Since there is an economic collapse most people are paying less taxes. That isnt the point.

Answer a simple question. If half the people are not paying taxes, how did taxes go down on 90%.

The simple answer is welefare disguised as tax breaks like "Earned income credit" taxes from the payers and gives to the non-payers!

Quote: Originally Posted By rcrusso on 4/14/2010

Quote: Originally Posted By wrmiller13 on 4/14/2010
Not to be argumentative, but if 40-50 % of the people are not really paying taxes, how could 98 % of them receive a tax break?

Are you sure "not really paying taxes" is true? So since we know that only "tax payers" will attend tea parties (only they have something at stake) would you say they are 100% representative of tax payers? Again the question is, what are they protesting against

I believe that the statistic was that 40 - 50 % end up not paying anything on their federal income taxes (and I am in that group), due to all of the breaks and exemptions (having a reasonable income, with a mortgage, and 4 kids - one a foreign adoption - pretty much eliminates my federal income tax).

If I was to go to one of the rallies, and protest, I would be protesting against the huge growth of the government, and the rapidly escalating deficit and debt, not the level of my own taxes. However I am too busy to be able to do so. Otherwise, I might go, and if I did, I would probably take my 2 oldest children, so that they could see what it means to be able to peaceably protest.

Overall, though, I think the current tax code is way too complicated, and full of way too many exemptions and breaks. It seems as if it were written with the idea of employing as many accountants as possible.

I am not sure this is figured into the tax cut numbers, but I bet it is. I put new windows on my house and got the 1500 tax credit. I know a lot of people that bought cars and got that tax credit. Also the new home buyers tax credit.

With those programs gone I wonder what those numbers would read.

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Why not?

If you are making $50,000, the median family income in 2007, does paying $200 to do your taxes represent an actual threat to our way of life?

I do agree we need to scrap the current tax system and go to a national sales tax.

STFU, Swamp. I didn't say anything about threats to our way of life.

You said damn near undemocratic. I stretched a little.

Makes for ****** arguments.

OK. It shouldnt represent a threat to democracy

It doesn't.

Off to Worcester. I was told to be there early, or I will be parking a mile from the place.

300 people there and you think you have to park a mile away?

Quote: Originally Posted By rlahann on 4/15/2010It doesn't

Then why did you way it was almost undemocratic?

Because I think it is...I don't think something as fundamentally civic as supporting the state by following the tax code should require anything more than a good-faith effort by a reasonably intelligent person. The idea that some people will contribute more to the government than they should...solely because they were unable to figure out all of the tax code...that's not democratic...it's not people equally participating in their roles as citizens.

But that's entirely different than thinking it's a threat to democracy or whatever reactionary BS you said.

I say we start weighting votes by how much tax you pay.