Posted on 02/28/2009 5:29:18 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
I got this earlier today, from a reader:
Jonah, a few years ago, I lived in Manhattan (we met briefly one year at a cocktail hour at some bar on 2nd Av when I was at [job description withheld]). My bride and I together were pulling down about 400k per year. (btw, we didn't feel rich, we didn't act rich, and Bernie Madoff never took us into his confidence, either.)
At the same time, every dollar we earned was being taxed about 50% (I mean, taxed where I could see it being taxed) . So who were we working for? Everything we bought, we were buying one just like it for somebody else. I decided then (probably 2002 or 2003) that I wouldn't do that any more. So I deliberately changed my career strategy to move into jobs that paid progressively less. After 2 such job changes, we left New York for CT. Our income now is about 130k and soon I will leave my 80k job for real retirement. Yeah, I have a pension and some other assets (dwindling) that can produce income. But I think I've succeeded in minimizing my income - and therefore my tax burden. And yeah, I'm at a stage in my life where my strategy is practical and I know most people aren't. But so far it's working for me.
And this came in just a minute ago:
Jonah:
I don't believe Stephen Benen would be happy if I and other anesthesiologists simply worked less - because we maxed out on low taxes.
I work a lot of overtime, for MONEY.
Without this incentive, people like Benen would be waiting in line for surgery.
Sincerely,
Frank
You might be "rich"...but you're not necessarily "wealthy". Ergo, you're fair game.
And, for the purposes of my rant, you're part of the middle class -- working harder (than most) and paying your (punitive) taxes. It's you -- and the shlub making $50K -- who are the targets of socialism.
There is a reason why Marx and Lenin identified their enemy as the bourgeoisie. There are those who are wealthy enough to buy protection, those who have little but enjoy protection so that their votes might be secured...and those of us in the middle class -- who are not only unprotected, but targeted.
A lot of that has been going on for a while. The “projects” are torn down and replaced with rather attractive sorts of semi-detached “cluster” type houses. Once - and only once - did I ever get involved with any kind of government contract. A minority contractor had ordered countertops from me and dropped the ball in the middle of the project. The counters had already been produced and, in order to get them out of the shop, I had to take over that portion of the contract. The state pays ridiculously inflated prices. That I can guarantee because I made 3 times my normal profit on the deal. But, you’re right, unless you’re a “minority contractor” or somebody’s brother-in-law, you ain’t gonna get the job.
Re: “Tax the rich” won’t work if the wealthy won’t play along, Barry.”
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Simply, but perfectly stated!!!!! Should be a bumper sticker!
>>It will be a extra gas tax, or utility tax...or a rent tax...or a water tax. But you can count on it...it’s coming.<<
You know that and I know that but the average American will blame the evil Republicans because that’s the way Katie Couric spins it. Those prices aren’t going up because of the taxes. The evil corporations are causing it.
Mark my words, the American Idol voter is ruling our country. They will LOVE what is thrown at them. And will only realize way too late that they have been duped. If at all. Their kids will know it.
>>Fixed it. Don’t include me with the Marxist thieves. <<
My apologies. Of course you are correct.
and the scary part is that the GOVERNMENT IS US.
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The scary part for those of us who can still think is that the government is NO LONGER US! The government is the media and the party hacks. True representative government is dead.
“Methinks very little.”
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Us’ns thinks they have already tolerated a lot more than that and seem well disposed toward another heaping helping.
The best route would be to go back to living like hillbillies. Hunt and fish and grow your own food, heat with wood, etc. but most people just aren’t in a position to do so. I should have moved back up a holler somewhere years ago.
In the spirit of altruism, you must jump into the stew pot. That is the duty of a good turnip.
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Or as a businessman I knew who was behind on his taxes said,”I am afraid they will come and get the turnip!”
A patriot is worth 8 turned sideways OBOTS because the value of ten thousand obots is far less than the value of one obot. I would explain it better if I had a math degree.
I get the analogy and the slowly boiling frog bit, but you don't get my point.
By your definition any tax is a reduction in wealth, no? If you reduce any value of my production you've "taxed my wealth". We actually tax the middle class and the high income earners out of their wealth. That is my point.
If a Democrat or any Leftist were ever to really tax the wealthy it would be their final act in office.
Government serves the wealthy and the powerful. Always has, always will. That's my point.
Lenin did it, Stalin did it, Peron did it, Castro did it, it wasn’t their lats act, it was their first.
And everyone of them is dead!
Joking aside, those are the exceptions that prove the rule. Russia, Cuba, & Argentina are the 3rd world and were at the time of their revolutions. Actually, Cuba wasn’t too bad. Sad story there.
The Jacobites couldn’t do it and they tried, but it never happened in the 1st world.
When did Castro die?
You don’t think he’s holed up with Elvis at Loch Ness do you?
He’s dead and so is Osama.
I don’t believe communists or terrorists, but I repeat myself.
Well, it's not like anesthesiologists are highly skilled workers, or anything. Couldn't they just grab the nearest janitor to work the extra hours? ;-)
One of the biggest worries of surgery is getting a good anesthesiologist. You kind of really want your loved one to wake up afterward.
Re: “The best route would be to go back to living like hillbillies. Hunt and fish and grow your own food, heat with wood, etc. but most people just aren’t in a position to do so. I should have moved back up a holler somewhere years ago”
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Agree re going back to hillbilly life! My problem will be that once this govt. separates me from my assets, when I do get to the “holler” I won’t have enough money for Mountain Dew!
They’re already working on it - “imputed income.”
This is what socialism breeds. Mediocrity, low or no productivity, and less money flowing. And yet, the dimwit leftists prefer it. Yet more proof that they are truly Stuck On Stupid.
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