Are You a Sucker or Are You a Leech?

Human Events ^ | March 20 2006 | Mac Johnson

[jiggyboy]

I myself am arguably one of the worst leeches in America this year.

I sold my house; because of the $250K exclusion and a decade's worth of improvements, I won't pay a dime of taxes on it. And to make ends meet while I was waiting for it to sell, I had a part-time job for a couple of months. Didn't gross enough to pay a dime in income taxes on that either, when all my Schedule A deductions were added in.

But I'll be getting a check for about $400 in "Earned Income Credit" this year as a result.

Yep, the tax code is too damn complicated.

[GSlob]

Well, I happen to hold a somewhat libertarian position on taxation: taxes are the payment for the social services consumed, and the list of these services ought to be held to the barest minimum.
More, nobody ought to be forced to pay for anybody else - there are voluntary insurance schemes for that. Most of these social services pertain to the "protection" [both external/military and internal/legal; even the health protection from terrorist-induced epidemics - let's be generous and include the CDC here]. Protecting the person of Bill Gates and that of a street bum ought to be charged at the same rate, for the law [including tax law] must not distinguish between the persons - "poll tax" structure here.
Also, their property needs protection of the law and of the military, too. Again, the law must not make distinctions - and protecting one dollar's worth of Bill Gates' stuff ought to be charged for at the same rate as that for $1 of the bum's. Here one would have the structure of a flat rate property tax.
The remaining part of social services pertains to administrative costs like the maintenance of monetary unity, certification of the standards of value, weight and measure [probably professional certifications as well], maintaining the property registries and public records, patent service and the like. These, again, ought to be paid for in some combination of poll tax and property tax - plus user fees where appropriate.
The rest ought to be paid by user fees, pure and simple. Such a system would by its very nature be mildly regressive.

[JusticeForAll76]

I am a leech;

[meyer]

How about breaking it down on a per-person basis rather than per-household. Some houses have little tax-consuming school-aged children running around, and some don't.

[Publius6961]

An oversimplification, sure, but funny nevertheless.
If Government limited itself to its legitimate responsibilities, all taxes could be cut in half.

Oh yes, the direct income taxes we pay are but a fraction of the total of which most of us are aware.
In addition to sales and excise taxes, there are user fees and other fees on necessities like utilities, and the cost of everything we buy, aside from slaes taxes, has the sellers' current taxes included in the price.

We are all suckers!

[Gabz]

We are all suckers!

Alas, you are correct.

[Fintan]

 

[Idisarthur]

I feel like I'm give and give, yet.

I don't see why we couldn't go with a straight sales tax.

The gov't would still end up with tons of money to waste as American's and Foreigners, even illegal ones, buy and do so often.

As it is now, people are taxed and much of that money is even doubled taxed when it is all said and done.

[IronJack]

“Fair” is a loaded and relative concept.

Tell that to the 14th Amendment.

[somniferum]

I wound up actually owing the government $19.40 in taxes this year.. first time I've ever had to pay up come April =P

[Idisarthur]

I feel like I'm give and give, yet.

Pardon, my second language -- I try.

[auboy]

I fail to see how senators and reps (including my own three) pork barrel projects are beneficial or necessary. I think the monies spent on pork barrel projects should be added to the individual senator/rep's tax liability. Pork would soon become extinct.

[rightinthemiddle]

Well, I'm a sucker who hasn't had a regular day off in 18 months.

[hosepipe]

Leech.. the wonderful government actually allowed me to keep some of THEIR money.. as a loan I suspect.. I'm a bad bad man.. I'm not grateful either.. and am makeing plans on how to ROB them of some more of thier money..

Every one of their dollars I keep, NO, hide from the tax collectors.. Is a dollar they can't give to the U.N. the IMF or Louisana politicians.. OR pay every lawyer in Washington D.C. which is about 90% of the population of Wash.D.C...

I'm a bad man a thief really.. I don't care if they own all dollars.. and grudingly allow me to use some of them.. When that dollar is in my pocket its MINE.. d;-{~',',

[sit-rep]

Imma leech and proud of it!!

[sit-rep]

sigh...

[Calpernia]

ping

[upier]

I wound up actually owing the government $19.40 in taxes this year.. first time I've ever had to pay up come April =P

You have fallen into the IRS trap. You owed $19.40 in addition to all the taxes they have already collected the rest of the year. It's like the person who is happy to receive a $1000 tax return. They still paid too much in taxes bu, they are fooled into thinking they are getting something besides their out money back.

[somniferum]

Oh I know. Add in withholdings and my total was $44. I was just expecting to get my meager withholdings back instead of actually owing anything.

(Because I am a 'tax-leech' for the moment ;).

I guess I should mention I had an AGI of around $5400 last year.