Comments on: The rich are not easy quarry

By: Mark Lainer

Mark Lainer — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:17:16 +0000

Oh, and we have also seen a massive transference of wealth from the middle class to the ultra rich. They system is gamed and the field needs to be evened.

By: Mark Lainer

Mark Lainer — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:15:23 +0000

The solution is to increase random audits on the most wealthy, a practice that was abandoned under George W. Bush’s IRS and resulted in the missing of an extraordinary number of illegal tax avoidance schemes.

By: FV

FV — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:30:03 +0000

Perpetual taxation is forbidden by the constitution.
Income tax was set up by President Lincoln for the sole purpose of covering costs created by the Civil War.
Need I say more??

By: Rick Shaw

Rick Shaw — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:28:40 +0000

Just because there are easier targets for the taxman to chase it does not mean that they should not require the rich to pay their fair share of taxes. JFK famously said, “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard,…..”
Shouldn’t our government lead by example here and take the right course of action even though it is the harder route?

By: Marky

Marky — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:58:56 +0000

Truly,
I don’t care what income bracket you fall into. All should pay something to live here. Making below $16-18K may be impoverished, but if you call the police, do they come? Yes. You call the Fire dept, do they come? Yes. You apply for welfare, do you get it? Most do.
Do others in third world nations get benefits like this? NO, not in many cases. America affords some level of benefit to all who live here.

There should be no allowance for a proportionate tax scale. Its America, you work hard, you make more. You work less, you make less.

Pres Obama is telling minorities, don’t look for hand outs. Educate yourself and invest in your self with education. Get a good job..and maybe you can become a president some day. No more entitlements. Hard Work and pay your fair share of taxes is what he espouses.

I say apply a Flat Tax percentage to all, everyone pays – no exceptions, even illegal migrants. And all who work hard or work little yields some benefits and there should be no proportionate tax, which is a penalty, exacted against those who work harder and apply themselves more. They paid a price to get their just like ED and President Obama.

America can not sustain a business model where all do not contribute to offset the cost – rich and poor alike.

And that..is fair in my opinion

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:33:41 +0000

The problem with income tax is how to define taxable income. Like the article says, the rich have ways to hide income from tax. This is why some are talking about a national sales tax. that evens things out a bit. the more expensive items have more tax on them, assuming it is a percentage of the price.
Those that work hard, should get some rewards. I think most people would agree with that. All in all, I think the feds need to cut spending on the military as well as other programs, cut the deficit, and reduce taxes (dollars).
Ultimately though, we are now competing with the rest of the world and generally, our standard of living is going to decrease…either now or later.

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:26:50 +0000

Sparky, a flat tax is not fair. It only passes the burden to the lower incomes. You are giving the rich a lower rate and the rest of the country a higher rate. is that fair when most of what we make is used to just survive?

By: Ed

Ed — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:22:43 +0000

OK guys:
I was the first in my family to go to college

There was zero family money

I have worked hard my whole life

I have paid my taxes on time on properly

I started a business and took ALL the risks and have worked my tail off

According to the Democratic politicians, “I am rich”

According to Mr Biden and the others, the rich “have had it to good for too long” and I need to pay more taxes

Now-you tell me what is fair!

By: Daley

Daley — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:10:31 +0000

If we all had to pay consumption tax, including on all food, then we would all be paying a truly fair tax. We would also have a much more stable tax base, as no one lives without consuming. The Fair Tax is one incarnation of this idea, but the greater concept of a consumption tax is what should be noted. You can’t avoid or hide your true consumption if there is a consumption tax. If you have a problem paying tax for what you consume than you are partaking in the decimation of America.

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:05:53 +0000

Chis, I just love it when people who do not make or have very much money talk about the “free ride’ the “rich” get all the time. I am not a member of the ultra-rich club but I do pay more the 50% of what I make in taxes; federal and state income tax, property tax and sales tax on big ticket items. That does not even take into account the alternative minumum tax which has not been ajusted, I think, since its creation. When are the great unwashed going to happy, when I contribute 60, 70, 80% of the money I work 60 hours a week to make? There is point when working less may net me more, then alot of those like me will shink our earning and who will be left to pay holding, the pay the tax, bag? Chris, pay taxes for a couple of decades and then tell me how the world works.