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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: NCjim
What is "income"?

Who needs it?

61 posted on 11/13/2008 5:16:23 PM PST by JasonC
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To: Myrddin

Read the link in post #58


62 posted on 11/13/2008 5:16:48 PM PST by Bigun ("It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere." Voltaire)
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To: NCjim

The contingent of non-taxpayers is growing large, but the problem is that since they outnumber the taxpayers, they get to drive the boat.


63 posted on 11/13/2008 5:18:13 PM PST by umgud (I'm really happy I wasn't aborted)
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To: NCjim

All taxpayers should get a fixed deduction equaling whatever the is a survivable wage (somewhere between 12 and 20 thousand). What’s left over is taxed at a fixed rate of the same percent for everyone. Then, everyone would have a stake in how the government spends the money.


64 posted on 11/13/2008 5:18:49 PM PST by yazoo
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To: Myrddin
“How difficult/easy would it be for that top 1% to opt out?”

Caymans, Bermuda... It's happening all around us.

65 posted on 11/13/2008 5:19:27 PM PST by AmericanGirlRising (HOPE is not a strategy just like CHANGE is not a destination.)
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To: RED SOUTH

No, what I’m shocked at is she and millions just like her can be so impossibly stupid as to not see that she IS the so-called evil greedy top 5%!

I won’t even get into the idiocy of nanny-statism.

It’s stunning that people can be this impossibly dense.

I mean she actually thinks the zero is targeting Halliburton and she’ll somehow be exempt!

There’s nothing wrong with Campbell Brown or Charles Barkley giving more of their own money to charity or transportation or health care or whatever cause they wish.


66 posted on 11/13/2008 5:20:58 PM PST by tpanther (All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. Edmund Burke)
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To: big_pale

I wonder what the job market is like in Alaska? My brother lovwed it when he was stationed there.


67 posted on 11/13/2008 5:21:20 PM PST by kalee
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To: branch15_5
Very true. I wonder how Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, BMW, Mercedes and all the other solvent automakers who have plants in the U.S. (and their many employees) feel about bailing out their uncompetitive, failing counterparts?

According to The Times (London) BMW and Mercedes have experienced major sales drop and are cutting back significantly. The EU is working on a $50 billion bailout for the European auto companies according to the article.

Jack

68 posted on 11/13/2008 5:22:27 PM PST by JackOfVA
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To: NCjim

I have already begun shrugging.


69 posted on 11/13/2008 5:22:27 PM PST by Secret Agent Man (I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
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To: kalee

lovwed should be loved


70 posted on 11/13/2008 5:24:54 PM PST by kalee
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To: FFranco

The problem there is that you’ve created a class of serfs. The fact that it’s women and minorities just makes it all the uglier. If this is what you think the Republican party is all about, you’re sadly mistaken.


71 posted on 11/13/2008 5:37:11 PM PST by Melas (Offending stupid people since 1963)
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To: buccaneer81
Starting January 20, they're going to call us racists.

And they will make sure that will never go out of style.

72 posted on 11/13/2008 5:38:42 PM PST by truthluva ("Character is doing the right thing even when no one is looking"..J.C. Watts)
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To: Rhetorical pi2

It will only be listened to if it fits within a 5 minute blurb on youtube.


73 posted on 11/13/2008 5:45:41 PM PST by tbw2 (Freeper sci-fi - "Sirat: Through the Fires of Hell" - on amazon.com)
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To: Publius

It is happening now.

If one’s financial house is in order and primary obligations have been met — why not take early retirement?


74 posted on 11/13/2008 5:48:19 PM PST by BenLurkin
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To: NCjim

A point I haven’t seen mentioned is the Earned Income Credit. Many of the lowest income workers not only don’t pay any taxes, they “earn” additional “credits”. These credits can easily double or triple the amount they have had withheld. Thousands of dollars. These folks have it down pat, and are the first in line for tax prep. So the Obama plan isn’t all that new.


75 posted on 11/13/2008 5:54:43 PM PST by Vladzred
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To: branch15_5

Does your plan rule out dead people voting?


76 posted on 11/13/2008 6:03:03 PM PST by stockpirate ($300 MDUS in illegal donations to O's campaign. Stolen election, where's the outrage?)
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To: JackOfVA

So we are in a race to see if we can out-Euro the Euros. Super.

At least with BMW and MB, it’s because their product is pricey, not moribund.


77 posted on 11/13/2008 6:23:42 PM PST by branch15_5
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To: stockpirate

You, sir, are an anti-corpsite.


78 posted on 11/13/2008 6:26:41 PM PST by branch15_5
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To: Gemsbok
Operation Thrift
79 posted on 11/13/2008 6:31:43 PM PST by MissouriConservative (Tact is for people too ignorant to use sarcasm.)
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To: NCjim

Hey, even some of the congresscritters shilling for Obama didn’t know this.

Hannity cornered that frizzie Rat witch from Florida with this fact one night and all she could do was stammer and yammer. She obviously had no clue on this statistic.


80 posted on 11/13/2008 6:39:28 PM PST by fightinJAG (Who needs the Fairness Doctrine? Obama admits the power to tax is the power to destroy.)
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