Are you part of the 53%

[revsaxon]

I really envy/pity you guys who see the world in black and white. Not sure how you can function when everything has that be that absolute.

The communists built a hugely expensive military. Would you say then that to avoid even 1% we can't do the same thing? They funded hospitals and prisions as well. I guess those need to go since we can't have any commie...

 

[ATOMonkey]

lolz...

The 10 planks of communism, from the guy who invented communism

1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
3. Abolition of all right of inheritance.
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
5. Centralisation of credit in the hands of the State, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly.
6. Centralisation of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the State.
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the State; the bringing into cultivation of waste-lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
8. Equal liability of all to labour. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country, by a more equitable distribution of the population over the country.
10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children's factory labour in its present form and combination of education with industrial production.[12]

The Communist Manifesto - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You should try researching communism in America. We're aaaay more communist than our statist leaders would want us to believe.

 

[Bunnykid68]

The only way an income tax is not communist in nature would be if everyone paid the same percentage regardless of how much they earned.

 

[revsaxon]

You should try researching communism in America. We're aaaay more communist than our statist leaders would want us to believe.

On that we finally find something we can agree on.

 

[jayhawk]

lolz...

The 10 planks of communism, from the guy who invented communism

1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
3. Abolition of all right of inheritance.
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
5. Centralisation of credit in the hands of the State, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly.
6. Centralisation of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the State.
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the State; the bringing into cultivation of waste-lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
8. Equal liability of all to labour. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country, by a more equitable distribution of the population over the country.
10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children's factory labour in its present form and combination of education with industrial production.[12]

The Communist Manifesto - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You should try researching communism in America. We're aaaay more communist than our statist leaders would want us to believe.

Your logic is faulty.

 

[jayhawk]

The only way an income tax is not communist in nature would be if everyone paid the same percentage regardless of how much they earned.

So, it is not income tax, but progressive tax that is "communist"? So, our founding fathers must have been communist.

 

[ATOMonkey]

I really envy/pity you guys who see the world in black and white. Not sure how you can function when everything has that be that absolute.

The communists built a hugely expensive military. Would you say then that to avoid even 1% we can't do the same thing? They funded hospitals and prisions as well. I guess those need to go since we can't have any commie...

Yes, and everything grey is an elephant, because all elephants are grey.

I don't know if this is a strawman or a red herring, but either way, I enjoy the banter.

Prisons, and military are legitimate functions of ANY government.

State funded health care is not.

 

[Expat]

On that we finally find something we can agree on.

Most of us anyway. Maybe all would agree we are going down that path. We start falling apart though on whether it needs to be corrected and how.

 

[Bunnykid68]

So, it is not income tax, but progressive tax that is "communist"? So, our founding fathers must have been communist.

I seem to remember something about the founders set it up so that taxes that needed to be collected would be apportioned thru the states and not directly on ones income.

 

[ATOMonkey]

So, it is not income tax, but progressive tax that is "communist"? So, our founding fathers must have been communist.

Communism wasn't invented yet, but yes, some of them certainly leaned towards a planned society, as they came from monarchies.

Hamilton was a big proponent of a centrally planned economy.

Fortunately, through countless hours of deliberation, they all decided that the natural rights of man always come above the well being of the nation, which is how our constitutional republic was crafted.

 

[jmiller676]

I am now just posting to up my post count for the classifides.

 

[Bunnykid68]

I am now just posting to up my post count for the classifides.

INGO

 

[Expat]

I am now just posting to up my post count for the classifides.

I think the 50 "quality posts" is unrealistic. I still can't go in there.

 

[jayhawk]

I seem to remember something about the founders set it up so that taxes that needed to be collected would be apportioned thru the states and not directly on ones income.

"I like the power given the Legislature to levy taxes, and for that reason solely approve of the greater house being chosen by the people directly. For though I think a house chosen by them will be very illy qualified to legislate for the Union, for foreign nations, etc., yet this evil does not weigh against the good of preserving inviolate the fundamental principle that the people are not to be taxed but by representatives chosen immediately by themselves." --Thomas Jefferson

"Calculation has convinced me that circumstances may arise and probably will arise wherein all the resources of taxation will be necessary for the safety of the state. For though I am decidedly of opinion we should take no part in European quarrels, but cultivate peace and commerce with all, yet who can avoid seeing the source of war in the tyranny of those nations who deprive us of the natural right of trading with our neighbors?... War requires every resource of taxation and credit." --Thomas Jefferson

"Another means of silently lessening the inequality of property is to exempt all from taxation below a certain point, and to tax the higher portions of property in geometrical progression as they rise" --Thomas Jefferson

 

[Bunnykid68]

"I like the power given the Legislature to levy taxes, and for that reason solely approve of the greater house being chosen by the people directly. For though I think a house chosen by them will be very illy qualified to legislate for the Union, for foreign nations, etc., yet this evil does not weigh against the good of preserving inviolate the fundamental principle that the people are not to be taxed but by representatives chosen immediately by themselves." --Thomas Jefferson

"Calculation has convinced me that circumstances may arise and probably will arise wherein all the resources of taxation will be necessary for the safety of the state. For though I am decidedly of opinion we should take no part in European quarrels, but cultivate peace and commerce with all, yet who can avoid seeing the source of war in the tyranny of those nations who deprive us of the natural right of trading with our neighbors?... War requires every resource of taxation and credit." --Thomas Jefferson

"Another means of silently lessening the inequality of property is to exempt all from taxation below a certain point, and to tax the higher portions of property in geometrical progression as they rise" --Thomas Jefferson

Was any of that put into the Constitution?

 

[IncendiaryGunner]

I think the 99% slogan is slightly misunderstood...

It is a political slogan highlighting income inequality, and not the idea that they represent 99% of America.... The point is that the top 1% of earners control more than 40% of the financial wealth, and 35% of the country's net worth.

Odd, I am both part of the 53% that pays taxes, and the 99%... If you are not the top 1%, you are the 99%, even if you are the 53% that pays taxes.... only 1% of the population is excluded from the 99%, not 53% of the population...

While a graduated tax is not required, those that take home the lions share of the nations income are always going to have to pay the most in taxes... Contrary to the beliefs of some, taxing minimum wage workers more is not going to solve our debt problems, because they do not make enough, and taxing lower rung consumers that live paycheck to paycheck has a direct negative impact on the economy, since they are more likely to spend what they make. I understand how frustrating it is to see giant chunks of your income taxed, and how frustrating it is to know some people are given back more than they pay - and while I do not agree with the latter, taxing those people more is not going to solve our problems.

 

[jayhawk]

Was any of that put into the Constitution?

No, but fortunately we have a legislative branch and judicial review to sort these things out.

 

[ATOMonkey]

I think the 99% slogan is slightly misunderstood...

It is a political slogan highlighting income inequality, and not the idea that they represent 99% of America.... The point is that the top 1% of earners control more than 40% of the financial wealth, and 35% of the country's net worth.

Odd, I am both part of the 53% that pays taxes, and the 99%...

While a graduated tax is not required, those that take home the lions share of the nations income are always going to have to pay the most taxes... contrary to the beliefs of some, taxing minimum wage workers more is a tiny drop in the bucket.

Is there something wrong with 1% having earned 40% of the wealth?

 

[ATOMonkey]

No, but fortunately we have a legislative branch and judicial review to sort these things out.

Within the limits of the constitution of course. As that is the whole point of the document, to limit the power of the Federal Government.

 

[jayhawk]

Is there something wrong with 1% having earned 40% of the wealth?

There is when money influences policy.