Active Users:326 Time:10/04/2025 05:07:17 AM
That's not a solution. Сталин Send a noteboard - 05/09/2009 02:39:12 AM
My point is that what you are advocating for the United States is not in fact in place in any other industrialized nation. The "soak the rich" notions that you propose are inimical to me for several reasons, not all of them simply matters of principle.

Simply put, nations that loot their wealthy in this manner end up destroying the means of creating more wealth, because they create disincentives to excel and take money out of the hands of people who know how to make it and put it in the hands of people who mismanage it.

While I agree that not all wealthy people are wealthy because they know how to handle money, and not all poor people are poor because they mismanage it, the tax policy you advocate still does have the effect that I noted.

The Soviet Union did this - it expropriated money from the rich in the name of feeding the poor. When the money ran out, it turned to slave labor and the threat of executions to continue economic growth. When the regime realized that a state of fear and executions can't be maintained indefinitely, it took about 30 years for the system to collapse completely. When the Soviet Union collapsed, it was bankrupt many times over.

I don't think poor people should starve, but I also realize that socialism ultimately leads to a situation where everyone is poor.
You can also write that as "Stalin" *MySmiley*
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For Europeans who don't understand why Americans are against ObamaCare - 03/09/2009 04:24:35 AM 1234 Views
I'd be happy to tax top "earners" more and suffer Europes economic "collapse. " - 03/09/2009 04:30:31 AM 704 Views
The US will never work with socialism. - 03/09/2009 04:40:21 AM 774 Views
Re: The US will never work with socialism. - 03/09/2009 04:58:47 AM 761 Views
I don't think the mistrust of the government is really all that overblown - 03/09/2009 05:04:34 AM 693 Views
It's advanced beyond what it was during the Revolution, I think. - 03/09/2009 05:18:22 AM 732 Views
I would say it's grown with the government - 03/09/2009 05:23:52 AM 714 Views
Re: I don't think the mistrust of the government is really all that overblown - 04/09/2009 03:30:23 AM 661 Views
If I lived in France I wouldn't trust the Government either. - 04/09/2009 03:44:55 AM 725 Views
*laughs* the point is taken. *NM* - 04/09/2009 04:24:07 AM 465 Views
Re: The US will never work with socialism. - 04/09/2009 03:28:24 AM 820 Views
How much more can we really tax the wealthy?? - 03/09/2009 04:41:14 AM 619 Views
Sadly, I think going back to the Clinton rates would help - 03/09/2009 04:42:54 AM 597 Views
I'm ok with that....not super excited....but ok with it - 03/09/2009 04:57:32 AM 615 Views
A lot; before Reagans "reforms" we already taxed them less than any other industrialized state did. - 03/09/2009 05:06:00 AM 735 Views
I'm in the lower-middle class tax bracket - 03/09/2009 05:13:39 AM 663 Views
It's both, IMHO. - 03/09/2009 05:29:41 AM 578 Views
I hear a lot of socialism coming from you..... - 03/09/2009 05:19:08 AM 598 Views
Re: I hear a lot of socialism coming from you..... - 03/09/2009 05:40:32 AM 685 Views
Nice non-answer answer..... - 03/09/2009 05:52:04 AM 695 Views
You want detailed answers that require detailed data I don't have. - 03/09/2009 06:06:55 AM 746 Views
Here are some facts and analyses..... - 03/09/2009 02:40:22 PM 785 Views
The Heritage Foundation, huh? - 03/09/2009 03:01:17 PM 803 Views
The non-working wealthy? Please quantify..... - 03/09/2009 03:31:58 PM 769 Views
Paris Hilton? - 04/09/2009 03:43:19 AM 677 Views
You're so full of shit on this issue I don't know where to begin. - 04/09/2009 03:15:55 AM 783 Views
Re: You're so full of shit on this issue I don't know where to begin. - 04/09/2009 03:59:21 AM 868 Views
Less than 200 people were said to be US persons with Swiss accounts - 04/09/2009 04:16:24 AM 664 Views
And yet account for many millions of dollars; what does that say...? - 04/09/2009 04:21:57 AM 660 Views
It's statistically insignificant and your hyperbole is reminiscent of screaming guests on CNN. - 04/09/2009 02:07:31 PM 598 Views
Well, look at this way: - 04/09/2009 02:24:03 PM 727 Views
That's not a solution. - 05/09/2009 02:39:12 AM 734 Views
The Soviets weren't socialist, or even communist, so it's a false comparison. - 05/09/2009 03:09:06 AM 676 Views
Okay, now you've just gone into Kool-aid drinking territory. - 05/09/2009 04:32:07 AM 796 Views
Communist THEORY is predicated on democratic participation at every level,totally absent in the USSR - 05/09/2009 04:55:00 AM 915 Views
FINALLY!!! - 07/09/2009 10:22:53 AM 712 Views
Ever heard of the 20-80 rule? - 04/09/2009 04:28:54 AM 592 Views
Yes, and 90% of people are idiots. - 05/09/2009 02:41:35 AM 898 Views
