Earlier this week the New York Times editorial, entitled “The New Resentment of the Poor,” discussed the push by Republicans top make everyone pay income taxes, including our poorest citizens.
Republicans like Eric Cantor, the House Majority leader (and the same guy who opposes disaster relief unless it is off-set by spending cuts elsewhere) think that poor people who make less than $20,000 a year should pay some income tax.
I found this hard to believe. Maybe some Republican congress members might think this, but surely the average American wouldn’t want to punish poor people in America. Then I heard a person (I didn’t seem him, because I had my back turned) ask Sen. Toomey at his Penn’s Peak appearance, “Don’t you think every American should pay income tax? If you pay tax, you have a stake in the system.”
I have two comments. First, when Warren Buffet pays a lower tax rate then one of his office workers, that is ______. (Insert past tense “f-word” at this point.)
Secondly, poor people are already paying taxes, including payroll taxes, sales taxes, and gasoline excise taxes.
This sentiment should not have surprised me. It is always easier to attack those below us than to fight those above us.
Actually what needs to be done is scrap the IRS as we know it today.
ReplyDeleteCreate a flat tax where as a set percentage is established for various income levels.
No deductions for anything. This way everyone would pay taxes and and no one including large corporations could escape.
If a company is registered outside the USA they would pay taxes on the amount of the product that is brought into USA according to the wholesale value of the product.
Yes the current tax code has it's issues and needs to be changed, although I doubt it would ever happen. The reason being is that most politicians are beholding to the people with the money that is used to fund their campaigns.
ReplyDeleteWhat needs to be done, is eliminate tax loopholes and the subsidies that we give to various corporations. Big Oil etc.
We have an alternative minimum tax on individuals, why not corporations? GE paid zero dollars in tax last year and they had billions in profit. Is that fair?
This article is a very interesting read. It is rather long but it should be read by everyone. Unfortunately most people only read the emails they get with all caps and large fonts. Usually they are mostly lies with only a hint of some truth, if that.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.truth-out.org/goodbye-all-reflections-gop-operative-who-left-cult/1314907779