What am I missing with the payroll tax increase?

[Allison]

I totally agree. I was actually going to start a thread about this bias against 'high income earners'. It doesn't make any sense to me- grow up poor, work hard, succeed on your own merit- uhm, last time I checked that was the American Dream, right?

It's funny, people rant and rave about low- income people when they think they take too much from the government (ie us)- but then there seems to be this invisible line of "too much" income, and a thought that anyone who makes that much not have earned it/by greedy/be against the middle class.

To your point above- I could have been an investment banker, but I wasn't willing to committ to the 100+ hour workweeks, grueling schedule, constant pressure. The trade off wasn't worth it to me. So when I hear how much a first- year analysts makes at Goldman Sachs, I have no right to complain. I just say 'good for them'.

You make some very good points and I have definitely noticed what you are talking about.

 

[Juliet25]

I know people who have clawed their way up from poverty, but not many and it's getting harder to do that and looking at our educational system from early childhood on thru college, it's being made harder and harder to do that. Almost all the people who are middle class or up that I know had parents who were working class or up. And, let's face it, if you're born privileged, you tend to stay privileged. You've got your parents and other connections that other people lack. You've got access to a good education that not all of the underclasses get. The skids are greased for you to stay in a good earning class if you are born to a good earning class.

I wouldn't say the opportunities aren't there, but they are small, and things are definitely NOT equal. And those opportunities are dimishing day by day by day in this country.

 

[DisneyATlast]

Personally, I don't consider a two family household making $180,000 to even be rich, but if you feel rich then more power to you!

I was simply replying to the OP's "surprise" that people who make good salaries were acting as if they would be in a hardship over the 2% increase that was ALWAYS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!!!

The phrase, "They didn't get rich by being generous" was off the top of my head, but apparently it's supposed to be, "They didn't get rich by signing checks." It a joke. Hence, the smiley face beside it. I thought it was fitting to the situation. The situation being: the OP's surprise that high income earners were acting as if they were going to be homeless over this change.

I should've known better on the disney fanatic board.

 

[rockawaybeachgirl]

I know people who have clawed their way up from poverty, but not many and it's getting harder to do that and looking at our educational system from early childhood on thru college, it's being made harder and harder to do that. Almost all the people who are middle class or up that I know had parents who were working class or up. And, let's face it, if you're born privileged, you tend to stay privileged. You've got your parents and other connections that other people lack. You've got access to a good education that not all of the underclasses get. The skids are greased for you to stay in a good earning class if you are born to a good earning class.

I wouldn't say the opportunities aren't there, but they are small, and things are definitely NOT equal. And those opportunities are dimishing day by day by day in this country.

Ok, let's even take the 'poor' factor out of the equation- for the most part, being well off takes work that not everyone is willing to put inand skills that not everyone has. I always say, connections can get you a job but they can't keep you a job. No matter how rich a kid's parents are, if he's an analyst at Goldman he ain't working a 40 hour workweek. And he will get fired if he screws up.


I totally agree that the odds are in your favor if you are born well off. That doesn't mean you don't deserve what you've earned.

As for the original point of the thread, will it be the end of the world that I'm down 6.2% from December 31? Definitely not. Do I like it? Heck no.

 

[OhioDisneyDad]

I know people who have clawed their way up from poverty, but not many and it's getting harder to do that and looking at our educational system from early childhood on thru college, it's being made harder and harder to do that. Almost all the people who are middle class or up that I know had parents who were working class or up. And, let's face it, if you're born privileged, you tend to stay privileged. You've got your parents and other connections that other people lack. You've got access to a good education that not all of the underclasses get. The skids are greased for you to stay in a good earning class if you are born to a good earning class.

I wouldn't say the opportunities aren't there, but they are small, and things are definitely NOT equal. And those opportunities are dimishing day by day by day in this country.

To quote Yoda, "That is why you fail." It's thinking and sentiment like this that are keeping you and others who think like you from succeeding. You start out thinking that the deck is already stacked against you which makes it easier for you to justify why you don't succeed the way you'd like. Work hard, put the effort in and stay the course and you WILL succeed. Change your thinking and change your life.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

To quote Yoda, "That is why you fail." It's thinking and sentiment like this that are keeping you and others who think like you from succeeding. You start out thinking that the deck is already stacked against you which makes it easier for you to justify why you don't succeed the way you'd like. Work hard, put the effort in and stay the course and you WILL succeed. Change your thinking and change your life.

