An email i recieved!

[honugirl]

So y'all want to tax the rich more? Guess who pays the majority of taxes already? Oh that's right, the rich people. Guess who owns the businesses out there that EMPLOY people? Oh, that's right the rich people. So, if they have to pay more taxes, their businesses might struggle more. They may have to cut more jobs. They may move overseas. How does this help anyone? Give people an incentive to have their businesses stay here. Don't give them incentives to leave. My family has a business that competes with other companies world wide. We are now struggling to stay competitive because of material costs rising, salaries rising, health care costs rising. Now pile more taxes on it and if our family wasn't so committed to keeping living wage jobs in our local area, I think that the business would go overseas. Fiscally, it makes sense.

I am currently unemployed (not collecting unemployment) due to health reasons. I did collect a dividend from our company that I've been living on. I was raked through the coals this year in taxes. This is my only income. Under Obama's plan I would pay even more which would inevitably put me in a very precarious situation. At that point, why should I be paying for other people to live? I need that money to keep myself afloat. If I could keep a bigger portion of my money, it would keep me off the government dole and able to live on my own. Isn't that much better? That's one less person the government has to take care of.

 

[Charade]

Right.

Because choosing to party your way through school is the same as working your *** off and not being able to make ends meet.

Choosing to drink your way through college is the same as working day after day after day and yet you still aren't able to provide your family with basic needs.

Okay.

I've been "schooled".

You missed the point and you're comparing school to work. Not a valid comparison nor the comparison that was being presented.

Try comparing school to school and work to work and I'm sure it'll make sense.

 

[Goofyluver]

You missed the point and you're comparing school to work. Not a valid comparison nor the comparison that was being presented.

Try comparing school to school and work to work and I'm sure it'll make sense.

I hope no one was questioning my intelligence.

Okay...we'll play it your way.

Choosing to waste your life away and make foolish decisions is the same as working day after day after day and yet you still aren't able to provide your family with basic needs.

Right-o.

I've been "worked" over.

 

[Carly_Roach]

So y'all want to tax the rich more? Guess who pays the majority of taxes already? Oh that's right, the rich people. Guess who owns the businesses out there that EMPLOY people? Oh, that's right the rich people. So, if they have to pay more taxes, their businesses might struggle more. They may have to cut more jobs. They may move overseas. How does this help anyone? Give people an incentive to have their businesses stay here. Don't give them incentives to leave. My family has a business that competes with other companies world wide. We are now struggling to stay competitive because of material costs rising, salaries rising, health care costs rising. Now pile more taxes on it and if our family wasn't so committed to keeping living wage jobs in our local area, I think that the business would go overseas. Fiscally, it makes sense.

I am currently unemployed (not collecting unemployment) due to health reasons. I did collect a dividend from our company that I've been living on. I was raked through the coals this year in taxes. This is my only income. Under Obama's plan I would pay even more which would inevitably put me in a very precarious situation. At that point, why should I be paying for other people to live? I need that money to keep myself afloat. If I could keep a bigger portion of my money, it would keep me off the government dole and able to live on my own. Isn't that much better? That's one less person the government has to take care of.

Unemployed, not collecting unemployment. May I presume that you're bringing in less than $20,000 per year?

May I also presume you're single with no children?

Obama tax savings $500
McCain tax savings $0

More Information

Learn more at BarackObama.com/taxes

Oh, you're married?

Obama tax savings $1000
McCain tax savings $0

More Information

Learn more at BarackObama.com/taxes

What's that? Married with two children?

Obama tax savings $1000

McCain tax savings $0

More Information

Learn more at BarackObama.com/taxes

Single with two children.....head of household with childcare expenses:

Obama tax savings $1379

McCain tax savings $0

More Information

Learn more at BarackObama.com/taxes

Married with two children and childcare expenses:

Obama tax savings $1907

McCain tax savings $0

More Information

Learn more at BarackObama.com/taxes

 

[honugirl]

I am single, no children. I am not comfortable disclosing the amount I make, but it is not a ton of money, it's enough to live on for now, but it is not guaranteed and most likely will need to carry over to next year as well, so divide what I had in two. Because it is in the form of a stock dividend, under Obama's plan, he would take upwards of 30% of my income.