Re: Yes, and 90% of people are idiots. - 07/09/2009 10:09:30 AM 716 Views
Top earners? Please define.....what income and how much more? *NM* - 03/09/2009 04:52:25 AM 457 Views
That would be open to definition, and should change with inflation. - 03/09/2009 05:13:02 AM 849 Views
What is your justification for taking over 50% of anyone's income? - 03/09/2009 05:28:22 AM 787 Views
That's a good example of why I say the rate has to be set to cost of living. - 03/09/2009 05:50:16 AM 813 Views
Still no comment on the fact that 40% of Americans don't pay any income taxes? - 03/09/2009 02:32:12 PM 731 Views
To what 40% do you refer? - 03/09/2009 02:42:55 PM 592 Views
Dude, you are not making this easy..... - 03/09/2009 03:38:01 PM 634 Views
No one "gets money from the IRS. " - 04/09/2009 02:55:02 AM 639 Views
Actually with EIC you can get money back that you never paid in. - 04/09/2009 02:56:43 AM 628 Views
It MIGHT be possible with the EIC, but in practice few people get more than they paid. - 04/09/2009 03:43:36 AM 675 Views
I don't know, I've known plenty of people that have gotten more back than they paid in - 04/09/2009 03:46:29 AM 758 Views
A neat trick then. - 04/09/2009 04:09:58 AM 754 Views
To be fair - 04/09/2009 04:50:20 AM 696 Views
Ah, gotcha. - 04/09/2009 04:53:58 AM 708 Views
Yet another example of your ignorance on tax policy. - 04/09/2009 03:19:39 AM 580 Views
The word I notice is "welfare" - 04/09/2009 03:57:01 AM 697 Views
I wouldn't say that's what it means.... - 04/09/2009 04:02:40 AM 703 Views
It's what welfare means to me... - 04/09/2009 04:32:17 AM 714 Views
I was just talking about EIC as a form of welfare, not welfare welfare. *NM* - 04/09/2009 04:45:13 AM 412 Views
yes, I get that now. *NM* - 04/09/2009 05:02:53 AM 396 Views
*NM* - 04/09/2009 05:14:01 AM 392 Views
Not necessarily - 04/09/2009 04:11:41 AM 629 Views
*shrugs* I have a soft heart. *NM* - 04/09/2009 04:30:52 AM 404 Views
It's a credit for people who file a return on income that's been taxed. - 04/09/2009 04:19:57 AM 638 Views
It is only for the WORKING poor, yes. - 04/09/2009 02:12:55 PM 622 Views
Mean it may be, but hardly illegal. - 04/09/2009 02:31:16 PM 652 Views
How does the business benefit? - 04/09/2009 04:54:27 PM 653 Views
I didn't realize you meant literal withholding. - 05/09/2009 03:03:32 AM 672 Views
That's a no-no, Joel - 03/09/2009 07:32:03 AM 632 Views
Europe impresses me for one simple reason: - 03/09/2009 09:21:28 AM 687 Views
No real comments, just 100% agree with you....plus the $12 trillion is terrifying to me. *NM* - 03/09/2009 04:33:39 AM 298 Views
If that scares you, check this out! - 03/09/2009 04:48:56 AM 765 Views
Excellent post - the US government is not capable of running HC..... - 03/09/2009 04:40:19 AM 578 Views
There is one thing the government did right - 03/09/2009 04:41:36 AM 688 Views
The bailout, some of it, was necessary..... - 03/09/2009 04:51:03 AM 685 Views
I still think it was too one sided. - 03/09/2009 05:21:45 AM 726 Views
It depends on your level of cynicism - 03/09/2009 05:38:53 AM 748 Views
when have they ever cut the fat? - 03/09/2009 08:35:36 PM 674 Views
Contrary to popular belief, they are quite good at it - 03/09/2009 09:05:15 PM 704 Views
Well there is only one catch *NM* - 03/09/2009 10:56:00 PM 390 Views
This doesn't make sense to me. - 03/09/2009 08:33:18 AM 682 Views
The key phrase is "should be. " - 03/09/2009 09:38:15 AM 847 Views
Re: The key phrase is "should be. " - 03/09/2009 09:47:39 AM 719 Views
That sounds like a good stop gap to me. - 03/09/2009 09:50:57 AM 746 Views
In fairness, most Europeans don't seem to realize what ObamaCare is. - 03/09/2009 02:34:01 PM 724 Views
What makes you think we do? - 03/09/2009 09:11:06 PM 739 Views
Oh, you don't either. I thought that went without saying. *NM* - 03/09/2009 09:25:54 PM 405 Views
As far as most people I know are concerned, opposition to ObamaCare isn't the issue. - 03/09/2009 11:04:36 PM 819 Views
It's hard not to be horrified with a government as wasteful as ours - 03/09/2009 11:24:59 PM 595 Views
I can understand horror of governments. - 03/09/2009 11:30:23 PM 596 Views
a bit, yes. *NM* - 04/09/2009 04:08:37 AM 422 Views
For Americans who don't understand why Canadians like their public healthcare. - 04/09/2009 04:23:11 AM 704 Views
Correction - 04/09/2009 04:44:32 AM 702 Views
Re: Correction - 04/09/2009 05:05:11 AM 776 Views
In all honesty.... - 04/09/2009 05:18:23 AM 650 Views
Re: In all honesty.... - 04/09/2009 07:19:28 AM 735 Views
Re: Correction - 04/09/2009 05:24:49 PM 661 Views
Re: Correction - 07/09/2009 10:11:45 AM 853 Views
That's a nice theory. - 04/09/2009 02:49:34 PM 710 Views
It's a fact - 04/09/2009 05:21:59 PM 707 Views
Re: It's a fact - 05/09/2009 03:18:39 AM 665 Views

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