DH is one who has clawed his way up from poverty. Have you? He lucked up and was born at a time when it was possible to go to college and have relatively minor bills afterwards. This is NOT true anymore.

If you've got parents who encourage you to go to school, to better yourself, who know how the system works, you honestly, honestly think that you're on the same footing as a child whose parents have never encouraged that child in school and have no idea how the system works? Really?

DH and I are comfortable but we KNOW we got lucky and we thank God everyday for that!

So, by your judgement, poor kids should just buck it up and figure out some way to succeed, despite the fact that they have no access to a decent education, or a safe place to live, or the knowledge they will have food at their house every night?

Your argument sounds supiciously like blaming someone for not tending to their garden when you've got all the rakes and hoes.

 

[OhioDisneyDad]

Your argument sounds supiciously like blaming someone for not tending to their garden when you've got all the rakes and hoes.

If you truly want a nice garden then you'll find the rakes and hoes - plenty of people do it every day. I have friends who didn't know where their next meal was coming from but they still found a way to go to college and make something of themselves. I don't recalling hearing any of them complaining about finding the right rake. They just knew they had to tend the garden no matter what. But thanks for proving my point.

And for the record, my parents were a couple hillbillies from a holler in eastern KY who started and built their own successful business. Wasn't easy but they also didn't blame others for "stacking the deck" against them. Oh, and they never went to college.

 

[Granny square]

I live in an area full of hard working people. That is only a piece of the process. People who spout the whole "change he way you think" bs are full of it. It is like the faith healer who blames the sick for not believing enough to be healed.

Nothing is that simple in life.

 

[DisneyATlast]

Most people who make over six figures didn't inherit the money - they worked hard and long hours - more than I'd be willing to do to increase my middle class income.

I'm honestly not sure if that's true or not. I know many people who have inherited money, houses, land, etc. but not many who are making 6 figures that didn't inherit anything. Of course they exist. I'm just not convinced that "most" is accurate. Either way, that's not really important.

Maybe you are complaining with your $40,000 income yet someone who only makes minimum wage thinks you don't have the right to complain either

They would be correct.

I had a co-worker a couple weeks ago complaining that they took $500 out of her check for taxes. She went on and on about it and said, "Can you believe that?!" The housekeepers and nursing assistants nearby were so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. I pulled her to the side and said, "Jane, they probably CAN'T believe that. You know why? Because most of these people's paychecks aren't even $500!" It had never crossed her mind, of course. No, it's not her fault that those people make less. It was just a stupid thing to do.

 

[DawnM]

Again, what in the world are you trying to say? If you don't want to be around Disney "fanatics" then WHY would you want to stay on this board?

And why does being a Disney "fanatic" have to do with your jokes not being taken the way you intended?

Personally, I don't consider a two family household making $180,000 to even be rich, but if you feel rich then more power to you!

I was simply replying to the OP's "surprise" that people who make good salaries were acting as if they would be in a hardship over the 2% increase that was ALWAYS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!!!

The phrase, "They didn't get rich by being generous" was off the top of my head, but apparently it's supposed to be, "They didn't get rich by signing checks." It a joke. Hence, the smiley face beside it. I thought it was fitting to the situation. The situation being: the OP's surprise that high income earners were acting as if they were going to be homeless over this change.

I should've known better on the disney fanatic board.

 

[Granny square]

I'm wondering why someone so derisive of people on a disney board is reading and posting on a disney board.

Here just a couple of weeks and already snarly.

 

[DisneyATlast]

The best place to find answers to questions about trip planning would obviously be a board full of Disney fans.

But....let's face it....adults who get excited over cartoon characters have a "different" sense of humor.

 

[DawnM]

Way to insult an entire board of people.

The best place to find answers to questions about trip planning would obviously be a board full of Disney fans.

But....let's face it....adults who get excited over cartoon characters have a "different" sense of humor.

 

[OhioDisneyDad]

I live in an area full of hard working people. That is only a piece of the process. People who spout the whole "change he way you think" bs are full of it. It is like the faith healer who blames the sick for not believing enough to be healed.

Nothing is that simple in life.

And people who think that their lot in life is due to someone else are just plain pathetic. What they're really saying is that they'd like to change their lot in life but they just don't want to put in the effort to really do it. It really IS that simple.

