I heard a crazy right winger talking about taxes today

[proud2BlibKansan]

I was flipping through the channels during a commercial on the radio and I came across this guy on XM talking about taxes. His theory is that we should tax the poorest at the highest rate and allow the wealthiest to pay no taxes.

I am not making this up.

This guy actually believes that taxing the poor at 39% will inspire them to improve their lot in life and earn more money so they can become rich. He said they could work 3 jobs and/or go to school to improve their income. He defined poor as less than $40,000 a year. And of course, there should be no government programs to help the poor. No housing or health care or tuition assistance or food stamps. His theory was that if you gave them any handouts at all, they would stop working hard to improve their income.

He thought that once people earned $100,000 a year their taxes should drop to 15%. And once you earn $200,000, you shouldn't have to pay any taxes at all. He honestly believed that the wealthy would help improve the economy if they were allowed to keep all their money.

No I didn't get his name. It was XM channel 165.

I am still amazed that anyone is this ignorant.

[Elspeth]

1. Clearly someone who has never been poor...

or been a single mother with kids to feed.

[Yavin4]

2. And Born To A White, Upper Middle Class Family

People who grew up with money generally have no concept whatsoever of what struggling is all about.

[JanMichael]

6. Don't bet on that

some of the dumbest goddamned conservatives I have ever met have somehow managed through marriage, or sheer dumb luck, to drag themselves up to be millionaires. They think--I am not kidding you, remember, that they had NO help.

Even though--catch this: they went to state universities, had parents who worked for the government (both local and federal) and (this is the best part) married WOMEN who are working as Dr.'s.

Interesting, eh.

[youngdem]

17. Not hard to believe at all. I know TONS of racist farmers who RAIL against welfare

And farmers are the largest recipients of welfare in the country. They get tax credits, price subsidies for their crops, paid to fallow fields, paid not to grow, paid for surplus, paid from federally subsidized crop insurance when their crops die from drought or hurricane every few years.

Yet, they RAIL MERCILESSLY against welfare and food stamp recipients, condemning them for failing to pick themselves up, do for themselves and NOT rely on the government for your welfare.

:crazy:

[Nay]

19. Yep, knew lotsa those farmers in Montana. Pulling down big

bucks for not growing stuff. And as they sat in the cafe they bitched about the welfare queens.

[evlbstrd]

3. Maybe it was my brother.

He's that kinda dick.

[snappyturtle]

10. We should talk....I bet your brother knows my sister! n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. Does he have a radio show on XM?

And a southern accent?

[evlbstrd]

25. Maybe he bought one.

He's been in Arkansas long enough to acquire an accent.

[Mythsaje]

4. Well, of course...

If a single mother is working three jobs to feed her family, leaving the kids to their own devices, and one of them does something wrong--the "family values" crew can start screaming that she/they are just "bad parents."

It's all part of the same knuckleheaded ideology.

[SeattleGirl]

5. Uh, yeah.

:eyes:

[AnneD]

7. Wonder what his thoughts would be....

if he suddenly fell into that 39%. Thirty nine percent of a poor persons wages is not enough to pay congressional aides salaries, let alone Senators. And if he has pothole in the road now-----he's delusional.

[aquart]

8. Not ignorant. Greedy and smug.

[tabasco]

9. Obviously not a student of history.

He wants to create conditions ripe for revolution.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. My thoughts exactly!

[pretzel4gore]

11. a killer society

the difference between a leftwing society and a rightwing society is in a leftwing society dollars for the poor are light as feathers and get tossed around like snowflakes whereas the millions of the rich are heavy as lead and require heavy lifting to handle: meanwhile in a rightwing society the dollars of the poor are heavy as manhole covers and consume the poor's energy just going to the store while the billions of the rich are light as the feathers, and tossed around with easy abandon by the weakest men in the country....
iow 'the best way to fight crime is make it unnecessary' the saintly Che once wrote :)

[muffin1]

12. Don't cha love it?

Corporate welfare, okay...farmer welfare, okay...big oil welfare, okay. Poor single mother making minimum wage...pull yourself up by the bootstraps, you lazy good for nothing. God, what I wouldn't give to see these fuckers in need one day. x(

[truedelphi]

13. I'm poor and I already pay 39%

First there is 18% that goes to the Feds

Then there is 15% as an independent contractor that goes to the Soc Security that I will never ever see.

Then all the various MediCal MediCare etc taxes.

