"Do you think the millionaire ought to pay more in taxes than the bus driver?"

[sufrommich]

The crowd, sounding every bit like the protesters from Occupy Wall Street, roars back: "MORE!"

The year was 1985. The president was Ronald Wilson Reagan



Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/how-the-gop-became-the-party-of-the-rich-20111109#ixzz1dEBaHVc3



Excellent article at Rolling Stone.

[HopeHoops]

1. Fuck yeah.

[tawadi]

2. No. Not more. But, yes, the same percentage. eom

[WCGreen]

3. here is what I say to that...

The people who reap the most from the way our economy and social worlds are organized and protected have more to gain if the economic and social safety nets are frayed in any way. There for, they have a higher stake in the continuation of the status quo should pay accordingly.

[libinnyandia]

4. Down with progressive tax rates?

[Zoeisright]

5. Yes MORE.

For God's sake, this is a progressive site.

[tawadi]

6. For God's sake yourself

You must be out of touch with how little - if any - taxes the wealthy pay currently.

The best we can hope for is an even playing field, percentage-wise. I am sorry if you don't see that as progressive enough.

[sufrommich]

13. Maybe you should read the article. nt

[tawadi]

17. I read it. It doesn't change my mind

Of course I'm not talking about a simple flat tax. How about starting with the same percentage a middle class worker pays?

[reggie the dog]

14. In France, Canada, Sweden, Finland, Austria, Denmark all tax

income progressively and top out at above 50% (even over 60% in Denmark)
Bulgiaria has a flat tax of 10%

which country do you think has happier, better living people. Bulgaria or Denmark?

Hell the USA is just about the only country in the world with a regressive income tax in which the rich pay less than the poor in income tax.

most countries in the world have progressive income taxes.

[Uncle Joe]

15. An even playing field starts with a livable wage and the best we can hope for is

for the wealthy to pay a higher % toward maintaining the stable and prosperous society from which they prospered so well, just as we did in the 50s, 60s, and 70s when they paid a much higher percentage.

"With great power comes great responsibility."
Uncle Ben from the movie "Spiderman."

[kctim]

9. That's still more

10% of a million is more than 10% of 30 grand, so of course those with more money pay more.

I only bring this up because the argument is really about percentages.

[tawadi]

12. Bingo!!!

You deserve a cookie.:-)

[reggie the dog]

16. what about the poor workers who pay Zero percent now?

they would be stuck with a 10 percent flat tax.

Progressive income tax is needed, going from zero percent to 70 percent of ones income, the more you make the higher a rate you pay.

[kctim]

20. That has nothing to do with who actually pays more

I was merely stating the obvious.

[reggie the dog]

21. pays more in overall dollars

or more in percentage of income? the rich ought to pay more in both senses

[kctim]

22. That is one opinion

the other opinion is what the poster I replied to said about all paying the same percentage.

If speaking of overall dollars, the rich pay way more in taxes than the lower and middle classes. That is why I wanted to clarify that the argument is really about percentages.

[Marrah_G]

10. The problem with that is that it impacts the middle class and working poor FAR more

Every cent I make gets put back into the economy and a good portion of it I also pay sales tax on.

If I make 30,000 a year and pay a flat tax of 20% that is 6,000 dollars a year. That has a significant impact leaving only 24,000 to survive on. The working poor spend every cent, every week.

If I make 300,000 a year and pay a flat 20% that is 60,000 and has far less of an impact leaving 240,000 a year to live off. This would basically impact investment money and not money needed to live on.

[progressoid]

7. Agreed - Excellent article.

[sufrommich]

8. I wish it was required reading across the country. nt

[raccoon]

11. YES! nt

[ProgressiveProfessor]

18. The rates are already progressive, the problem is the tax code

Under the current tax code if you hire a smart tax bubba, you and duck most of the taxes on your real income. Most of the deductions etc were put in place by well meaning people attempting social engineering through the tax cod. It has proven to be an utter failure. We need to kill the tax industry by going to a much simpler system that remains progressive.

[sufrommich]

19. Just curious, did you read the article? nt