The HUGE tax that is cleverly hidden to keep us from realizing how badly we are being screwed

kevinpezzi.com ^ | 10-7-2010 | Kevin Pezzi

[freedomfox]

Most people grossly underestimate the amount of taxes they pay. For example, if you live in a state with a 6% sales tax, when asked how much they would pay in taxes on a $100 purchase, most people incorrectly answer $6. Hardly!

[freedomfox]

I agree with Dr. Pezzi's statement that "a logical threshold for differentiating whether one is more of a serf, or more free, is at the 50% [combined tax] level."

[9YearLurker]

It’s not just that, but the sales tax is generally added at every level of the supply chain—from raw materials to wholesaler, distributor to retailer and consumer. Look back farther at the raw materials and there are generally several layers of the tax already in that as well. It’s a VAT on more than just the ‘VA’.

[I cannot think of a name]

There's a group that tries to come up with the cost of all government. This includes all taxes, fees, school, etc. They have a heck of a time doing this, as no government function really want to cooperate. I've haven't seen any press releases from them for several years - hope they didn't go out of business.

At any rate, the last one I saw went something like this: the cost of government worked out to about 60% of GDP. Since we export so little anymore, most of that government cost came directly from the taxpayer. And since there is only a percentage of us that actually pay taxes - I'd have to say, “welcome to serfdom.”

I have a feeling that most of us we crossed the 50% line a long time ago.

[Atlas Sneezed]

the sales tax is generally added at every level of the supply chain—from raw materials to wholesaler, distributor to retailer and consumer

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No it isn’t, at least not in most states. Retailers (and manufacturers get a resale permit, so purchases not for sale to the end consumer are exempt.

[Frantzie]

Thank idiots who watch TV. TV controls America and the sheep keep watching. Fox is NOT your friend. They are all s**t. Fox’s biggest shareholder Prince Al Waleed is fronting money for the Victory Mosque.

Keep watching TV folks - you are good little serfs.

[9YearLurker]

It sure is for small service businesses. That is, if services aren’t taxed, there may not be a tax added onto that, but regular supplies and such are fully taxable unless the organization is run as a nonprofit. Take a look at how much the modern consumer is paying out of their total expenditures to such providers.

[KarlInOhio]

The combined federal-state statutory corporate tax rate is 39.3%, so you aren't just paying a bit more in taxes than you think, but much more.... To appreciate your total tax burden, add the corporate tax rate to your federal, state, and local income taxes. Then add your Social Security tax and double it, because the matching contribution paid by your employer is ultimately paid by the sweat of your brow.

That's a sloppy argument. The corporate tax only applies to the profits, so you have to multiply the 39.3% by whatever the profit rate is (even before the recession it was below 10%) to get the average additional burden on the taxpayer.

[rlmorel]

Welcome to Free Republic, freedomfox, and an EXCELLENT first thread posting. Just excellent.

I’m usually a bit reticent about praising people who post a thread on their sign up day, but...can’t argue about this one. I think it is usually better to get the lay of the land first, but you have either been lurking for a while or have had an account here before (not that there is anything WRONG with that...:)

In any case...thanks for posting it.

[rlmorel]

Hey, as long as I have my 80” screen, 60 oz cup of Brawndo (The Thrist Mutilator) and the “Ow, My Balls” channel, I’ll be good to go...:)

[BocoLoco]

“That’s a sloppy argument. “

Agreed. It’s just easier to take your total amount of money you make and calculate the total taxes the fascist governments yank away from that, including on what you spend. Add taxed amounts for sales, income, FICA, SS, property, registration, and anything else considered to be a tax.

For example, my taxed amount annually is 65% of what I make, which is ABSOLUTELY CRIMINAL!!!! Patriots were dumping tea overboard and going to war over 10%, which they thought was too much back then.

[Cyber Liberty]

A good article explaining how we already have a de facto VAT in place.

[Bubba]

Ax the IRS. 9%... 12%... 15%... 22% or whatever on the end product (I ain’t smart enough to figger it out but there IS a number that’ll work). Flat tax... and let that be it... period! If one does not care to pay the tax... don’t spend the bloody money. ALL revenue would be taxed inclusive of dope, sex... you name it... it’s taxed @ the end transaction (pun??... I’ll never tell).

Sit back and watch the coffers fill.

[Atlas Sneezed]

Yes, but what you wrote at first simply isn’t true with respect to “supply chain.” I’m in the service biz too, and I’m the end consumer of toner, paper, and pencils. The sales tax is another business expense, and is offset against my income for income tax purposes.

(I suggest buying more stuff by mail order to avoid sales taxes.)

[I cannot think of a name]

“That's a sloppy argument. The corporate tax only applies to the profits, so you have to multiply the 39.3% by whatever the profit rate is (even before the recession it was below 10%) to get the average additional burden on the taxpayer.”

However, every corporation along the distribution chain - from the manufacturer to you - paid school taxes, hospital taxes, unemployment taxes, city taxes, county taxes, road taxes, licenses, and other fees - and they ALL have to be somewhere in the price you paid.

That's why the TOTAL cost of ALL government as a percentage of GDP is the only way to even guess at what the actual tax rate is.

[pnh102]

Consumers also pay the cost of every corporate tax, in addition to any sales tax applied to purchases.

[PeterPrinciple]

the sales tax is generally added at every level of the supply chain—from raw materials to wholesaler, distributor to retailer and consumer ————————————————————————————————————————
No it isn’t, at least not in most states. Retailers (and manufacturers get a resale permit, so purchases not for sale to the end consumer are exempt.

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I would add that the mechanism for collecting sales/use tax for out of state purchases has been established in the health care bill. Credit card information will be reported to IRS, this information will be shared with states. You will get a bill listing all your out of state purchases and the use tax due for those out of state purchases.

The rules and regs for this are still being established and it sounds pretty innocuous as stated now. In theory only the totals received by individuals and corps will be reported to IRS but it is such a problem prone process eventually all the detailed information will have to be given to the govt to solve the problems created by the govt. Anyone familiar with the statement "We need this information to calculate you tax liability." For the credit card companies to avoid liability they will have to send you a list of all your payers so that you can correct problems (this is already in the proposals). The detail info now exists in a useful format.

States have been wanting this for years. The law says they MUST report totals but there is nothing stopping reporting the details.

Long discourse but anyone doubt me?

[libertarian27]

I love that movie:

[Average Al]

So that is why people will buy finished products from abroad to pay this tax fewer times.

[9YearLurker]

It is a business expense and even though you don’t pay income tax for it, it raises the cost of doing business—which is generally passed through to your customer.

[Vendome]

Ax the IRS what? /s