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At What Point Does Atlas Shrug?
National Review ^ | November 13, 2008 | Peter Kirsanow

Posted on 11/13/2008 4:20:54 PM PST by NCjim

During the presidential election campaign many were dumbfounded upon hearing for the first time that at least a third of Americans pay no income taxes whatsoever. The Tax Foundation notes that in 2006, 45.6 million filers (33%) paid no income tax whatsoever. Under current law, in 2009 47 million filers—representing approximately 96 million individuals— will pay no income tax.

The Foundation maintains that under Obama's tax plan 63 million filers— representing 44% of all returns— will pay no income tax. In contrast, in 1985, just 16.5% of filers paid no income tax.

It appears Obama wasn't kidding about redistributing the wealth, although he appears to be somewhat late to the game.

At the other end of the spectrum, IRS data show that in 2006 the top 10% of all filers ( $109,000 and above in taxable income) paid 71% of all income taxes. The top 25% ( $65,000 and above) paid 86% of all income taxes.

Exempting huge swaths of the populace from the income tax burden while piling that burden on a shrinking cohort is a prescription for economic, political and social dysfunction.

Eventually, even fans of steeply progressive taxation might be compelled to ask, "Do the top 25% of filers really access/consume 86% of all government services?" Obviously, the relationship between government and citizen isn't a retail one, but we shouldn't be surprised if the imbalance displayed by the above figures begins to prompt such unvarnished questions around kitchen tables across the country.

Sure, many of those who don't pay income taxes still pay excise, payroll, etc. taxes. But income taxes represent the biggest tax bite by far. The anger and resentment at bailing out Wall Street, Detroit, etc. isn't going to be dampened by the belief that nearly half of Americans won't be doing much bailing at all.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 110th; atlasshrugs; bho2008; kirsanow; lp; peterkirsanow
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To: Arm_Bears

And when I say that I don’t want to may MORE, I am called stingy.


41 posted on 11/13/2008 4:44:15 PM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Obama is the Antichrist.)
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To: silverleaf
Atlas is shrugging in my household.

Yeah. Same here. We have been shrugging since Clinton raised taxes. If consumers and tax payers back off, businesses will have to pick up a larger "support the democrat base" tab. That would put them into the Atlas mode.
I think the seed has been planted. Now let's see if it grows.

(Support Operation Thrift)

42 posted on 11/13/2008 4:44:45 PM PST by concerned about politics ("Get thee behind me, Liberal")
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To: Mr Ramsbotham
Zimbabwe still hasn’t hit rock bottom.

What's their inflation rate up to now? 13,000%? A hamburger costs about a billion of whatever they call their dollars.

43 posted on 11/13/2008 4:46:36 PM PST by PistolPaknMama (Al-Queda can recruit on college campuses but the US military can't! --FReeper airborne)
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To: Publius

how east german of them.


44 posted on 11/13/2008 4:48:07 PM PST by WOBBLY BOB (ACORN:American Corruption for Obama Right Now)
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To: Blood of Tyrants
I am called stingy.

That is SO 2008. Starting January 20, they're going to call us racists.

45 posted on 11/13/2008 4:48:18 PM PST by buccaneer81 (Bob Taft has soiled the family name for the next century.)
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To: ClearCase_guy
Not sustainable.

That might just be the point - and justification to be openly and unabashedly Marxist.

46 posted on 11/13/2008 4:48:25 PM PST by SERKIT ("Blazing Saddles" explains it all.....)
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To: lawnguy
What pisses me off is there is no incentive for the takers to get out and help pull the wagon. May as well ride.

That's exactly what I plan to do... I can legally cut my income down below the standard deduction, and still live OK. So I'll get that big fat check back from the Marxist Messiah. I will move from being one of those evil top 5% people to another person with a hand out.

I'd suggest as many as are capable of doing just that DO IT. Stop being a producer, and become a "good Obama Citizen". Cut off the funding, and increase the consumption; it's what That One wants us to do...

Just put up this site, and I have a LOT more work to do. Anyone interested just drop me a line and I'll gladly let you start publishing!

