, and simply make the existing employees work harder vs having less money for myself. I will never say that I want to be taxed higher, but if you do, I will still manage, I will have to accept having less money in my pocket, but I will still be fine - and in fact, my business will still probably continue to grow, so long as the need for my services exists and I can continue to hire skilled and educated workers - I can continue to scale, even if the dollar signs don't quite add up as quickly as they would have had I been taxed less.
A flat tax is not the solution. The middle income mother filling the tank on her minivan will always be under a greater burden than me filling the tank on my Porsche. The extra money I have will go to help grow the economy in China. The tiles and flooring that I bought when I remodeled my house came from China, the car that I bought was manufactured in Germany, and only the labor to install those goods or sell me the car came from the states, and that is just a fraction of the total expenditure. I cannot even find goods that are made in the U.S. to put my money back into because almost EVERYTHING is made outside of this country (except maybe my gf's LV bag that is miraculously made in the U.S.).
When I read some of the comments on the right, I begin to understand the reasons behind why people like me don't wan't to pay more...because we feel entitled, because we "figured it out" on our own while everyone else is just getting by, because we feel "special" and it is further reinforced by my house in hills, my resort like gym, my big corner window office. And that is just where the problem is - see, if any of my employees told me that I should pay more in taxes because I make "more than enough" it would only anger me, because from my perspective, they "just don't get it." They didn't put in what I did to get where I am only to throw it all back in taxes. But when my rich business partner says the exact same thing - I actually think about it and agree, because my sense of entitlement disappears when talking to people within my same tax bracket, allowing me to approach the topic with clearer thought. So what we really need is more rich people telling other rich people to "Give back."
But the real kick in the nuts - the government is going to take my tax revenue and spend it in ways I don't agree with or have a say in. They're going to pass shit like the Troubled Asset Relief Program, and every effort I make to prevent them from doing this, will be thwarted.Posted by: AnonymousThey have more income and more money.
They should because I don't think its fair for the middle class to carry the bulk of the tax burden since they don't make as much money as the rich. It shouldn't be a problem for the rich because they have a lot of money coming in and the poor and middle class don't have that much.
Posted by: AnonymousThey already have a lot of money
Rich people are financially secured, they can afford to pay more taxes. Not all rich people have worked hard to be what they are, some of them have cheated or just got lucky on becoming rich. How can the government tax the same amount of money to a poor person and a rich person, they do not have the same income and as such the more money you have, the more money you should be taxed on.
Posted by: AnonymousThe shared prosperity of the 1950's and 1960's: The myth that lower taxes leads to more job creation.
During the 50's and 60's, the top tax brackets ranged from 70% to 90%. This coincided with the economic high point of the United States. During the 1980's with Reagan's tax cuts, and during the 2000's with the Bush tax cuts, Job creation declined, and income inequality increased considerably. In fact, During the 2000's, the Average income of the American people decreased, not increased. Therefore, one concludes that the tax breaks did not benefit the United States and its citizens. In earlier times, the wealthy paid their share, seeing it as their duty. In the present, the wealthy argue that the fact they own a business and have employees (which benefits them primarily) exempts them from paying a higher percentage or even an equal percentage of income as the middle and working class. The "Job Creator" title is a myth merely to mask greed. They are not doing it to benefit the USA, merely their own pocketbooks. These people will harm the USA by outsourcing jobs and firing all employees if it gets them enough cash for another jet and another Ferrari. Another point to make is that education and infrastructure are funded by tax dollars. Wealthy business owners and corporations benefit most from these. A degree will benefit one's employer more than the his/her self. Infrastructure facilitates commerce, which is the lifeblood of any company. Since the wealthy derive more of a benefit education and infrastructure, it is their duty to pay taxes to ensure an exemplary school and university system and good infrastructure. A better trained workforce and the ability to move goods more efficiently would increase revenue for the wealthy and for businesses. They would also reap the rewards from paying taxes. Thomas Jefferson warned about allowing the monied interests control of our country. We cannot allow the wealthy, business owners and corporation to dictate our tax policy, let alone our labor laws or product safety standards. They require structure and regulation. The founding fathers wrote on this subject. They were very much against big corporations (even Alexander Hamilton). To finish up, a lower tax rate on the wealthy does not and will not mean more high paying jobs in the United States. The vast majority of citizens do not derive a benefit from lower taxes. The wealthy use failed logic and bad arguments to mask their true reason for not wanting to pay taxes, which is greed. Businesses have created few jobs, and shipped high paying work oversees to increase their already record corporate profits. Low paying work is what remains. Profits for corporations are at an all time high, and the stock market is at record high levels in 2012. The little guy (small business and the working people) is still suffering. One can only conclude that low taxes on the wealthy do not work for our citizens and that the rich need to pay taxes at rates closer to the ones in the 1950's.
Posted by: AnonymousYes and No
The average middle class family makes between $36,000 and $55,000/year. To be considered wealthy you need to make in upwards of $250,000/year. The Buffett Rule says everyone should pay the same % lets say 15%. So a middle class family would pay between $5,400 and $8,250. While the wealthy would pay around $37,000+ depending on how much they make. So the person making more has more to spend than the middle class family should pay more buth they already are. Also it doesnt matter to me how you make your money if you worked hard to get it or not you could have inherited it so does that still make you rich...
Posted by: AnonymousDepending on your definition of "rich".
Many people take this to mean something like the top 25%, but I'm talking about the parts of the top 2% who get away with loopholes that allow them to not pay taxes. I'm not talking about the upper classes, I'm talking about the 50-100 "Scrooge McDucks" in the country. The (maybe small, but existing) portion of the rich that earn over 10,000,000 dollars without actually working hard for it. Those are the people we should be raising taxes on.
Posted by: AnonymousAs long as the government keeps exempting certain forms of income...
... then yes, the rich should pay more taxes. The rich have municipal bond interest, annuities, tax free foundations, wages that are exempt from social security taxes. Of course their rates should be higher. AND, our government continues to bail-out the super-rich, subsidize other rich individuals through their corporations, and fund the military/industrial complex through endless foreign wars.
Posted by: AnonymousLearn how to spell
The word is paid, not payed. Obviously someone didn't learn basic language skills...Perhaps this error would negatively manifest itself in a resume thusly preventing a job applicant from receiving an interview.. No wonder salaries vary in the U.S. economy. Basic education is a necessity in today's workplace...just like common courtesy is a necessity in a sales position. How many times have you been in line at a restaurant or a bank and the cashier ignores you to answer the phone
Like America, many businesses have their priorities misaligned.Posted by: AnonymousOf course
The entire problem with the us and why it is the mess its in is because it has allowed its democracy to be controlled by powerful wealthy interests such that it is eroding. The signs of this is the enormous growth in inequality, the hollowing of the middle classes where it now takes both parents working and the dog on the treadmill to get by. If you don't think the rich should pay more tax then get used to living under an elite oligarchic society. The founding fathers would not approve of the excessively generous tax cuts given to the us wealthy classes since Reagan first went down this path on the premise of "trickle down economics." Well you should be starting to notice exactly how much has trickled up from the poor and the middle towards the top by now. If you want a democracy you to be prepared to fight for it the way the tea partiers fought the monopoly of the Dutch east India company over their rights to earn a living separate from the demands of the British government. Its not the British you need to fight now. Its the wealthy in the us that have used every means at their disposal and a sympathetic but loud media to convince you of something that simply is the reverse of truth. It doesn't trickle down when you feed the rich. It trickles up even more.
Posted by: AnonymousThey should pay more because they don't work harder than the average American
The numerous CEOs of the USA do not work 380x harder than their average employee. The extra income that they make should be used to benefit us all. I'm not saying that we should resort to socialism but the way our economy is at this moment isn't close to fair for our country!
Posted by: Anonymous
No way Jose
People who are rich most likely did something to accomplish it. Whether it is sports, business, or music. They made the moves to get there. They worked their way through the hard times, and now it is paying off for them. We all have that same shot to accomplish those things, so why punish them for it?
Posted by: AnonymousUnfair to punish people cos of their hard work
We dont want to be punished for making money and pulling the economy further up . Nor do we want to encourage lazy people to further laze around , cos there are hardworking people out there making money and paying some of your share of taxes . Ridiculously ridiculous logic. It is so absurd to even argue on this topic. Doing this , you are further discouraging people who want to start new ventures , creating new jobs for the country , amplifying the recession we are in. Now that Obama is re-elected , the country's economic growth is very likely to slowdown further. We dont want to be the second greece . Because Mr president has run out on options to make up for the 6 trillion deficit he accumulated in last 4 years(almost half of US debt) , does not mean he take such illogical measures to control the hampered economy.
I come from a middle class and I find it so damn irrational to expect the person who worked hard for his money , to pay for my taxes. It is like saying - "hey dude, Am too lazy to work , so now that y work so hard , do my bit of the share too".
If Obama really wants to work on his piled up debt , he rather work on cutting expenses ( 6 trillion debt ? ) , increase jobs ( and increase taxes obviously does the exact opposite - kills off jobs) , increase revenue ( by increasing the jobs and not taxes) .
Romney made so much more sense when it came to understanding the economy and kick-starting it again and given his strong successful bussiness background , he would have definately done a better job than Mr Obama. Increasing taxes , will definately drive away all the wealthy investors away from US to elsewhere and god-forbid , push US economy further into irrecoverable recession.Posted by: AnonymousIf by higher taxes you mean higher taxes than they already do, than NO
Be it as it may that the 1% own 80% of the wealthy, they pay 90% of all the federal income taxes in our country, Obama all the time says that everyone should pay their fair share, tell that to the 47% mr. president, why should the rich have to pay more so that the lazy can earn more for doing nothing
Posted by: msaka33Why are taxes income-based at all?
The purpose of taxes is to pay for government. Taxes should be based on how much government you are using rather than on how much money you earn. For example, I have no kids, no house, and no need for much of anything. I live a fairly minimalist lifestyle. Yet, I'm forced to pay for public education, public health care, public parks and artworks, social programs, police that enforce rules that I don't agree with, political campaigns for parties that I wish would fall off the face of the Earth forever, etc. How about this - total up what I really use, such as defense and roads and the court system, and then send me the bill. Total up what people who have kids are using, such as all the free education and health benefits, and then send them their bill too. In a system like that where the people receiving the benefits are directly coupled to the costs of those benefits, it would self-stabilize. Everyone would get exactly what they're willing to pay for, no more, no less. That's a fair system. The US government shouldn't even have the right to invade our privacy to find out what our income is or what our net worth is. All they need to know is what services we've used and how much. For example, when I go to the grocery store and buy milk, they don't ask me how much I make and then charge me more for the milk because of it. That's madness. Why do people think they have a right to know what someone else makes and then the further right to charge them more for the same thing? Why should one citizen pay more to live in this country than another citizen? I'm for a flat tax, and I don't mean a flat percentage of income or any other kind of flat "rate"; I mean a FLAT tax, say $1,000/month per adult citizen. That should be more than enough rent to pay the landlord in order to live in this country. Whatever the US Govt can't accomplish with that much money, they probably shouldn't be doing anyway.