 

[dis-happy]

And people who think that their lot in life is due to someone else are just plain pathetic. What they're really saying is that they'd like to change their lot in life but they just don't want to put in the effort to really do it. It really IS that simple.

Wow. Let's hope you don't have any language barriers, undiagnosed learning disabilities or other disabilities that make a high school diploma impossible, lower IQ due to genetics, or any other hardship. Believe it or not there are many people in this country who work very hard and will never get beyond minimum wage.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I'm honestly not sure if that's true or not. I know many people who have inherited money, houses, land, etc. but not many who are making 6 figures that didn't inherit anything. Of course they exist. I'm just not convinced that "most" is accurate. Either way, that's not really important.

My DH didn't inherit anything and makes 6 figures. He started as a teacher, then proved himself in a new profession, worked hard, and got promoted. We don't go on trips we would like to b/c he won't take that much time off work. I'd love to do a PC cruise....2 wks off work... No way. He answers emails/calls 24/7. Nothing is handed to him.
Likewise, my 2 best friends that make 6 figures weren't handed or inherit anything either. My inlaws make oodles of money but are married to their jobs. In fact, I don't know anyone who got what they have b/c they were born into it. I would venture to say that's the minority, not the other way around.

 

[OhioDisneyDad]

Wow. Let's hope you don't have any language barriers, undiagnosed learning disabilities or other disabilities that make a high school diploma impossible, lower IQ due to genetics, or any other hardship. Believe it or not there are many people in this country who work very hard and will never get beyond minimum wage.

Here's just small sampling of successful people (millionaires & billionaires) who didn't finish high school - many of which have some sort of disability. There are many, many, many more. Sadly, many in this country have been brainwashed to believe that they can't achieve beyond their meager beginnings. It's simply a matter of drive and determination. Excuses are easy - doing is hard.

David Karp - Created Tumblr blogging site, has Asperger's syndrome, didn't finish HS
Richard Branson - Created Virgin Group and has dyslexia, didn't finish HS
Carl Linder - Created UDF, bought Chiquita Brands, didn't finish HS
Simon Cowell - Started out in the mail room of EMI records @ 16, didn't finish HS
Jim Clark - Created Shutterfly, Silicon Graphis, Netscape, didn't finish HS
John Chambers - CEO of Cisco and has dyslexia

 

[dis-happy]

Here's just small sampling of successful people (millionaires & billionaires) who didn't finish high school - many of which have some sort of disability. There are many, many, many more. Sadly, many in this country have been brainwashed to believe that they can't achieve beyond their meager beginnings. It's simply a matter of drive and determination. Excuses are easy - doing is hard.

David Karp - Created Tumblr blogging site, has Asperger's syndrome, didn't finish HS
Richard Branson - Created Virgin Group and has dyslexia, didn't finish HS
Carl Linder - Created UDF, bought Chiquita Brands, didn't finish HS
Simon Cowell - Started out in the mail room of EMI records @ 16, didn't finish HS
Jim Clark - Created Shutterfly, Silicon Graphis, Netscape, didn't finish HS
John Chambers - CEO of Cisco and has dyslexia

I know from a first hand perspective what it takes to make it to the top 10 of the Forbes list. And believe it or not, there are millions of people who work equally as hard who will never make it out of the bottom echelons of society. I spend a large portion of my time volunteering to work with them and advocating for them, as they are often treated with callousness, prejudice, and judgment. To state that there are hinderances that cannot be overcome is ridiculous.

 

[bdcp]

My DH didn't inherit anything and makes 6 figures. He started as a teacher, then proved himself in a new profession, worked hard, and got promoted. We don't go on trips we would like to b/c he won't take that much time off work. I'd love to do a PC cruise....2 wks off work... No way. He answers emails/calls 24/7. Nothing is handed to him.
Likewise, my 2 best friends that make 6 figures weren't handed or inherit anything either. My inlaws make oodles of money but are married to their jobs. In fact, I don't know anyone who got what they have b/c they were born into it. I would venture to say that's the minority, not the other way around.

Absolutely true. The vast majority of wealth in this country was not inherited. Everyone I know who makes 6 figures per year or more made it on their own. Yes, there can be luck involved for those that become very wealthy, but there's often something else, something you can't always pinpoint that got them there. My godson who did go to college has already made his first million, but not in a traditional job. He's 26 and he started his own online business with his brother. They have "something" that makes it work beyond hard work. And that, they didn't learn in school.