47 posted on 11/13/2008 4:50:25 PM PST by PugetSoundSoldier (Indignation over the sting of truth is the defense of the indefensible)
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To: branch15_5

If women (as Coulter suggested), Blacks and Hispanics could be prevented from voting, there would be permanent Republican government.


48 posted on 11/13/2008 4:51:52 PM PST by FFranco
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To: FFranco

No question. And Mrs. Branch would be the first to surrender her right to vote, and would do it gladly.


49 posted on 11/13/2008 4:53:12 PM PST by branch15_5
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To: buccaneer81

Already been done. Obama said that the reason we didn’t want to pay taxes was because we didn’t want to pay for little black kids to go to school.


50 posted on 11/13/2008 4:55:59 PM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Obama is the Antichrist.)
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To: PugetSoundSoldier

How about “John Galt Lives”

(He’s making a big impact in my household)


51 posted on 11/13/2008 4:57:11 PM PST by silverleaf (Fasten your seat belts- it's going to be a BUMPY ride.)
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To: Arm_Bears
Not only do I pay much more than my “fair share,” I’m vilified while I do it.

That's the way the moochers cover themselves by trying to obtain the sanction of the victim. You're supposed to feel guilty about your success.

But what if enough of the producers say "to hell with it"? Then Atlas will indeed shrug.

52 posted on 11/13/2008 4:57:35 PM PST by 6SJ7 (Atlas Shrugged Mode: ON)
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To: PugetSoundSoldier

This is great! I’m trying to make my shrugging plans also. If enough taxpayers did this, I don’t believe it would take too long to see some results.


53 posted on 11/13/2008 5:02:50 PM PST by Rusty0604
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To: NCjim

When we lose our job because of the economy, take our time getting another one, and aim for the highest wages that will still enable us to get the greatest amount of government freebies.


54 posted on 11/13/2008 5:06:38 PM PST by informavoracious (It's after midnight, I'm FReepwalking...)
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To: NCjim

Atlas will have shrugged when we have a person who is like John Galt, who speaks out, and says the things that Galt said in the climatic speach...

I.E. ...you propose to establish a social order based on the following tenets: that you are incompetent to run your own life, but competent to run the lives of others - that you are unfit to exist in freedom but fit to become an incompetent ruler-.....

Where IS John Galt???!!!


55 posted on 11/13/2008 5:07:44 PM PST by Rhetorical pi2
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To: PistolPaknMama

Actually, it’s at 213 MILLION percent. Their currency is defacto gone.

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/RMOI-7L636V?OpenDocument

What I want to know is how the 1/4 of people above the poverty line are managing to do that.


56 posted on 11/13/2008 5:09:27 PM PST by Technocrat (Palin-McCain 2008!! Or vice versa.)
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To: Rusty0604

Do so, and encourage your self-employed friends to do so likewise! Go from being a producer to being a consumer. I’d love to see a trillion dollars of income tax revenue disappear (about what the top 7% pay in income taxes). And I’d love to see the demand for social spending bump up a trillion dollars a the same time.

The Marxist Messiah says it’s OK, so let’s do it. Stop being a producer, become a consumer. And let’s see what That One can do with a $3 trillion deficit!


57 posted on 11/13/2008 5:11:30 PM PST by PugetSoundSoldier (Indignation over the sting of truth is the defense of the indefensible)
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To: NCjim
Atlas IS shrugging and has been doing so for some time. The rate is increasing!

Atlas is shrugging!

58 posted on 11/13/2008 5:15:22 PM PST by Bigun ("It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere." Voltaire)
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To: Kellis91789
“How difficult/easy would it be for that top 1% to opt out?” Because there is no way the remaining 99% can pick up the slack. That would require almost doubling all their taxes.

Bingo. Some of us in that top 1% are looking at alternatives. Slavery sucks...even if you like your job. If the government is going to confiscate most of your earnings, there is little incentive to work. Just drop below the radar until the dopes figure it out or are booted from office.

59 posted on 11/13/2008 5:15:46 PM PST by Myrddin
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To: Rhetorical pi2

Where IS John Galt???!!!
**********

She’s governing Alaska at the moment.

Biding her time.


60 posted on 11/13/2008 5:16:13 PM PST by big_pale
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