Posted by: AnonymousAbsolutely not! We all use the same goods, therefore we should pay the same price.
Equality is predicated upon everyone paying the same rate. In America, everyone should be taxed at the same rate, nothing less or nothing more. We all use the same goods, i.e. Access to the same infrastructure, we drive on the same roads, etc. Why should the obligation of citizenship vary amongst different occupations?
Posted by: AnonymousNO!
Absolutely not! Most of the wealthy people have worked their way up and worked their entire lives to get where they are, and if they are just being taxed because they have become successful, well that is just WRONG! My dad is a small business owner and he has worked since he was 15 yeards old to get where he is today. We are not rich, but we are not poor. We have to pay a lot of taxes, even though my dad has been working and pushing himself to have a nice family, house, and work place. If the rich is taxed more, then that is just saying that it doesn't pay to be successful!
Posted by: AnonymousThe rich already pay too much and it is unfair.
In My opinion it is completely unfair to make the rich pay more. The tax rate should not be based off of income it should be completely equal. Everyone was born the same way & everyone should be taxed the same amount. Rich people might have worked hard to become rich & the government shouldn't take there money. All the money that the rich make & give to taxes goes to welfare & welfare have people that don't try to get a job or don't even work hard, so the rich are wasting money on those kinds of people, which is completely unfair. Rich should be treated with same amount of respect & equality. Which by the way we have a 16-trillion deficit but it is not because we're taxing too little, it is because we're spending to much on economic growth, which is another issue that the United States has. Rich people became rich for either the actions they chose, or their luck for winning the lottery & shouldn't have to get that taken away from by the government. So therefore in conclusion WE already have the highest tax rate in the world & shouldn't have to increase that, & rich should be able to keep their money because of how they got all that money, they help us enough & shouldn't need to help anymore than they already are.
Posted by: AnonymousNo. Because they have worked for their wealth and deserve to recieve the rewards.
No. Because they have worked for their wealth and deserve to recieve the rewards. They should not be ounished for making their way through this life and doing well. They've earned their wealth, and it's not fair for us to make them pay more taxes just because they've done better in life than others. If we did that in school nobody would ever have the drive to suceed. Say that i recieved a D but my friend got an A Well she is "richer" than i am so how about we just take half of her grade and give it to me, so now i have a C and she has a C and she just lost half of her scholarship oppurtunities.
Posted by: AnonymousThey need the money to create more jobs.
The rich earn their money because they worked hard in school and with them getting taxed highly, it is like their money is going down the drain and the government does not use that money collected wisely. Everyone should pay the same taxes. The poor is paying less taxes but a lot of the "poor" people percentage are lazy people who could get a job, but they choose not to and the government rewards them with low price taxes. With the rich paying more taxes, the more money they lose and the rich need a lot of money to create more jobs. Let everyone have the equal amount of taxes.
Posted by: AnonymousIT'S THEIR MONEY
the simplistic argument is that you shouldn't have to be penalized for success. I believe in flat rate taxation with no deductions or loopholes for anyone.
You shouldn't be forced to pay for other person's goods. And you should have a power of choice which taxation takes away from you.Posted by: AnonymousObama lies and misleads with desire win voters of the envious!
After 40 years as a small business person I become successful only to pay about 60% of my top income in the punitive CA and Federal taxes on the Obama/Brown plan. I have no pension or 401k-I need my profit for retirement! I spend my money more efficiently in my community than Obama/Brown can filter it through numerous agencies and red tape! Learn to be efficient before wasting more on repetitive services and failed policy. Allow entrepreneurs to CREATE demand by innovative products which the consumer will buy. Middle incomes DO NOT pay more INCOME TAX than upper incomes and tax code is more punitive as income rises already!
Posted by: Anonymouswhen did we start punishing people for working and being successful?!!!
This is insane! Instead of working on creating jobs and putting our energy into helping people become more successful, we punish the people who have earned what they have. Share the wealth is a terrible system, even kids are smart enough to realize that it does not work for our country.
Posted by: Anonymousno
There seems to be some confusion about the so-called rich paying their fair share. I am in the upper 1% of income earners and I pay almost half of my income in taxes. Actually 48% of everything I make goes to state and federal tax. On top of that I pay property tax based on the value of my house so that too is a progressive tax. I have never complained about the taxes but do take offense when people imply that I don't pay my fair share. I believe everyone should pay something. It is unreasonable to assume that 1% of the population can support the other 99%. If every person earning an income paid something then the revenue would go up more than simply adding another 4% tax to the top earners. I do support that interest and dividend income as well as cap gains should be taxed at the ordinary income rate and that, in effect, would raise taxes on wealthy investors. It also seems a little unreasonable to ask, "do you think other peoples taxes should go up?" I would suspect that most people are less concerned about someone else getting taxed and would actually be in favor of raising taxes on others to avoid have to pay their FAIR SHARE.
Posted by: TjayDon't penalize the rich.
I believe we all should pay the same percentage because the rich earned their money and why penalize them for working hard to not be a dependent of the tax payers. I am not rich, but feel they should fight and go to court, if they are forced to pay more as a percentage then most of us.
Posted by: Anonymousno way!
One should not be punished for educating themselves and making profitable decisions. To obtain higher income individuals often have to put in far more than the average forty hours a week. To say to someone they must give up more of their hard earned income because they have chosen to put in more time and effort than those who earn less is unfair.
Posted by: AnonymousWe should not be taxed more
With the higher class of America being taxed a higher percentage, it will do no good. The more money a person makes a year the more money the government gets from them. Someone who makes $400,000 pays $80,000 to the government, while someone who makes $40,000 only pays $8,000. Since we are already paying more money, granted it is the same percentage, why raise taxes for the wealthy class?
Posted by: AnonymousIt's Civil Rights
Civil Rights proponents are all about making everyone equal, EXCEPT during tax season.
I do feel that 90% of the current loopholes should abolished. The government should prop up a set rate of 9% across the board with ZERO deductions regardless of who you are or what you make. Fair is FairPosted by: AnonymousEveryone is created equal, should pay equally
It is your own choice on how hard you are willing to work or invest in yourself. This is typically very proportional to the amount of money you make. If someone spent 10 years in professional universities, they sacrificed 10 years of their life to make the money they earn. They should not be penalized with a higher tax for their sacrifice and the risk they took to get them to where they are. In fact, there should be a ceiling on how much tax you are required to pay. Besides, why in the heck do we tolerate so much government spending and waste? Most of us don't give our money directly to foreigners, yet why do we tolerate it when the government TAKES our money and gives it to foreigners for us? Less tax for everyone, less government and intervention by government in our lives.
Posted by: AnonymousFix the problem, but this isn't it.
The problem isn't tax rates, it's the loopholes. Taxes are calculated as percentages and scale themselves. Why should someone who makes a lot of money give up a much higher percentage of their money than anyone else? If you don't make much, you don't pay much; you make more, you pay more. That's how percentages work.
Posted by: LaithaRobin Hood was a thief. Kind of.
I would much rather see a system that severely tightens the belt. Especially since we are in debt. In theory, maybe it would be better to 1) reduce all spending by like 50%, 2) double everyone's taxes for 3 years, and 3) pay off the debt to reset. That is what I did when I woke up in a huge hole of debt. It was hard for several years, but now I am debt free, and my cashflow and financial legacy are in good condition.
LESS SERVICES, NO WARS, FEWER ENTITLEMENTS.Posted by: AnonymousAbsolutely not
I grew up dirt poor. My handicapped father raised me and my two sisters alone. The beautiful thing about America is that you can do anything you want, if you are willing to work to get there. I lived in the projects a lot while growing up. Even though we were broke, we did not receive welfare of any kind. We just made ends meet. I made great grades in high school while working two jobs to support my crippled dad. I worked hard and received a scholarship for my undergrad and graduated with a degree in biology and a minor in chemistry. I also worked 40 hours a week while doing this. Then I put myself in debt to go to pharmacy school. I now am on pace to very soon own my own drugstore through my hard work. I invested in myself and my education. Why should I be punished for working hard? I never took anything from anyone. If you don't like your situation then freaking do something about it.
Posted by: AnonymousCut taxes, Limit Government
There is one big misconception here. The income of the wealthy is not just one big slush fund that we can tax money out of while doing no harm. This money from the wealthy is invested in the stock market, consumption, and used in expanding their businesses. All these measures are either investments which expand businesses and thus employ more workers and at higher wages, or this money is used in consumption which employs workers elsewhere. These job creators drive the economy forward. Lower taxes at fair rates (say, a flat tax) would level the playing field of competing businesses, and grow the economy. Increasing taxes will slow the economy, and provide more money for government, which will not likely be used for deficit reduction.
Posted by: ContraI've got a brilliant plan!!!
Let make all the hard workers pay for the welfare addicts!!! Then, the successful smart people will have no money, and the people who are do zero work will have no money, and then we'll be a poor nation!!! Sometimes I think the Democrats are SUPER smart..... Ever wonder if Washington is rolling over in his grave?
Posted by: JoeDraperMore Taxes = Slower Recovery
More taxes put on the wealthy will only encourage them to move out and in turn lose tax revenue. Taxes are good the way they are not higher or lower. What we should do is lower government spending and keep our budget balanced or else we will increase our deficit and further the burden we place on the generations and generations to come.
Posted by: AnonymousTax the rich
When the president vilifies a group of loyal law abiding legal Americans for not "paying their fair share" when all but the ultra rich work hard and pay "regular" not "capital gain" based taxes including ATM he is fueling the most vile kind of class warfare and harm that comes through mob or act of government to that class of successful Americans. Giving the angry majority of the country a reason to act out their hostility on one class of society is as wrong as white's acting out against blacks for getting affirmative action benefits.
Posted by: AnonymousNo
The rich create jobs by spending money. The more money the rich have, the more jobs they can create. All money that rich people earn is either invested or spent. This stimulates the economy, thus creating jobs. Why should the government take money from people who earned it and can create jobs themselves just to spent that money inefficiently, supposedly to reach the same ends? Even though the rich can pay more taxes, if they do, it actually serves only to hurt the economy, since they are the ones that create jobs.
Posted by: socialismisdumbFair taxes for all.