 

[Charade]

I hope no one was questioning my intelligence.

Okay...we'll play it your way.

Choosing to waste your life away and make foolish decisions is the same as working day after day after day and yet you still aren't able to provide your family with basic needs.

Right-o.

I've been "worked" over.

That's not what the story is trying to convey.

Are you interested in a rational dialog? I am.

 

[Carly_Roach]

I am single, no children. I am not comfortable disclosing the amount I make, but it is not a ton of money, it's enough to live on for now, but it is not guaranteed and most likely will need to carry over to next year as well, so divide what I had in two. Because it is in the form of a stock dividend, under Obama's plan, he would take upwards of 30% of my income.

No the Obama plan wouldn't. If it's not a lot of money, chances are it's not greater than a quarter of a million dollars.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/08/obama-clarifies.html

ABC News' Teddy Davis, Arnab Datta, and Rigel Anderson Report: Sen. Barack Obama’s, D-Ill., top economic advisors announced on Thursday that he is seeking to raise the capital gains tax rate from 15 percent to 20 percent for those Americans making more than $250,000 per year.

“The top capital-gains rate for families making more than $250,000 would return to 20% -- the lowest rate that existed in the 1990s and the rate President Bush proposed in his 2001 tax cut. A 20% rate is almost a third lower than the rate President Reagan set in 1986,” wrote Obama advisors Jason Furman and Austan Goolsbee in Thursday’s Wall Street Journal.

If your stock dividends are more than a quarter of a million dollars, then congratulations my friend: you've done a heck of a lot better than anyone else during these economic times. Especially with the way the stocks are bungee jumping.

If your income from capital gains is less than a quarter of a million dollars, you pay 15%. If your income is greater than a quarter of a million, you'll be paying 20% (not 30%) on those capital gains - less than people who are earning a quarter of a million dollars per year. (I believe they pay 36%)

 

[Goofyluver]

That's not what the story is trying to convey.

Are you interested in a rational dialog? I am.

I responded as such (snarky) because it appeared you were questioning my intelligence. I apologize if that was not your intent.

My point is that...there are people in this country that are struggling. Struggling. There are people that aren't looking for any hand-outs. They're not looking for help. But, in the same breathe, they can't get by without it.

In my line of work I meet these people every day. Every day. They are not looking to be cared for. These people bust humps every day and are still not able to make ends meet...for one reason or another. They make enough money to pick and choose which bills to pay. One month it may be the heat and some groceries, the next month maybe it's the rent. Some of them struggle, and make too much to qualify for assistance.

This is about putting a few extra dollars in the hands of these people who work and work and are still struggling. BO's tax cuts on these "middle class workers" will do just that.

What do we do for these people?

ETA: Tax cuts are not wealth redistribution.

 

[KikiFan]

Not everyone has it within them to make a very lucrative living but the potential is there. That is the American Dream. It's up to you to make it and for the government to stay out of the way as much as possible. They should not be in the business of "leveling the playing field".

Oh for heavens sake a few extra hundred bucks at tax time doesn't "level the playing field" If you're really making $250,000 or more a year you can rest comfortably in your superiority. You'll always have more, the better cars, the better health insurance, better vacations, and pretty much everything.

All we're trying to do is make sure some of the working poor have a little extra for the basics of life. The things you take for granted - things like being able to get the meds they need, getting a tooth fixed when it cracks, replace a fridge when it dies.

Maybe if you stopped looking at it as your life being diminished, and look at it as helping those that aren't as blessed as you; you might see that it's actually the decent thing to do.

 

["Got Disney"]

I don't even know what to say to that. We are the only first-world nation that allows the kind of poverty that we have here to continue, that allows so many people to live without health coverage. Not much of an American dream.