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. So work hard get rich and stop paying taxes

:)

[truedelphi]

23. WHen my son was much younger

And I was looking for work, his best friend reviewed my resume

"Mrs. TrueDelphi" says the thirteen year old, No wonder you don't ahve money.

"You apply for jobs as a secretary. My dad always applies for jobs as CEO. Why don't you try that tactic."

So the next day I applied for a job as CEO of Monsanto and
Boy was I surprised when they gave me the job!!


(In my dreams!!)

[Oeditpus Rex]

18. Here're some of the XM 165 'personalities'

Quinn & Rose
Weekdays - 6 AM ET

Broadcasting from the "War Room" in a secure location somewhere in the heartland of America, Quinn and Rose wake you up fighting the good fight.


Glenn Beck
Weekdays - 9 AM ET

When Glenn Beck talks, people listen, howl, cheer, or cry foul. WFLA's afternoon radio host holds court with Beck-handed style over the day's issues.


Dave Ramsey
Weekdays - 3 PM ET

Dave Ramsey offers life-changing financial advice as host of the nationally syndicated radio program, "The Dave Ramsey Show," which is heard by more than 2 million listeners each week, nationwide. The three-hour live radio talk show focuses on life, love, and relationships, and how they happen to revolve around money.


Bruce Williams
Weekdays - 7 PM ET

Bruce Williams entertains and informs by using his experience in business and public service to find solutions to problems brought to him by his listeners across the country. Call in at 1-800-RADIO97.


Rollye James
Weekdays - 10 PM ET

Welcome to the edge of the lunatic fringe where Rollye James has never heard a conspiracy she won't consider. Politically, James is a libertarian constitutionalist who can't find much difference between 'republicrats and demopublicans,' but her loyal listeners simply consider her a close friend. Call her at 1-888-876-5593.

Encores:
Weekends - 6 PM ET


http://www.xmradio.com/onxm/channelguide.xmc?ch=165

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. It must have been Quinn and Rose

That was the time frame. But this was only one guy. Maybe he has two names?

[abq e streeter]

20. Ya never know;

look at all the working class people that vote repub... Buddy of mine from New Jersey told me of all the working class people he knew there that would rather see the rich get it all than "some goddam black person on welfare" ---and of course they used a slightly more vulgar term than "black person". And even the non-racists get in on it. As I read in "What's the Matter with Kansas", the author describes the inexplicable phenomenon of (not an exact quote, but close) "peasants massing at the gates of the prince's manor, demanding the prince's taxes be cut".

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. That is... trickle down economics, at least

one version and it is classic Ann Ryand, read Atlas Shrugged

And the scary part is that many IN THE GOVERNMENT believe this

[Golden Raisin]

24. Dickens knew...

"At this festive season of the year, Mr. Scrooge," said the gentleman, taking up a pen, "it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and Destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir."

"Are there no prisons?" asked Scrooge.

"Plenty of prisons," said the gentleman, laying down the pen again.

"And the Union workhouses?" demanded Scrooge. "Are they still in operation?"

"They are. Still," returned the gentleman, "I wish I could say they were not."

"The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?" said Scrooge.

"Both very busy, sir."

"Oh! I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course," said Scrooge. "I'm very glad to hear it."

"Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude," returned the gentleman, "a few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?"

"Nothing!" Scrooge replied.

"You wish to be anonymous?"

"I wish to be left alone," said Scrooge. "Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don't make merry myself at Christmas and I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned -- they cost enough; and those who are badly off must go there."

"Many can't go there; and many would rather die."

"If they would rather die," said Scrooge, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. Besides -- excuse me -- I don't know that."

"But you might know it," observed the gentleman.

"It's not my business," Scrooge returned. "It's enough for a man to understand his own business, and not to interfere with other people's. Mine occupies me constantly. Good afternoon, gentlemen!"

Seeing clearly that it would be useless to pursue their point, the gentlemen withdrew. Scrooge returned his labours with an improved opinion of himself, and in a more facetious temper than was usual with him."

[zanne]

26. We're losing our sense of compassion,

We blame the victims now, as if it's their "choice". This so-called sense of "personal responsibility" allows anyone to ignore the poor, the sick, the disenfranchised because they made "bad choices". I've even seen it here on DU. It's one sure way of not having to look at your life and asking yourself if maybe you could be helping more.

[treestar]

27. He's telling us about himself

That he would not work if he had no spector of starvation to "motivate" him.

But he's clearly never experienced real poverty.