The rich get to pay less tax because of how the system is set up. The wealthy have lobbyists and friends in Congress who write the tax laws allowing the rich to pay less because of (legal) finagling of the tax codes.
There should be a fair code which does not penalize those with higher incomes. If we wanted to be fair we would not charge taxes on a low income earner who works a second job to make ends meet. After he has worked his 40 per week, let him keep all he earns without tax, Fica etc. Have a standard for the high earners without robbing them. Make the top tax rate 20% and the bottom 0-5%. There would be less cheating and the rich would not need all those loopholes that the rest of us do not have. Notably because we cannot get tax laws written for us.Posted by: moopleuSelfish? Yes, but we all have equal opportunities. Don't expect me to pay more just cause you didnt see it.
Call me selfish, but I've worked my arse off to get to where I am. Why should I pay more? We all have equal opportunities. Its not my fault that I utilized it where others didn't. It's not my fault that I strove to get through the amount of schooling that I did. Even at greater income levels come great responsibilities. As a doctor, I pay a lot for malpractice insurance. I put my license at risk any time I treat someone. I deserve my income because I've simply earned it. I have more at risk. And I did not work through years of more schooling so that I can pay higher taxes.
Posted by: Anonymouswow
I think it's funny how rich people are called greedy!! The very definition of greed is "less fortunate" people trying to take unearned money from the man who earned it. That man bringing home a better paycheck might have been living in a van fifteen years ago sending his paycheck to feed his family and WORKED his way up to be able to afford a better life for him and his family. (My dad) AND someone had posted they should raise taxes on the wealthy because it goes to education . . .who wants to get an education when taxes will be so high at your new education required job that the person flipping burgers at the nearest burger joint gets to spend more money than you (with free health care and food stamps and housing)???? I see this everyday. . . I know people on both sides of the fence. . . I personally am not wealthy but whats right is right and this is wrong
Posted by: AnonymousNope!
There are two choices here. One is to support a government that's only duty is to protect private property rights and individual liberty or to support one that is authoritarian, socialisitic, and aims for redistribution of wealth. How does a government have the right to tell you how to spend your hard earned money. By levying income tax and then using the money as they fit is authoritarian and against individual liberty. The more power we as individuals cede to the government the greater the likelihood that they will trample our freedoms. Only rights we as human beings have is our right to our lives and our right to the fruits of our labour. Health care is not a right nor is welfare or social security. Why should you punish those people that have worked harder than the average person. I for one worked my butt off in high school, college, medical school and residency. I have amassed huge loans to pay for all of this. I sacrificed my twenties to become a doctor. Just because now all of a sudden I am making a lot of money is it fair that I should pay more than someone who didn't work hard. Should I have to pay for their poor decisions? I spent my twenties scrapping by, saving money for school and some other people my age were busy partying and wasting money buying things they didn't need for instant gratification. Even when I was poor what kept me going was that I knew all my hard work working 80 plus hours a week would some day pay off. Honestly if I knew it wouldn't I would never have gone into medicine. It's just too big of a price to pay both economically and emotionally. Lets not reward mediocrity and laziness. This is not what the US is about. And for all those people who try to say countries in Europe are so great just look at what socialism has done to the European Union. Nothing is free. You can't spend tons of money on things like pensions and social programs and have a non-working population.
Posted by: AnonymousWork for your money, better yourself.
What makes one person any more important than the next? Just because one person has worked there way to the top over another person does not mean they should pay for the less fortunate. Work for what you want. Stop living off of the country's money like a parasite. People wonder why we are in so much debt. It's because so much of our money goes into the welfare system to pay for people to achieve nothing. That's not what this country is based on, and I bet if a person on Welfare won the lottery and had to pay higher taxes because they were 'wealthy' they'd be singing a different tune.
Posted by: AnonymousNo, to higher taxes.
The rich are often seen as overly "lucky", pompous, and sometimes lazy. What most people (99%) don't seem to grasp is that the rich have slaved their whole lives to reach their status. Most work up to 6-7 days a week, 8 hours a day, while the so called poor spend their days stationed in front of a television, collecting welfare and food stamps. The hard workers should not have to pay for those who do not dedicate any time or brainpower to solving their own problems. Do not feel entitled to anything that you have not spent blood and tears over. That goes to you, Medicaid moochers.
Posted by: AnonymousThey already do!
15% of $1 million is a lot more than 15% of $50,000. So even with a flat tax the rich pay more in dollar terms. One rich person’s tax can pay for 10 times what an average person’s income tax can already. Why discourage success by taking more off them? If you are not rich then TOO BAD! It’s not the rich peoples fault you aren't rich too. They have earned it and should enjoy it. If you think they should be taxed more it is just pure jealousy because you couldn't (or are too lazy) to get work hard enough to get rich yourself.
Posted by: AnonymousLet things be truly equal
I believe we should have a flat tax rate with absolutely no deductions. I personally got back more than I paid in last year and while it wasn't fair, I took it. If taxes are percentage based and everyone has the same percentage, then it is a fair system. We are assured of the right to pursue happiness.
Posted by: AnonymousEveryone is equal!
Everybody in this world should be equal. Knowing that in the United States declaration says that all men are created equal why would the rich pay more than others in taxes? When will this society be equal again? Right now even if we took all the wealthy peoples money we would only have half of this years debt paid. So to sum it up, no the rich shouldn't pay more.
Posted by: AnonymousIt's not Fair
It's not fair that those who work hard have to pay half their salary than those who work dead end jobs. That is why some rich people are taxed too much that they finally cannot afford their house payments. That is why we have more homeless people now than we did back then.
Posted by: Malice7The rich should not be put in a significantly higher percentage bracket because it discourages success.
It is discouraging to move up into a new tax bracket because you are earning more money. This can honestly discourage small businesses and people alike. Many of the "wealthy people" paying money are entrepreneurs trying to manage a business. They end up being hurt. I believe in a flat tax. If all of our taxes vested solely in a sales tax many of these debates would be eliminated. The rich would pay more simply because they would buy more products and the poor would pay less because they would buy less. No one would have tax taken out of their income, so everyone would feel they had more freedom to spend their money on what they need most.
Posted by: DizzyCaseyAlready paying 90% of our taxes.
We are already past taxing them what is fair. Obama doesn't know how to invest, he just through s money at whatever will give him brownie points. Let the people who are successful continue to be so that I can get a good job as a geneticist when I'm done with my masters; instead of facing a country where all the job makers are downsizing because of government interference.
Posted by: Anonymoussimplistic arguments to a complex issue... on both sides.
Poor = laziness, rich = greedy? Consider things that are actual facts for your arguments: 1) EVERYONE would like to make more money. 2) No one wants to pay higher taxes (except for Warren Buffett). 3) Not everyone has the same opportunities. 3) We have an innate instinct to worry for our own wellbeing.
Posted by: AnonymousRich
The rich pay more in taxes, but t a lesser percentage.
If someone makes $1 million a year and pays 10% in taxes, he pays $100,000.
If someone makes $100,000 and pays 20%, he pays $20,000. So in reality, rich shouldn't be taxed more because they pay more in taxes than the middle class.Posted by: AnonymousI can understand how the rich can appear to be these evil corporate monsters. But does it not look the same from the other direction?
Fact: no one family was rich from the beginning. There was always one with an ambition that EARNED that money and found a way to hold on to it. He fought and made his way to the top. You cant be rich from doing absolutly nothing. Yet out there in America today... are people who abuse the systems of our nation. Using welfare as an excuse to never work again. PEOPLE like THAT are killing the system, not the oh so evil rich people who create jobs and build up a foundation so that others may become profitable too. I'm not preaching all this because I am rich, because I am not... but I plan to be... I rather it still be worth while to get there when I do... Do you plan to NEED help from the rich, pro side?
Posted by: Skylark_FunderbergInequality is inevitable
Yes, it is true that the gap between the rich and the poor will increase. The rich gets richer, the poor get poorer. But what good would it do to tax the upper class? Yes, the US may expect greater tax returns but that will only be temporary. Would you want to say in the US if your earnings were constantly being taken away in taxes. The incentive to work would be lost, jobs would be cut, or the company may relocate to a different country. Without jobs, people would not be able to spend, If people do not spend, the economy would stay at a standstill. In addition, doesn't taxing the rich remind us of the theory of socialism? According to Karl Marx, to create a true Utopian society, everyone in the society must be equal in all aspects of life. But we have seen numerous times that societies attempting to undergo socialism or communism have utterly failed in the process. The system is a great system, but Karl Marx failed to realize the true nature of people. A system that distributes equally to all is bound to fail. If you were a chief administrator faced with the duty of sending 50 billion dollars to the people, would you truly send all of that money, or possibly keep some to yourself? This is not just a hypothetical question, it is ongoing in the world today! WE CANNOT make the rich pay higher taxes. If you look at the situation in a long-term aspect, society is bound to collapse.
Now, the opponent is right about the inequality that occurs between the rich and the poor. But that is all something that is up to ourselves. Many organizations and corporations engage in illegal practices, but to coexist, we must get rid of such practices. But as we have seen in human behavior, since the times of Adam and Eve, this is not possible. Therefore, the rich should not be forced to pay higher taxes.Posted by: AnonymousThey already pay more taxes.
If I make 50,000 and pay 30% that's fine, (its way to much but that's another story)
Why should someone making $1,000,000 pay more than %30? How would that be "fair taxes" that's stupid and does nothing but punish success.
If I ever work hard enough to be a millionaire, I damn sure want it to be my money.Posted by: AnonymousI would have to say no... mainily because of inhertence
I beleive the rich somewhat deserve their money. Someone in their family made the money (lottery, scamming, stocks, oil, whatever), so that family should keep that money. While this will create the typical unbarable rich kid, someone in their family worked to earn that money. How would you like it if someone took away the money you made for your decendents (childeren) and gave it to someone else? Specificly about the taxes, I support a liner tax system (as in, everyone pays 20% in taxes). To me, it is the most fair and equal system and doesn't change as you go up.
There are two opposing views I would like to address before I end.
1. People say that the rich don't need much money to stay alive, so they can afford higher taxes. The problem with this is that lifestyle is all relitive. I am willing to bet that you (the reader) have stuff you don't depend upon to survive (car, books, phone, TV, computer, chairs, non-food producing plants...),. Therefore, you have extra money to spend, and can be taxed more. You don't need a $45,000 income when $5000 would do fine.
2. Some people say that the rich are lazy. For some of the rich, I would agree (cough*Paris Hilton*cough). But others I would disagree. Your typical millionare doesn't live in a mansion, but in a mid-size house. They worked and saved up that money. I don't want to get repetitive, but the thing I said about kids applies here too.
