Who pays the taxes?

Townhall ^ | Dec 6, 2005 | Bruce Bartlett

[Marxbites]

More good news we won't hear in the socialist MSM.

[silverleaf]

The bad news is that, with so few people really PAYING taxes. "cutting taxes" is a policy tool that appeals to fewer and fewer folks. The tyranny of the majority stands to ensure its grip on ever larger tax revenues, paid by a numeric minority.

The policy of robbing Peter to pay Paul will usually be supported by Paul.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Exactly. Where's all that "rights of the minority" rhetoric when you need it? The majority cries, "The government should pay for that." But the government has no money. Why not just cut out the middle man and legalize robbery of the rich.

[So Cal Rocket]

A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until a majority of voters discover that they can vote themselves largess out of the public treasury.

[Wristpin]

The last figures I saw stated that 47 percent of "filers" pay zero income tax. I wonder how many "zero filers" draw refundable credits and EIC from the system.

[Gay State Conservative]

Wasn't there something during the last campaign saying that
one of Mother Teresa's tax returns shows that she paid an effective tax rate of something like 10%?

[Pessimist]

You're exactly right.

For my adult lifetime, the finer "nuances" of tax policy have generally boiled down to creative ways to jigger with the proportion of people who are considered "rich".

I think its part of the political calculus anymore. Politicians can cynically tailor their tax policies with some precision to maximize their appeal to a sufficient number of voters.

And to the extent that they stoke the flames of class warfare, what has resulted is tantamount to mob rule.

[Gay State Conservative]

A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until a majority of voters discover that they can vote themselves largess out of the public treasury.

No representation without taxation.

[Marxbites]

I agree - what stake in America do those that pay zero income tax, but yet get child reverse taxes, have in voting for anybody but redistributtionists - none.

Cutting this elitist enriching pig of a Govt was RWR's job #1.

ALL who derive benfit from Govt should pay at least something for no other reason than to disuade them form thinking they are owed something from the rest of us.

Taxes are the very stuff that allows Govt to have become 3x it's constitutional size and cost, and is mostly enabled through the Fedl Reserves ability to inflate the currency and is the reason for it's existence.

See this - read the article at the link at bottom of the excerpt:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1534199/posts

[Hemingway's Ghost]

Exactly. Where's all that "rights of the minority" rhetoric when you need it? The majority cries, "The government should pay for that." But the government has no money. Why not just cut out the middle man and legalize robbery of the rich.

What does the rich "buy" for their taxes? Under our system of government, they certainly can't buy influence, can they? What do the rich get for all this treasure?

[svcw]

Rush has a really great pie chart on his web site about this very thing.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

What does the rich "buy" for their taxes? Under our system of government, they certainly can't buy influence, can they? What do the rich get for all this treasure?

Rules and regulations. That's what they buy. Oh, and a workforce that understands why the rich are bad, why minorities (except fiscal minorities) are oppressed, and why sexual freedom is the most important freedom of all. Of course they may not be able to read, write, or do arithmetic; but priorities are priorities.

[Logical me]

Didn't read the article because the consumer pay all the taxes. Corporate, business, or otherwise.

Here is how it works. Say Ripper, the corporation sells a pencil for $1.00 which supports Ripper, the corp, with the paying of all fees, taxes and includes profits. (Including lawsuits). Here comes daddy, big government, and raises their tax which would amount to increasing the cost for the $1.00 pencil to $1.05. Now this $1.05 covers the increase in tax. But the rub is, they raise the $1.00 to $1.06 which the .01 allows new cars for the management etc. GET IT! Consumer pays all taxes!!!!!!!!!

If you don't understand this, then try to explain the FairTax!

[Hemingway's Ghost]

Rules and regulations. That's what they buy. Oh, and a workforce that understands why the rich are bad, why minorities (except fiscal minorities) are oppressed, and why sexual freedom is the most important freedom of all. Of course they may not be able to read, write, or do arithmetic; but priorities are priorities.

!!!!!!!

It's an interesting theoretical question, though, because one would think the rich would get something in turn for their treasure. Otherwise, they certainly have the means to alter the system.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

That's just it. They do not have the means to alter the system because they are a minority -- a hated minority.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

That's just it. They do not have the means to alter the system because they are a minority -- a hated minority.

Yes, but history has taught us a minority with money often trumps a majority quite handily.

[Teacher317]

Maybe they should shrug.

[GovernmentShrinker]

A more meaningful statistic (but impossible to obtain, due to deliberate government obfuscation in all its wealth redistribution schemes) would be what percentage of the population are NET taxpayers, i.e. pay in more than they take out. And within that small and shrinking group, how disproportionate the tax burden is.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Limit voting to people who are NET taxpayers, and you'd see a sudden massive change in the country's political landscape.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Then why are they stuck with all the taxes?