[jlisenbe]

It is easily explained the bottom 50% have no money so they can't contribute much and they don't benefit as much.

Don't be ridiculous. The 50th percentile averages 63K a year. That hardly qualifies as "no money".

[paraclete]

you love to play with averages

[jlisenbe]

If you are going to talk about American issues, then you ought to know what you're talking about. You don't, and then when someone else actually does, you want to plead such silliness as playing with averages.

[paraclete]

You like to talk about percentiles as though this knowledge means you understand the issues but in fact, you don't. People with more income pay more tax, for this reason the tax rates are incremental, recognising that the more someone earns the less they need and the more they should contribute since they gain more benefit. Your theorum suggests that those in the lower income brackets should pay more of their meagre income so you can pay less, a very selfish and self first attitude. I understand why you align yourself with Trump

You also don't like the idea I should pay no tax without recognising that I paid plenty in the past, my government recognises that and rewards me by not making my latter years difficult

[jlisenbe]

People with more income pay more tax, for this reason the tax rates are incremental, recognising that the more someone earns the less they need and the more they should contribute since they gain more benefit.

Thank you for stating what everyone here already knows.

Your theorum suggests that those in the lower income brackets should pay more of their meagre income so you can pay less, a very selfish and self first attitude.

I haven't suggested anything of the sort, so you are either sadly ignorant or flat lying. I have said that the idea put forward here about the wealthy shifting the tax code to their favor is hard to defend in light of the fact that it is the wealthy (which has never included me) who pay more than 85% of income taxes in America. You really need to get your facts straight or find something else to talk about. If you have any interest is seeing this for yourself, and I doubt that you do, you can see it here.

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showth...98#post3858798

[talaniman]

Stop and think of the money earned to pay 85% of the taxes with less than 30% of your income. That's an ginormous pile of cash bud, assuming it's just 30%. After deductions it could be much less. The same logic applies to touting the median income, as good as you think it is, but you seem to ignore the condition of those that live below it, or even far below it. You cannot ignore the affects of subpar wages or dismiss it by placing BLAME on those that live it. Not when the rich set those wages, and PRICES and the poor do not.

It does make you feel better when you can tell us how hard you worked I suppose, but I doubt you work any harder than those poor blue collar low wage workers. Those with who bust their backs are as equal humans as those that busted the books aren't they? Or is the case that though God created all men equal, some just get paid more, so more valuable? To whom?

[jlisenbe]

Stop and think of the money earned to pay 85% of the taxes with less than 30% of your income. That's an ginormous pile of cash bud, assuming it's just 30%. After deductions it could be much less. The same logic applies to touting the median income, as good as you think it is, but you seem to ignore the condition of those that live below it, or even far below it. You cannot ignore the affects of subpar wages or dismiss it by placing BLAME on those that live it. Not when the rich set those wages, and PRICES and the poor do not.

When faced with a simple fact that completely contradicted your contention that the wealthy have set tax policies that favored them, you then basically just change the subject. The wealthy make a lot of money? Well, yeah, you can say that. Isn't that why we call them "wealthy"? But it is simply true that they pay most of the income tax, so your point cannot be true. And they don't set wages. The market determines wages. I have a friend who drove a truck in the ND oil fields. He made money hand over fist. Why? Because most people won't do that job, so the market forces oil companies to up their pay to compete for the small pool of men who will and can do it. The basic equality of man is not dependent on how much he/she is paid. It is dependent upon that person's value in the sight of God.

It does make you feel better when you can tell us how hard you worked I suppose, but I doubt you work any harder than those poor blue collar low wage workers.

When have I made an issue of how hard I worked?

Those with who bust their backs are as equal humans as those that busted the books aren't they? Or is the case that though God created all men equal, some just get paid more, so more valuable? To whom?

Just the bleating of sheep. When you were working, did you feel compelled to take some of your pay and give it to the people working at McDonald's since, after all, in your world everyone should get paid equal? We already know the answer to that. Liberal political ethics only apply to what other people do, and never to what you do. Do you really think that medical doctors should get paid the same as those who work at McDonald's? Surely you don't believe something that foolish.

[talaniman]

When faced with a simple fact that completely contradicted your contention that the wealthy have set tax policies that favored them, you then basically just change the subject. The wealthy make a lot of money? Well, yeah, you can say that. Isn't that why we call them "wealthy"? But it is simply true that they pay most of the income tax, so your point cannot be true. And they don't set wages. The market determines wages. I have a friend who drove a truck in the ND oil fields. He made money hand over fist. Why? Because most people won't do that job, so the market forces oil companies to up their pay to compete for the small pool of men who will and can do it. The basic equality of man is not dependent on how much he/she is paid. It is dependent upon that person's value in the sight of God.

Who controls the market?

Just the bleating of sheep. When you were working, did you feel compelled to take some of your pay and give it to the people working at McDonald's since, after all, in your world everyone should get paid equal? We already know the answer to that. Liberal political ethics only apply to what other people do, and never to what you do. Do you really think that medical doctors should get paid the same as those who work at McDonald's? Surely you don't believe something that foolish.

Let's start with a living wage, which helps the economy, and keeps people from poverty. States are already voting for just that and it's about time. You're late!

[jlisenbe]

Who controls the market?

Everyone. Consumers and producers alike, by their purchasing decisions, control the market.

Living wage? What does your business pay? How much is a "living wage" and how do you determine that? In our area, it's not difficult for the average person to start at 13-15 an hour if he/she knows how to show up on time, keep the big mouth shut, stay away from drug/alcohol abuse, and work reasonably hard. Is that a living wage? If it is, then why would the state need to intervene?