Well, that is my opinion. I hope it makes sence to all of you.Posted by: AnonymousThe tax system rates are already unfair and high for the rich.
Tax system is unfair because if you have a higher income you have to pay more. Rather than the poor, who earn little and pay little. Imagine this, a couple makes 60,000 a year and another makes 300,000- 5 times more than the 60,000 a year couple. The 60,000 year couple pays 2,069 but the 300,000 a year couple pays 68,950, they are paying around 33 times more than their supposed to. Also, even though we have a 16 trillion deficit, it is not for taxing to little but because we are spending way too much on economic growth. The countries with the lowest tax rates- like Chile and Singapore- have the fastest economic growth. We instead have the highest tax rate in the world!!!
Posted by: AnonymousPercentage based taxes already forces "fair share" ideas
Let's say income tax is a easy, low 10% for all citizens (opposed to our system where rich people pay a higher percentage anyways)
A poor person making 10,000 dollars a year pays 1000 dollars in taxes
A rich person making 10,000,000 dollars a year pays 1,000,000 dollars in taxes
That rich person would be paying 1000 times more real money than the poor person, and somehow that still isn't fair enough?
By the way, right now, poor are taxed 10%, while today's rich person would actually be paying 40% tax. There for the rich person making ten million a year already has to give the government 4,000,000 just in tax.
The rich person would actually be paying 4000 times more than the poor person in America today. Is that not enough? Is 4000 times more money not their "fair share?" I don't think the government is in the place to ask them to pay any more than that, taking half of their hard-earned money away from them.Posted by: AnonymousMost people understand NOTHING about taxes.
Taxes work in a bracket system. If you take the time to learn how that actually works, your see the it's fair and equal. How taxes by wealth simply means economic stress. Imagine earning $9,999 a year with 10% tax... You end with $8,999. But now you earn one dollar more... $10,000 dollars with 15% tax... You leave with $8,500, less than before. Besides, taxing richer people is like giving them a fine for proving Capitalism works... "Oh, your rich? Here, let me punish you for it." Using the Tax Bracket system, taxes are fair, but ultimately, richer people pay more in taxes. They lower their taxes with deductions, including mass donations. Any poor person can do the same. In fact, they do so much that 47% of Americans don't even pay income After putting in all the deductions. Yes, that is an actual statistic, Romney did know what he was talking about.
Posted by: donald.kellerNO!
Why penalize the rich for their hard work. Raising taxes on the rich will just result in a huge shift of income into capital gains which will make matters a lot worse because less taxes will be paid. Work hard and pay to those that don't work is a great concept......NOT!
Posted by: Anonymousworking long hours, leaving family to travel weekly
I almost feel as if I am being asked to apologize to people around me for the success my family has experienced. My husband and I married at 26 and started off our lives together in a small apartment. I am a teacher/coach and my husband started his career at a small, local energy company in Oklahoma. Through the next 10 years we had two children and moved 7 times, all to places where we didn't know anyone. My husband traveled 3 weeks out of the month, sometimes over a weekend, which meant a really long and painful weekend. We ate more than our share of pizza pockets, chicken nuggets and mac-n-cheese in those days because that is what you do when you are on a tight budget. We didn't have extra's back then, but we both put our heads down worked hard because we knew that each day brought us closer to our "better days". We made sacrifices that were tough to take, like being away from parents when they were sick, taking your child to daycare when they are screaming that they don't want to go, not going to movies, not even being able to have time away to grab some sanity because there is no one to call to give you a break and no money to pay them with anyway......
I know I don't need to go on, you get the picture. Now after 25 years of marriage, we are in the over $250,000 a year who will face this new tax increase. We have debt we owe, college bills to pay, (since we don't qualify for any type of financial assistance), medical bills ......yet now we are being asked to pay almost half of what we earn, before we meet those debt obligations, to the government. I'm sorry, I am not willing to give up what we have earned for our family so the government, which already works so well, can continue to do exactly what it has been doing with the funds they already manage. I am not going to apologize for our hard work and quality jobs. I am sick of people out thinking that people who make over $250,000 are rich.......it's all relative. I am all for paying taxes, but this is ridiculous!!Posted by: AnonymousIt's not right.
How would you like to work hard all your life to finally make a good amount of money to enjoy the remainder of your life on, only to have your hard-worked, honest money be taken away from you? Guess who it's given to. Someone on welfare that doesn't work and contribute to society. Nobody would want their money taken away, so don't say we should take away from the rich, because I know you wouldn't want your money to be taken away and given to someone undeserving of it.
Posted by: sharkkThe Rich Already Pay Enough
The top 5 percentage of Americans already pay over 50 percent of the taxes in the U.S. I think the rest of the 95 percent should have pay less the 50 percent. Also, the government wastes a ton of money (see RoboSquirrel). I think our tax money shouldn't be wasted like that.
Posted by: AnonymousNo, because nobody should be paying more for being successful.
Everyone should pay the same tax percentage. Nothing is going to come free in this world, and distributing a well-off person's money to everyone isn't teaching anyone that lesson, it just teaches others how to be lazy and get money for not working. It discourages success. Nobody should be forced to support another person entirely, nobody should be paying for another person's healthcare or whatever. Someone is always paying for the "free" stuff a lot of people get.
Posted by: AnonymousThe rich are paying enough.
Life was never meant to be fair, sometimes you are born into a better family than others, or sometimes born rich, but that doesn't mean if you are poor, you are poor forever. You just need to work for the money. I came from a very poor family in China, only a select 100 was chosen each year to go to college with full scholarship. I worked hard everyday, and was the top in my class. I worked hard to be number one in my school. I made it into college and was able to move here to America because I was educated enough to find a job to work at here. Now I make enough to live a happy lifestyle. I send money to my family in China every month to support them. I don't understand why other people can't work hard. If you grow up without trying, that is your problem. We already give billions of dollars to the lower working class.
Posted by: AnonymousThe rich already support this nation
The rich already pay the majority of all federal income taxes. Just because someone makes more doesn't mean they should be made to pay for everyone who doesn't have the desire, work ethic or intellect to be successful. We all are not equal. I'm sick and tired of hearing this rhetoric from Obama. He will eventually succeed in driving the wealthy job creators from this country. It will be cheaper for them to invest elsewhere.
Posted by: AnonymousNO
I like the well to do--they have kept me working for 35 years now. I have never had a "poor" person give me a job. Cut off the entitlement programs. No I am not rich but I do know that every time my pay goes up so does my taxes, so I can only imagine what they are paying.
Posted by: AnonymousWhat happened to equality? What happened to Freedom?
This country came about because we wanted freedom. Freedom from religious persecution and so on. Why now many years later are we losing sight of what we as
Americans stand for? I don't want anybody running my life and telling me how to spend my money. I don't want things handed to me, I want to work for them. Our ancestors worked very hard, and not so that we wouldn't have to, but so that we would have even more opportunities than they did. I want control over my own life, my own job, my own health care. What happened to everybody being treated equally? How is it equal to take more money from somebody just because they make more? How is it equal to give somebody food stamps because they are too lazy to get a job, when I have to work for my money to pay for my food. Where's the equality in that? Where's the freedom?Posted by: AnonymousFair Share
It's different when it comes paying your fair share of taxes. But just because some people are rich doesn't mean you should go around making only those people pay an extra amount. They have worked hard to get their money. And it's not fair for you to take over 30% away from them.
Posted by: AnonymousNo.
People in the upper class shouldn't have to pay more. They work hard for their money. I mean look at them, most are not greedy snobs, contrary to popular belief. A lot of the rich give to charities that help the disadvantaged. These people save money and invest and make smart choices rather then spending it all. I know alot of people that would have lots of money if they didn't waste it on stuff that they don't even use.
Posted by: AnonymousFair share
Two points: 1 - lower my taxes and I will put more money into the economy by hiring people and buying goods and services. Take it from me as taxes and it will eventually trickle down to help someone in the form of an entitlement or a government job. The question is whether you want a bureaucracy of lifetime employees to intervene between the money and the people who want it. 2 - let's say you pay 100 fold more federal tax than the average taxpayer in the USA. Do you use, overall, 100 fold more resources? You could argue that in the form of defense, yes since national defense protects your larger assets. But, what about entitlements (social security or Medicare). Someone in my income bracket has no need for either, we provide for our own retirement and health care. So, what is really "fail?" Share. How many fold greater should the wealthy pay to cover those that can't? 100 fold? Why not 1000 fold? Why not have everyone just take home 50k net income whether you actually make nothing or 10m? What would be my incentive to try to make 10m in that case? Why not just stay home and take the 50k handout?
Posted by: AnonymousThe rich are putting a lot of money into the system already.
The rich should actually get a tax break because they are contributing so much money. If I worked hard to be rich, went to school, came out with student loans, and years of training - why should I have to pay a higher percentage as someone making half of what I make? The rich are putting a lot of money into the system already, why add on more tax? It is their property. Think about it. A guy makes $100. The government takes 10% - guy=$90 (government =$10) | Guy 2 makes 10,000 - government take 10% - guy= $9,000 | (government=$1,000). Who isn't doing his fair share? Government caters to people who don't even look for a job, but if you make a good amount of money and you are rich, it will steal more money in taxes from you, "cause it won't hurt". What a great American Dream. The government will want more and more of your stuff as you get more stuff.
Posted by: AnonymousDoesn't make a dent in debt
Taxing the rich makes very little difference in solving this country's problems. It does not produce enough money. More revenue for the government is not the answer. They have more than they need already. The solution is to stop spending. They should not pick and choose what to cut. They should suspend all spending and cut every program at the same percentage rate until the budget is balanced. Next, pass a constitutional amendment to repeat this process every year should the budget go over the limit again. New programs would require 75% of the congressional vote to pass. This would require both parties participation in the bill regardless of who is in power.
The rich (top 5%) already pay more tax than 50% of the rest of us (the poor) according to the IRS.
It may make you feel better but it will not put another dime in your pocket.
Quit whining and get busy.Posted by: rbrown4913The rich owe just as much as everyone else.
Therefore they should pay the same tax rate. I do not propose that they do not pay more money, after all, they earn more. However, the perspective that a person should pay a higher rate than another is unjust in that it infringes on the personal freedom of an individual. As opposed to burdening individual citizens with more strenuous expenses, let's instead rewrite the government's spending so that everyone can enjoy a strong education system and be competent to further themselves towards their own ambitions.
Posted by: AnonymousWhy punish success?
