Posted on 06/04/2002 11:04:03 AM PDT by agenda_express
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The Truth Behind Taxation Who Else The Progressive Tax System Benefits |
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One of the most significant debates in the United States is the one over taxation. Who should pay taxes? How much should they be required to pay? What should the money be used for? Peoples answers to these questions can be measured across a wide spectrum of political and ideological beliefs. In order to get to the root of this issue, we must first begin with the two principle arguments of the two major political parties. Democrats contend that they only want everyone to pay their fair share and that wealthier Americans should assume greater tax responsibilities, in line with their greater incomes. Republicans respond with the argument that they, too, want everyone to pay their fair share, but define fair as a more equal rate levied against all income levels. Therein lies the problem. The debate over what constitutes a fair share is an issue of semantics. Too much emphasis is placed on the definition of fair instead of the important benefits provided by our nations progressive tax system. To their credit, Republicans are correct, statistically speaking. According to the Internal Revenue Service, in 1996 the top 1% of income earners earned 14% of the nations income, but paid 30% of the taxes. The top 10% of all income earners made 40% percent of the income, but paid 70% of the taxes. In total, 50% of all Americans paid 96% of the taxes. By their definition of fair these numbers are certainly unbalanced. However, in a sophisticated society such as ours, statistics are an almost irrelevant part of the equation. The real issue, which Democrats have elected not to address, is much more involved than what is found in the data presented above. Democrats are an extremely modest group, almost to a fault. Their humble and unpretentious attitude has caused them to conceal the real, noble benefits of the United States current tax structure. The real issue is not about fairness, but what is good for everyone, at all income levels. The fact is, a progressive tax structure benefits the wealthy as much or more than it benefits the less fortunate. People have often asked, what good is having money if you cant spend it? This ignores one glaring reality: The more you have, the harder it becomes to spend it all. An often ignored but serious problem is the stress to which wealthy Americans succumb when faced with excessive affluence. What most people do not know, and no high-income earner will ever admit, is that wealthy people have serious problems as a result of their wealth. They often use their riches to buy unfulfilling items such as waterfront homes, luxury cars, or expensive jewelry. Unfortunately, they fail to realize that true satisfaction comes from assisting people less fortunate than themselves. Were they to spend their money helping a single mother of seven who was never given a college education or an executive-level job, they might find the happiness they so desperately seek. This is where the government comes in. The true benefits of the progressive tax system not only help those unemployed single mothers, but they also help ease the dilemma in which the wealthy so frequently find themselves in. By redistributing the wealth of the highest income earners, the government can provide aid to both the less fortunate and the more fortunate. By having a significant percentage of their income redirected to welfare mothers, drug addicts and gay rights organizations, the wealthy can finally begin to respect themselves. Of course, no Democrat will ever admit that this is their true motivation. Besides their modesty, Democrats would never want the rich to know the full extent of their assistance. The rich are a proud group and would never be able to stand the embarrassment of having to receive government aid in any form. This is the unfortunate reality of the United States progressive tax system. It is a system that benefits everyone, but must do so in a secretive fashion. Maybe one day, with adequate government guidance, the wealthy will realize that higher taxes for higher income earners benefits everyone especially those high earners themselves. |
A progressive tax structure benefits the rich by keeping others from becoming rich. The tax isn't on wealth but on becoming wealthy.
And as earlier posts say: The Liberals are arrogant knowing where and how to spend your tax dollars, where and how you should live, what products you should purchase, who your doctor should be, etc...
Algore, Clintons, the press modest?
Great idea.
I recall reading that "The power to tax is the power to destroy," and it occurred to me we have the power to wipe out poverty - by taxing the poor!
Make it economically impossible to afford to be poor, much like what the Dimocrats want to do to "the Rich."
Imagine what your incentive to work harder would be under a regressive taxation plan, where let's say, each additional dollar you earned put TWO more dollars in your pocket!
Dingdingdingdingdingdingding!
Liberals love the little people. That's why they want to keep them little.
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