Just because you don't earn or have "it" doesn't mean you can take what isn't your (or have the government take it for you). Sure there are folks that fall backwards into money, but that isn't the norm. You punish a couple making $251K and they will find that just one person earning half of that would be almost breaking even in the tax bracket. This ends with those highly productive people striving to achieve or produce more. Why study to be one of the best whatever (doctor, scientist etc.) where you can just sit back and only do enough to make what others make... This is a capatlist society, people strive for wealth as the fruits of their labor.
Posted by: AnonymousEveryone should pay the same tax percentage. Let's be fair!
Reading the comments of those who agree, they mention that those who make less do not use all the infrastructure such as roads, firefighters, police service as richer people do. That is a lie. Everyone uses all these services, therefore the tax should be equal for everyone no matter if they make more or less.
Posted by: AnonymousIf things aren't going your way your not working hard enough.
People are lazy. Why should the wealthy pay more when they have worked hard to earn it or they have inherited it from family. Just think if you we're wealthy would you want someone taking your money and throwing it away to who knows who. One anonymous person on the "yes" side said wealthy benefit from the lower income because the lower income buy their products. Well if you don't buy their products they won't make any money will they. My point is why should the wealthy pay more when they have put themselves into that situation and worked for it. If everyone simply worked for their money you all would be happy.
Posted by: ButterbiscuitsYou earn what you work for.
No. The rich should not have to pay more in taxes. First of all, it is crazy to have such a large portion of anyone's paycheck sent to the government as it is today. Second, you earn what you work for. They worked for it. They get to keep it. Third and most important, taxes go to pay for services the government provides the citizens the people allow it to govern. The rich do not get better services from the government than anyone else, yet they use the same infrastructural and benefits the government provides. It is wrong to have to pay more because you can, to receive nothing more. The money the government sucks out of successful people could be used by the successful individuals to expand their companies, put more people into good jobs and so on. The system is wrong. Either a fixed percentage or a flat fee no matter your salary should be how taxes work. The founding fathers would be appalled at what the taxes are today, when they worked so hard to get away from England's tax stranglehold. Just to put this in perspective, I am a student who makes very little per year and these are still my beliefs.
Posted by: AnonymousBecause I don't want to
Instead of continual talk about the deductions and loop-holes the rich take advantage of (oh, they're legal and talked about like it's a criminal act to follow the tax law), why doesn't the government actually do its job? Maybe balance a budget every now and then. Or rewrite the tax code. And if rich people want to pay more taxes, let them.
Posted by: ammoewKnowledge about money gives you control over it
Rich people shouldn't pay more taxes and the only reason people believe that higher taxes solve problems is because they've been sold that ideal since birth. Higher taxes don't solve problems because business moves faster than government which is the main reason why there are government loopholes. Unless the idea is for our capitalistic government to become a communist government higher taxes make absolutely no sense. Higher taxes will make everyone poorer instead governments role should be to enforce better business practices meaning higher penalties on business that undermine government laws.
Posted by: AnonymousNo. No way.
All Taxing the rich will do is cause more problems. The amount of money they have keeps the economy moving as they are the investors and the people purchasing the big ticket items. They are also the owners of major companies and they have the power to cut pay and/or jobs therefore raising the unemployment rate and causing lower pay rates.
Posted by: AnonymousAbsolutely not. They pay enough and produce jobs.
I am so tired of the whiners. The wealthy already pay their fair share. Who do you think creates jobs? Hint: Not the government. If you are smart enough and work hard enough to build wealth, then you can spend what is left as you see fit. It is NOT your money. Where would we be if the wealthy pulled back/out of our economy? Bankrupt. Love the people who think they know how the wealthy should spend their money. Really? I think those know-it-all people have way too much and need to give up their cable, cell phones, and electronics. They don't really need that stuff. My husband and I don't earn over 100k, have three kids, live within our means, and have a great life. If I wanted more stuff, I would sacrifice time with my children and go back to work. I would not become envious of someone else's success and want to steal their money.
Posted by: PALeeFlat tax!
Flat tax allows everyone to pay the same percentage on income. If you ultimately make more, you pay more...if you make less, you pay less. That is fair and equal treatment to all tax payers.
What is the incentive to be successful if you are faced with the potential of contributing more than a fair share? Unequal taxation just causes the wealthy to try and hide wealth and look for methods to lower taxes. The non-wealthy lose motivation to increase earnings due to facing higher taxes.
What do the taxes fund anyway? Things that improve our society, right? Things that all tax payers should contribute equally to and have equal access to, right? Do the weathy get access to more because they contribute more than the non-wealthy? Ofcourse not!
Make taxes flat! The wealthy will still contribute more, the non-wealthy will still contribute less, but everyone will contribute at the same base rate.Posted by: AnonymousShould the rich pay more taxes
Jealousy is an awful thing. There is and always will be the "haves" and "have nots" in this world. We all enjoy watching and reading about the life styles of the rich and famous. It is easy to be envious of people living in huge mansions, flying off to exotic places in their private jets. Most of us can only dream of this life style. However, many of of continue to strive and work to achieve some portion of this life style. The only chance for the largest percent of the population to achieve some assemblance of this dream is to have a booming, vibrant economy, offering the most number of people good paying jobs. Most rich people have worked hard or came up with some inovative idea and were rewarded for their work and risk taking. This is capitalim, the most successful economic model in the history of the world. This is not to say that some rich people are not paying their share, because there will always be people who will try to cheat the system. But most rich people do pay their share. I feel it is a dangerous precedent to say tax increases for the rich will help the poor. Afterall, as some poor people achieve success, they will move up the economic ladder to the middle or even upper class, then only to pay more and more taxes. This in turn will tend to hold them down; to sort of "lock them in" the class where you are presently at. This destroys all incentive to keep working, producing and inovating. The final result is less job production with a shrinking economy. The is is wher we are at now. No-one works without being rewarded, rich, poor or otherwise. So what is fair? Perhaps a flat percentage rate or a national sales tax. But, implementing some return to the 50 - 90 % marginal tax rates of old on the richest Americans will only stiffle investment and risk taking, thus destroying jobs and further shrinking our econony. The ones that will suffer, not the rich, but the very people we have been trying to help-the poor.
Posted by: rpd1951This is America
I came from nothing and worked my way to the top 2%. Now I should be penalized for my hard work with more taxes then the middle class? America is the land of opportunity. If you want to get out of the lower/middle class then do something about it. Quit asking the 2% to pay more. How about you work more. When you raise taxes on people who own the companies that employ middle and low class Americans it leaves them with no choice but to let people go. Its not logical to tax the people creating jobs more. All that will do is lead to less jobs. Then you will complain about not having a job.
Posted by: AnonymousAbsolutely Not
Rich people became rich because they are very hard working and entrepreneurial. They create jobs. They drive the economy. Taxing them at a higher percentage than others is like punishing them for being very hard working and entrepreneurial. Its like being hell-bent to propel the country from capitalism to socialism.
Posted by: AnonymousIt will not achieve the promises made
When you overtax the "rich" they deal with the extra tax by not investing in the economic growth of the country. They spend less, expand companies and invest in them less and may even take them out of the country. It will become "trickle down poverty". The Middle Class will suffer the most become they have less cushion to get them through economic down times.
Posted by: AnonymousRich already pay too much.
Why does someone who makes $1,000,000 pay more than someone who makes $100,000 a year? Because they work harder? Well they worked for it. They don't need to give lots of it away for being successful. Especially for those whom do nothing and let the money come on in. The rich already give money to the government. If I were to pay 15% of 1,000,000, it would be 150,000. Plenty of money isn't it? Democrats aren't making the economy better in the right way, they need to limit their spending on giving to other countries.
Posted by: AnonymousWe didn't make this mess
I am so tired of working for the Government; I did not make this mess! They did. But we the tax slaves always have to pay for their spending. The fight over raising taxes on the rich is only a push off not to cut spending on Government. If the government was not so controlling over us or so big as they are we would not be taxed as much. Obama is a New World Order man; it’s all about control, control, controlling us.
Posted by: AnonymousRich DO Spend
Many rich actually spend their money. Some invest in businesses and on luxury items such as cars etc. Everyone has an equal opportunity so its not fair to tax them more. Some of these liberals make me sick! They just want to tax the rich so much but don't realize that they worked very hard to get to where they are
Posted by: AnonymousI will be for higher taxes on rich when the non-tax payers lose the right to vote
if the top 10% already pay 71% of the taxes, what is considered fair? 100%? The problem with the USA today and this recent election is that the people who only take from the government have the same vote as the ones who give (ie the tax payers). The takers can vote to have 100% of the income of the tax payers and as long as the takers are over 50% of the voting population, the payers have no say.
Consider this analogy. You are in a very hard class in college - say physical chemistry or calculus 4. You make an A. However, there are those in the class who did not do so well. They made Ds and Fs. So the professor comes to you and says "Hey I am going to make your A a C so I can boost the grades of those doing worse than average."
Your shot at grad school got worse. Your scholarship may have gotten cancelled. All because you needed to share your success with the needier in the class.
Even the most liberal amongst you has to see that this scenario is ridiculous. Yet that is what the "tax the wealthy unfairly" movement is about.
What I would accept is a consumption tax. You could exempt basics like basic housing, basic food.... and tax luxuries. That way the double taxation on income then investment gains would go away. You could make a progressive tax so poor were exempt from things like food medicine and housing.
But your heroes like Gore, Kerry, ... would be slammed by buying gigantic homes, yachts...Posted by: bmckThe rich need to have a reason to keep investing their money
People who are rich is because of the hard work they put in to earn the money they. A middle class person had the same opportunity to become rich. The rich had better ideas. If the rich pay higher taxes then they will have less money. Less money means less spending. They will cut back on luxury spending and put those company's that cater to the rich out of business. It will have a domino effect. The rich are business owners and will stop hiring people because they have less money. We need the rich to keep investing their money. I'm a middle class person and I need the rich to keep their money.
Posted by: AnonymousRaising Taxes on the Rich Will Stifle Economic Growth.
When taxes are raised on the rich, it eats up capital and makes doing business in this country less profitable. Higher taxes combined with suffocating regulations drive people out of business, and also drive businesses out of the country. Instead, we should make politicians accountable and enact some serious austerity measures. This country is seriously in need of some slimming down.
Posted by: AnonymousRich DO Spend
Many rich actually spend their money. Some invest in businesses and on luxury items such as cars etc. Everyone has an equal opportunity so its not fair to tax them more. Some of these liberals make me sick! They just want to tax the rich so much but don't realize that they worked very hard to get to where they are
Posted by: AnonymousThe rich should have to pay less than they are now.
The rich are the people who are creating 99% of the jobs in America using their disposable income. If it is not for starting a new business or expanding their current one(s), then it is invested into the stock market or spent, which drives the economy. The rich would already pay a lot more than the poor would if the percentage of income was the same, and it is simply not fair for them to be taxed more. Despite what some of my opponents are saying, that the rich didn't work for their money, people who are rich worked extremely hard for their money, and if they didn't someone in their family did before them. We as Americans do not have the right to take what is not ours, and why would you when it will ultimately hurt you long run? The economy is in the rut that it is in today because of this socialistic non-sense and Obamanomics that the president has been trying to instill upon us is the right thing. America, if we punish people for doing well, what is the incentive to innovate? Private enterprise always can do a better job that the government because of competition, and of we eliminate the incentive to do well, then we will ultimately decline in quality of life, healthcare, innovation, and job creation.
Posted by: JackolackNOT A FIX.
Goverment doing a great job of building class warfare. What happened to the great amenrican way....work hard and succeed and hopefully you give your family a better life. I think the majority of people with money want to help those who really need it. the issue is there is no control of what is done with the money. Under this scenario if we know someone has more beer than i do, they should have to share it with people who dont have as much. The key is to do what many good people do, operate within a budget!!! quit spending more than we have and expect someone else to make it up because you didn't manage the countries money. This concept that the wealthy don't pay their share is a garbage. quit talking about % and lets talk about real $'s.
Posted by: Anonymousdon't steal money from the people who already gave you some in the first place!
many wealthy people share their money anyway. we don't have to force them to pay more. especially if it is our own debt that we forced on ourselves. if you spent your whole life saving and working as hard as you possibly can, would you want people who dont spend their money wisely spending a large amount of the money you saved yourself through blood, sweat, and tears? now think about that before you take money from a person who's been spending all their life saving and working hard.
Posted by: nataliapessemierRich do not need to give more
The wealthy class in America has worked extremely hard for its money. To take that away 40% of the wealthy's hard earned income while many Americans pay 0% and collect the money from the government is not fair, yet all Americans get the same say in government. The tax rate should be flat. People need to take responsibility for themselves.
Posted by: Thomas_400The tax rate should be the same across the board.
It's stupid for those who work hard and make a lot of money to have to turn around and give a big chunk of it to lazy people that don't care about making a living or want to succeed in life. Everyone should have to pay the same amount in taxes. I believe 10% is a good percentage everyone should have to follow.
Posted by: AnonymousAren't we all equal before the law?
Why should I be required to pay more taxes because I happen to make more money? Percentages are equal for everyone, so if I make a million dollars and have to pay 20% for taxes then it is equally difficult for me as it is for the person who makes ten thousand dollars. What matters is how the money is put to use, since we want to overspend in the government we are always looking for ways to finance that overspending and people too often think that it is right to just take more from the rich. However, the rich are often the ones that are providing more of the money that valuable charities need to survive and thrive, these charities are more important than government imposed services because they are funded by choice, not by force. So take money from everyone equally, or even better don't take money from anyone at all.
Posted by: MariaRBecause lazy people benefit
Why should I have to get up at 5am every morning and go to college part time to support somebody who has no drive in life to better themselves? Everybody has the same opportunity to better themselves no matter what color they are. Some people might have to work a little harder but in the end you have the same opportunity. People in America these days are just getting lazier and want everything handed to them.
Posted by: AnonymousNo
The rich should be allowed to do whatever they wish with their hard earned money. They deserve it completely because they worked for it. Obama is simply taking money from the rich and giving it to the poor. It is obviously a sin. The lower class, middle class, and upper class should all pay the same percentage of taxes
Posted by: AnonymousNo, don't punish people that work harder
Flat tax, 15%. Don't punish those that work harder. I'm not rich but I have the common sense to know what will work in the country and what won't.
Taking away the incentive for people to work harder by taxing them more is a horrid idea. Don't bite the hand that feeds you.Posted by: AnonymousLiberty is the greatest equality.
I would love to conduct a socialist experiment in a high school class using grade points as the monetary unit. Surely those earning 90 points or above on their tests would be willing to give up some of those excess points to help those who are struggling to pass. I can already hear the whining.
Posted by: AnonymousHigher taxes=no jobs
If you raise the taxes, companies will not hire due to the fact that more expenses will make them think twice about hiring and then the unemployment will skyrocket cause no one is hiring. Big money makes the jobs and fuels the job market. The rich already support this nation. The rich already pay the majority of all federal income taxes. Just because someone makes more doesn't mean they should be made to pay for everyone who doesn't have the desire, work ethic or intellect to be successful. We are not all equal. I'm sick and tired of hearing this rhetoric from Obama. He will eventually succeed in driving the wealthy job creators from this country. It will be cheaper for them to invest elsewhere.
Posted by: AnonymousHard work pays.
No I disagree that a rich person should pay more taxes in US as the person has reached a stage where he/she can lead a luxurious life because of sheer hard work and dedication. So it should be equal for everybody.
Posted by: CI3HateIt's just an obvious no.
It's an OBVIOUS no because as it, well over 35% of their paychecks go straight to the government. So tax them more? To where they give up over half of THEIR EARNED paycheck? People on the left seem to not know the definition of EARNED or FAIR. This is fair to the left: Middle class pays at a tax rate of 14% while the "stingy rich" pays more than twice that. Yeah, real fair. What would be fair is if everyone was taxed, say, 10% right across the board, so it hurts EQUALLY and FAIRLY for everyone (the real definitions of equal and fair, I mean).
Posted by: AnonymousWell, what about you?
Well, let's say you make 400,000 bucks off of an invention that you made. You may have spent years on the thing. Immediately, the government takes away half of it even though they did nothing to help. After looking around, you see that the $200,000 that was taxed out of you was given by medicare to somebody who could work and could get a job but was too lazy too. Is that fair to you? No. Imagine something like that happening EVERY TIME YOU GET A PAYCHECK. And that same person still gets the welfare from Mr. Obama that you worked so hard for. Just think a while.
Posted by: AnonymousAlready do
Here is the way this breaks down. Last year, I paid over $120,000 in federal income tax. Compared to the average tax payer, who is earning less and in a lower bracket, let's say I paid 6 times more in taxes. And, I'm fine with that. But, what I'm not fine with is the statement that I'm not paying my "fair share" I'd say that paying multiple times the national average is already a fair share.
The problem is, if the rules of the game are "let's ask those that don't have to pay the dues whether to raise the dues this year" what do you think will happen with the dues.Posted by: AnonymousDiscrimination
Everyone should pay the same percentage regardless of wages. What motivation do people have to succeed if you are going to increase the percentage they pay into the system the more they succeed? I started my company by borrowing $400. Sold the merchandise, took the profits and bought more merchandise. I did this over and over again. In 10 years, I have 40 employees. That's 40 more jobs that I created! But because they tax my inventory sitting in my stores, I am suddenly the top 2%? I got paid $50,000 last year from my business but yet I owe $450,000 in federal income taxes! I am so sick of being taxed! We are even having a hard time sending our oldest to a state college! But I am in the top "wealthiest" Americans? If we are all truly supposed to be equal, equal rights, equal everything...then we should all pay the same equal percentage of taxes regardless if you make $5,000 or $50 billion. Our country needs to stop discriminating against people who have worked their tails off to become successful.
Posted by: AnonymousWhy would they pay more
Obviously they worked harder to become millionaires so why should a higher class pay more? Let me think to pay low class people to live. I'm middle class just saying, if I worked hard went to college and became a doctor and had to pay more tax to save a man's life I would be pissed.
Posted by: AnonymousMY DAD WAS POOR
But he worked hard, got a D.O. (Doctor degree), and now owns his own practice. He is now well off (over $250,000+/year) by helping people! He is helping people and the reason ppl pay him is because he is providing VALUE. If he wasn't, then who the eff would pay him?! As a doctor, he is ethical, modest, and knowledgable and honestly he still works like a dog for every cent. Trust me. So yeah, we should all pay taxes but there are numerous children in our family and we all want to go to college. He has responsibilities to uphold to and just cause he makes a lot of money now doesn't mean he
Posted by: AnonymousBias can work both ways
Why should the government discriminate against who should pay how much? What did a rich person do to you for you to deserve a greater percentage of their money? The government should tax everyone equally. Every argument about job creation, or hard work is a nice way to think about it, but irrelevant. The government should not unfairly burden one class over another.
Posted by: AnonymousThey are paying enough!
Just because they make a lot of money doesn't mean they have to give it away to the government to waste on stupid programs. They have worked a lot harder then those who don't make much. How do you think they became rich?
Most people don't just inherit all their money; they have to work for it. Those who are now rich are the ones who studied and went to college so they could get tons of degrees whereas a large population of the poor have never finished high school so they have to get terrible jobs because they didn't care.
If the rich are taxed more there will also be unintended consequences. If they are taxed less they will have more money to spend on things, which gives the poor a job and something to work for, like million dollar homes and fancy clothes or just junk for around their house. They are the foundation for our economy. They spend all the money so they are providing the jobs. But, if we raise taxes we will destroy America. The government will spend more money or welfare and other government handouts. They are providing thousands of dollars of aid to people who don't even work. They will never have worked and never will work. They don't even know want to work; they just expect the government to give them money.
So, picture this: if the rich Americans suddenly left what would happen to the American economy. It would completely die. There would be no one providing the government with money to waste in Pakistan fighting over nothing or educate children who don't want to be educated. There would also be so much less money to spend on welfare. The poor would be screwed because no one would be there to pay for them so keep the rich in America by not taxing them as much.
We should totally get rid of the tax bracket! Everyone should have to pay their fair share (If they make $10 billion they should pay $1 billion and if someone else makes $10 they should pay $1) but no one should have to pay a larger portion of their taxes and before someone says anything like "but higher taxes won't hurt the rich guy as much," why do you have to hurt the rich guy? They just paid a billion dollars. You should watch Dr. Carson at the Prayer Breakfast. And if everyone pays an equal amount then ALL people will feel the pain of a tax raise so maybe then Americans will decide that maybe it isn't a good idea to waste a trillion dollars a year trying to conquer the Middle East. Then rich won't be the only people complaining of stupid government spending. SO THE RICH SHOULDN'T BE TAXED MORE, THEY SHOULD EVEN BE TAXED LESS!!!Posted by: AnonymousFlat Rate!
Why don't we all pay same percentage of tax? In this case, everyone who wants more money has to work harder. So no more lazy bums! I am sick of paying for everyone while they are still crying for we are not paying enough. How about everyone share the tax?
Posted by: Anonymousno
You get "rich" by working hard. Should you be penalized for working hard? I say no. If we tax the rich more, what incentive will there be for new wealthy entrepreneurs from other countries to set up shop here in the states? Everyone wants to be treated fair, based on our sexual preference, gender, ethnicity... why should we treat those with more money differently?
Posted by: AnonymousThey should pay just as much as the rest of us
I'm not saying they should pay more, but millionaires shouldn't pay less in taxes than a teacher or police officer, etc. They should pay just as much as the rest of us because they earned their money like we all did. What is I took halloween candy from a kid who had a ton, and gave it to the kids with less. How is that fair? The kid with more candy did more work, he went to more houses to trick or treat. If he wants to share what he rightfully earned, that is up to him.
Posted by: AnonymousEveryone is equal
We are all in this mess together and in order to get out we are all going to have to make some changes. No matter how much you make everyone should pay the same percentage in taxes so that way it is equal. The rich may pay more money but they also make more money. Also in making all tax perecentages the same this allows the rich to spend money and put it back into the economy. :)
Posted by: AnonymousNo way should the rich pay more.
Just because someone made a better living and more money shouldn't mean that we give them higher taxes. Lots of people had to work hard for that money and worked their way to the top. And in this country we're lucky to have the right to be bale to do that. We should thank them for providing capitalism to our economy.
Posted by: AnonymousEveryone Should Get To Contribute
Regardless of how hard working and ambitious a person is or how little a person prefers to work we all should have the equal opportunity to contribute to our government. The question posed 'Should the rich be required to pay higher taxes in the US?' is false to begin with. Those earning a higher income have and will always pay more in taxes. It's not a requirement...it's the way it is! The evidence is clear. What is bothersome are those that feel disdain for others who have more than them. We all need to ante up and pay our fair share.
Posted by: AnonymousRich people should keep what they earn!
I strongly believe that if you get wealthy fairly and legally, you should have the right to keep your money. If you feel an obligation to pay more than middle class citizens, then that's what charities and donations are for. The American dream is of equal taxes and being able to work and keep your money. Since when did the American dream want to punish the wealthy?
Posted by: AnonymousNo because
they had the motivation and drive to achieve their level of wealth. Why should they have to pay more? If anything, they should have to pay less. It isn't their fault that they are more fortunate, most likely due to their skills/mindset/personality. Whoever thinks that they should be heavily taxed is obviously jealous and should not want the government to take from the rich, but to BECOME the rich. Everyone should be treated equally, no matter how much they make.
Posted by: AnonymousNo, I don't believe they should
No, they shouldn't. The only way they got wealthy was from hard earned money from years of work. How would you feel if you were wealthy and they announced "Oh, now we will be charging rich people more because we can." How would you feel? How do you think they earned the money? The government handed it to them? They found it on the street? Some random person said "Oh hey here's $50,000.00 I don't want it anymore"? NO! They earned it from a well paying job, which anyone can get.
Posted by: AnonymousNO
The rich already pay more in income taxes. The top 20 percent of income families pay 94% of income taxes!!! Hello!!! The rich ARE NOT obligated to give their money to anyone. You are all confused when it comes to "paying the same" if you make ten dollars and I make 100 and there is a 1% income taxe THAT IS FAIR I would be giving more money because I make more and you would be giving less because you make less why are we trying to taxe the people 4% because they make more? It's unfair to say just because you worked hard for this money, it doesn't mean you can have it.
Posted by: AnonymousNo, obviously that does not make sense.
Saying that the rich should be taxed more is like saying that just because I have straight As and my sister has straight Cs that I should be banned from turning in homework and doing my work so that we can be equal. No, that doesn't make sense. If that is the case than no one would try to be better. I know if that was the case I wouldn't try to be better than anyone, ever. There would be no point.
If a person is so obsessed with equality then living in America is a bad choice. Go to a communist country. Who ever told you people that life was fair, lied. Nothing will ever be equal so live with it. Work hard and you could possibly become rich and I guarantee that your opinion will change. I am not rich by any means, but I am not doing poorly and letting my life pass me by either.Posted by: AnonymousNO because they've earned it.
If you want to be rich, you gotta work for it. Nothing comes for free in this world. Why are poor people poor? simple because they are lazy. Why do they keep making babies when they cant afford to feed them? Why don't they study hard in school in order to succeed? Come on. This is no brainer
Posted by: AnonymousNo, it is immoral, and stupid.
The well off pay most of the taxes now, what do you want to do, bleed them dry? Oh wait, Suze Orman says they should pay more, hey Suze, the treasury accepts donations don't ya know. Wealth is mobile, what if the wealthy left the country for a more friendly environment? Then you would have to pay for your own stuff you parasites. They would also leave this country a bit dumber too. Go Ahead kill the golden goose.
Posted by: AnonymousNO
The rich create jobs by spending money. The more money the rich have, the more jobs they can create. All money that rich people earn is either invested or spend. This stimulates the economy, thus creating jobs. Why should the government take money from people who earned it and can create jobs themselves just to spent that money inefficiently, supposedly to reach the same ends? Even though the rich can pay more taxes, if they do, it actually serves only to hurt the economy, since they are the ones that create jobs.
Posted by: AnonymousEVERYONE should pay a flat tax whether they be rich or poor.
Less taxes means better economy; when businesses have more disposable income, they'll be more likely to expand and hire people whom are likely poor.
One question on my mind is will the president, his cabinet, congressmen and senators pay more taxes? Because when I hear about higher taxes, I think about those greedy politicians getting more money. We all know that benefits NO ONE. All these people who advocate for higher taxes for the rich, wealth equality and other socialist policies, do they realize that all it means is everyone will be poor under the all mighty government elite?
Everything the government touches turns to rubbish, look at what they've done with the economy. I'd rather the people, rich or poor, have more economic freedom as they can't do any worse.Posted by: LionTamerThere is absolutely
nothing prima facie wrong about having more property than someone else. Taxes are already proportioned with a percentage of someone's total property, and distinct percentages actually add an element of unfairness to the system. A flat tax with intrinsic tax proportionality is the way to go, not an unfair system that punishes the rich simply for being rich.
Posted by: Nur-Ab-SalHow is it the upper classes responsibility to pay most of the taxes
Up front, my dad pays over 40 times that of the average taxpayer. Thats a huge amount of money out the door for one family. In addition to that, he was nice enough to pay his kids through college at full price (no financial aid), while also finds ways to give back and donate to charities. Everyone likes to generalize their sides, but no, he wasn't born wealthy. He worked really hard to get to where he is. And also, no he isn't an evil money hoarder, I feel like that was just explained completely.
Its easy to blame someone else and make them deal with our mess, but in reality, we are all to blame.
If we REALLY want to solve this crisis, we must ALL pay more into taxes (buying less crap that decrease in value), and the government must spend less. Best Buy for example is losing lots of money. While they cannot raise their prices, they can DOWNSIZE by closing worthless stores.
If you think the wealthy should pay more in taxes, you're absolutely right! Only you should as well. and your cousin, and neighbor and your unborn grandchildren, because this will take quite some time to fix.Posted by: HERB5TAbsolutely not, taxes should remain the same regardless of income
Rich people usually make their money by owning companies which means that they hire people and are providing jobs. The more money the government takes, the less they can invest in their companies and the slower the company grows thus slower unemployment rate gets better. If they could make more money, they can invest in their company.
Posted by: AnonymousWhy do they have to pay more?
Most rich people just have a really good job, because they worked hard in school, and their job is tough so they get payed more. They work their butt off, and why should they get penalized? I understand that poor people do not have enough money to pay as much as rich people do, but why can't rich people pay the same amount as poor people do?
Posted by: AnonymousNo!
It makes no sense to punish the sucessful and reward the unsuccessful. The successful will not work as hard nor will the unsuccessful. Government is formed to protect private property rights, not to redistribute wealth. It is immoral to use force unless in the act of self defense, which is why I believe the government's ONLY job is to protect its citizens. This includes a military, police force and court system.
Posted by: halonenmarkOnly a socialist society punishes citizens for wealth
California just passed Proposition 30 to bolster the failing education system. The state will increase sales taxes for all residents. That's fine. But at the same time, California under Proposition 30 is FORCING anyone with an income of $250,000 or more to pay higher income taxes for the next seven years. My husband and I just arrived at that income bracket because of stock options. We live in a 1,500 square foot house, which needs new updated bathrooms and a kitchen, and has a leaky roof. We also drive 14 year old cars. Our house has lost at least $300,000 in value and our property taxes increase yearly. And here's the big kicker, when the Bush tax cuts expire, we will be forced to pay much higher federal taxes. By the time we end up paying for all the taxes imposed on us because we now have an income of $250,000 (again because of stock options), we will barely be able to live. We won't be able to go on vacations, and it is iffy whether we will be able to afford to send our son to college. Everyone should pay their fair share in taxes, regardless of their income. Our president has a Robin Hood mentality and his new protege is Governor Brown.
Posted by: AnonymousRetardation
I am not rich. But I am not retarded either. Please Americans just think about what you are saying instead of regurgitating stuff your parents told you. The top 2% richest in the country can't support the other 98% of us. Even if they could they wouldn't; they will move to another country that will allow them to keep their earnings. Once enough of them move out and we all lose our jobs then how much money is left in America?
Posted by: andyparkosNo, the rich shouldn't be required to pay higher taxes in the US because they already pay a higher percentage than anyone else and if the rich have less money they will create less jobs.
No, I don't think the rich should pay higher taxes in the US because they already pay a lot higher percentage of their incomes than any other wage earning group. If the rich have less money to spend, there will be fewer jobs because the rich spend money, and create jobs. By the way, a poor person has never hired me for a job.
Posted by: MycCra2iiSo many people want to live comfortable using somebody's else money
We live in the USA-capitalist country. When someone became rich legally, she or he has to have every right to keep most of her or his money. Rich people already pay most of the taxes while big part of American people pay nothing. Everyone must pay taxes otherwise there is big desire to vote for those like Obama, who want to tax rich more and more. It will end up when there will be no rich but all going to be poor, like in Cuba, North Korea or used to be in former USSR.
Posted by: AnonymousMost of the arguments in the other column are from those who have no concept of what it takes to get to the top 1%.
To the person who wants "shared sacrifice", where were you when I was sacrificing during 14 post-high school years of training making squat and working 100-hour weeks? The rest of my friends were majoring in business, going to football and baseball games, partying, traveling, you name it. At that time, I sacrificed basically my 3rd decade of life going to college and med school...where was the shared sacrifice then? Sorry...just yours truly. That is one problem with many of the arguments from the other side...they all assume that the "rich" we're either just created by chance (and they were lucky or "fortunate" as Obama likes to say)...or they all make 50 million bucks a year on wall street. The reality is that (1) most or all WORKED AND SACRIFICED for their wealth and (2) most people we are talking about fall into the 250k -- 500k group. You bust up taxes on them by 15% and that significantly hampers their plans for retirement, college, you name it. The $50 mil crowd won't feel it a bit, but the guy making 275k sure will. I'm not saying that it is OK to take the $50 mil guy's money, either. He was smart or talented enough to earn it--it doesn't mean that he did it on the backs of poor people (another assumption of the left). Finally, if you want to know how it feels to be in this upper bracket and have everyone want your money, imagine if our congress passed a law that said every American was compelled to send 15% of their income to Somalia to assist with rebuilding that country, ravaged by famine...the per capita income there is so low, even those in he US making 12k yearly would be considered wealthy in the average Somali's eyes. If you would protest, who needs it more? Who could live without it? Who has more than they need? I could point to the $50 mil guy and say "yeah but he is REALLY rich" just like a 12k guy could point to a 50k guy and say in the Somali argument "yeah, but he is really rich" ...rich is in te eye of the beholder.
Posted by: Money123no
There should be a flat tax across
the board on anyone over 30k. Say
15%. Then everyone knows exactly
what they take home in pay. And
get rid of the loop holes, tax credits and write offs. Then take all those IRS agents and have them investigate all the waste fraud and abuse in all the entitlement programs. But in acuallity according to our Constitution no one should be paying any Federal Income Taxes.Posted by: tamiqRidiculous
America is for the hard workers. Not the lazy, non working people who sit around all day long and feed off of the government. The wealthy have worked hard their ENTIRE life. They worked hard in high school, college, and they work hard at wherever they may work now. Money is not earned easily, and most true Americans should know that. Wealthy, hardworking Americans should not need to pay MORE because THEY worked HARDER than the lazy non working americans
Posted by: AnonymousYou can never classify someone "RICH" becasue you don't know their spending
I have two kids, a house mortgage, car loan, bills to pay and we're break even. Why should we be taxed more when we sacrifice 10 to 12 hours of time working just to give our kids a better future? That little amount that we sometimes save is even used when one of us gets sick. Obama has to find ways to help the Americans not chase them out of the country! A middle class earning family in the US is not even rich because the buying power of US Dollar is getting lower. Salary increase is not even the same rate as the inflation.
Posted by: dtabugWhat do taxes pay for?
Public education, roads, defense. If someone makes >250k, are they using these public goods more than someone making less money? Absolutely not. In response to Knightsofthe9, if rich people saved their money to become millionaires, what in the world is wrong with that? It's ridiculous that the mindset of people now is that being successful and earning money makes you bad. Obama CANNOT relate to you. If you think he can, he made $1.7 Million last year, and his net worth is ~$12 million. Romney has created jobs, and doesn't involve raising taxes on the rich. One other point: if you increase taxes on people as they earn more money, they are less apt to pay taxes and more apt to find ways out of paying taxes. Maybe we should try a regressive tax-as you make more money, you pay at a lower marginal tax rate. That would get people motivated to work and earn.
Posted by: AnonymousNo, I don't think they should.
First off, I attend high school & college, work a minimum wage job and I pay all of my bills. I do not think they should have a higher tax rate than any one of us, because the vast majority (all of them) do not use EBT WIC or Medicare and do not spend our tax money on themselves. If you thought politicians were wasteful, you should see people lying on their forms for more of the governments funds. The only real answer is to cut the governments spending down to the bare necessities to keep the government and the real "unfortunate" people alive.
Posted by: AnonymousRaising Taxes on the Rich Will Stifle Economic Growth.
When taxes are raised on the rich, it eats up capital and makes doing business in this country less profitable. Higher taxes combined with suffocating regulations drive people out of business, and also drive businesses out of the country. Instead, we should make politicians accountable and enact some serious austerity measures. This country is seriously in need of some slimming down.
Posted by: manofbusinessPrices will rise
If the rich are taxed more the middle class will be paying more. Most of these wealthy people are the business owners. If they are paying more out of their pocket to the govenrment then the money has to come from somewhere, thus everyone will be impacted by this decision. Then who will be to blame.
Posted by: AnonymousThe rich should not be required to pay higher taxes because everyone should be treated equally.
It is extremely unfair to rely on the rich to carry the social programs here in this country especially since these programs are bleeding because they are not managed properly. There should be a straight percentage across the board for taxes. Honestly, if there would be a higher tax for the wealthier, many would try not to go over that limit. This is actually one of the reasons I am a stay at home mom because if I worked we would be in the next tax bracket and it is not worth it.
Posted by: eyeslikethatFair Share?
What do you mean fair share? If you people actually believe that then the poor should be taxed more, so that there payment can match that of a rich person. If a person who makes 250,000 dollars a year only get taxed 20% (50,000), then a middle class person who makes 100,000 dollars a year should pay 50% taxes. That way both the rich and middle class peoples pay 50,000 dollars.
Posted by: AnonymousWhy should hard work be penalized
I work 70 hour weeks. I didn't inherit money. I didnt use the government to pay workers less. I worked my butt off to get what I have. I got a job, woke up early and got home late to pay off college. Did the same to be able to buy a house. Doing the same to save for kids college and provide for their future. And for this I should pay more taxes. Its not luck for most people. It's hard work and dedication.
Posted by: jaba34It's Just not Fair
The rich work hard to earn money, why should they pay? I mean, seriously, would you want to pay more, forced? I certainly wouldn't. We should also give the poor a chance to succeed through their own efforts, not ours. Plus, if we did give money to the poor, they would take advantage of it and just quit their job and use the money that we work hard to make!
Posted by: AnonymousLowers entire economy's growth
One of the ten principles of economics is that people respond to incentives. If you take away people's incentive to get rich by taxing them more for earning more money, the incentive to the population is to *not* get rich. Thus, we lower our entire soceity's motivation to higher standards of living when we tax the rich more.
Posted by: AnonymousFair?
The president is all about fairness but only when it benefits his constituents. Equal rights this and equal pay this, but equal taxes? No. The rich can afford it, they aren't hurting for money. Uh, what does that have to do with it? The people that are successful are being penalized for their success? How is that fair? Like Ryan said in the debate, even if you collected 100% of the taxes from the top earners in America, it would only run the government for 98 days! The bottom line here is, we have to cut spending and unfortunately that means we have to cut programs. The sad truth is, we are spending more than we are taking in. People know this to be a problem. If you as a family are going out to eat and going to the movies and going on vacation and it's costing you more money than your making.... how long would it be before you stopped and said,"We need to stop, we have rent/mortgage, utilities, car insurance, gas, etc".... you know, all the "Needs" and none of the "Wants." You have to cut back so you can make ends meet. This is just basic economics. How much would a bank let you borrow before they said, hey wait a minute, this guy is spending more than he makes, we will never see our money back.... This is exactly what the world market is seeing just on a larger scale. The country needs to change course, and fast.
Posted by: cradlefanBetter facts, better voice, better argument.
The neg side has in general a much better argument than the aff. The neg was more formal and had good facts, as opposed to the aff who was mostly based on opinion. I applaud the neg for swaying me from the aff to the neg side, with a good strong argument.
Posted by: AnonymousAbsolutely not
If you increase taxes on "rich people" you are increasing taxes for ALL Americans because every American is considered "rich" according to the international view of "rich." The classification of rich in America is too vague for it to be used as a political platform. Also, if we choose to increase taxes on wealthy Americans how do we know it will be executed properly? It could be used to increase food stamp recipients and welfare, and would not help our deficit. The current administration has shown that they are not responsible with our tax dollars so why would we give them more?
Posted by: AnonymousIT'S JUST NOT FAIR!
You see, the rich people are only rich because they pay for their money, I'm rich, and I believe that I have the right to keep my money. If you pay for the poor, it unbalances the whole system, just think about it. If the top 2% of the U.S. pays for the lowest 10%, then the 10% goes up and a new 10% enters the bottom, and eventually the rich become even poorer, and the whole system is totally thrown off.
Posted by: AnonymousThat would be unfair seeing as the rich earned their money
Most of the time the "rich" are the ones who work more than one job and do overtime and save their money while the "poor" are lazy mooches on welfare who take a check every month for absolutely no work. Do you honestly think it's fair to take earnings from a hard working person who's trying to provide for their family while the lazy poor one is lazy and does nothing but make babies for the rest of us to pay for? Every man should make his own fortune, someone who happens to be more financially successful should not have to make up for one who's not. He who will do no work shall not eat
Posted by: AnonymousDepends on what you mean by "higher"
Technically, if really poor people were taxed at 100%, and really rich people were taxed at 1%, there would probably be a huge inequality in that the rich people would likely still be paying more than the poor. So it's already unequal in that the same percentages for people with different incomes cause significant differences in the quantity paid. Since rich people usually have a greater investment in the country, I think making everyone pay the same percent is reasonable (even if absolute taxes were higher on the rich), but I think making certain people pay higher percents AND higher absolutes is just stupid.
Posted by: AlwaysMoreThanYouThe rich are the ones who support any capitalist economy
If, the rich were able to keep more of their money instead of giving so much in taxes, they would have more to pay for our economy. For instance, if that "big fat rich guy" that all liberals hate only paid, say $20,000 in taxes, as opposed to $60,000, it is simple math to figure out he has $40,000 left sitting there. Now he can buy a car (boost auto industry), build his business (create more jobs), all help the economy.
Posted by: AnonymousThe rich deserve to pay less taxes because we have earned that right.
We should eliminate welfare, medicare, and Social Security to fund low taxes for the rich. Sure, I have three houses and eight cars and pay less in taxes than my secretaries but that is the American way! Besides, the rich still control the House and John Boehner will make sure that the whining middle class will not make us pay more. Caviar anyone?
Posted by: MoneyBagsNO!
Absolutely not! Most of the wealthy people have worked their way up and worked their entire lives to get where they are, and if they are just being taxed because they have become successful, well that is just WRONG! My dad is a small business owner and he has worked since he was 15 yeards old to get where he is today. We are not rich, but we are not poor. We have to pay a lot of taxes, even though my dad has been working and pushing himself to have a nice family, house, and work place. If the rich is taxed more, then that is just saying that it doesn't pay to be successful!
Posted by: AnonymousWe shouldn't force others to give up their money in order to support people they dont even know
What happened to the American dream? Where a man can work for his own benefit? Since when do strangers have to support other strangers? Are we really this desperate to to have to force those, who happen to have better jobs or got lucky to be born into a wealthy family, to make up for the mistake and laziness of our country. Talk about socialism in the works when our government is now trying to control everyone down to their very last penny. I'm very patriotic but for the American dream not the fogged up picture the government has painted.
Posted by: Anonymous