We are not talking about helping with poverty...we are talking about giving money to middle class families....

Right.

Because choosing to party your way through school is the same as working your *** off and not being able to make ends meet.

I responded as such (snarky) because it appeared you were questioning my intelligence. I apologize if that was not your intent.

My point is that...there are people in this country that are struggling. Struggling. There are people that aren't looking for any hand-outs. They're not looking for help. But, in the same breathe, they can't get by without it.

In my line of work I meet these people every day. Every day. They are not looking to be cared for. These people bust humps every day and are still not able to make ends meet...for one reason or another. They make enough money to pick and choose which bills to pay. One month it may be the heat and some groceries, the next month maybe it's the rent. Some of them struggle, and make too much to qualify for assistance.

This is about putting a few extra dollars in the hands of these people who work and work and are still struggling. BO's tax cuts on these "middle class workers" will do just that.

What do we do for these people?

ETA: Tax cuts are not wealth redistribution.

WE should not have to do anything for these people ....it is called fiscal responsibility....they need to get another Job, move to a State where they can find better work....go to collage....what ever it takes. If they are not making enough to pay there bills and working there butts off than something is wrong with that picture...they are spending moneys in places they should not.....

they most likely dont want to cur back on anything....I have watched the S. Orman show and on Oprah where families are working 2 Jobs yet have no money for food....why...because they are paying off 2 expensive cars...home they cant afford....eating out 3 times a week.....hooked on Starbucks....just bought a new LCD TV....has all the cable stations possible and so on and so on.....


You have a home you cant afford...than move out and rent...if ya cant sell it....let it go in foreclosure or find some roommates to move in.....cant find a job, go on the Internet and look for the states that are in the green and move there.....want more money, Go back to school......

search and ye shall find.....I would move to the end of the earth if it meant that I had to...no ifs ends or buts.....

So to those of you that feel it is deserved.....do you also feel that you deserve peoples moneys that make $250,000 and over...do you feel entitled to it ...I would like to know....

 

[nosoupforyou]

[QUOTE="Got Disney";28372421]Yes everyone can go to college......everyone if they so choose......just because someone chooses to make $10 an hr does not mean that I should give my hard earned money to those that chose not to.

I grew up poor...so did DH...matter of fact many times our neighbors fed us. I new that I did not want to live like that for the rest of my life. I wanted much more. I even was a 15 year old school drop out.

I pulled my self up went and got my GED..applied to a community Collage, got grants...and Than went to Nursing School. As I worked my way through school. I than Went for my BA...than my Masters.

I also did this not being able to drive due to Epilepsy and on 900 mgs of downs a day(my medicines)....I would have at least 2 seizures a month till at the age of 28 they found a medicine that worked for me.

It took DH and I 30 years to get where we are today and it was not easy...
so to give our hard earned moneys to those that chose to settle for $10.00 an hr...

I am not talking about the poor ...we should all help them....but the GOV gives them Welfare and housing....it is the middle class that does not deserve my hard earned moneys.

We lived in NJ and found that if we moved to Ca we would have a better opportunity to better succeed...so we did. We put off having kids till I was 37 because we wanted our kids to have what we did not as kids....A nice home in a nice area and a better dream for the future. They know have that.

The American Dream is out there if one is willing to go looking for it and work for it. Nothing good ever comes free...there is always a cost. Some choose to take that road and some chose to settle for less.

Nothing wrong with that....but to take moneys from the ones that have chose to not......is not fair.

A Dr for example.....goes to Medical school..studies many many hrs, internship of 12 hrs a day for years, high cost of loans....it is gruelling to say the least to want to practice medicine....than comes a long a person that settled to not go through all that and make say $50,000 a year or less....

this Dr that has sacrificed so much should give his moneys to those that have not.....sorry this is a battle that will never win with me....[/QUOTE]

May I ask you Robin, what is it that you personally do for a living?

 

[Goofyluver]

[QUOTE="Got Disney";28381052]We are not talking about helping with poverty...we are talking about giving money to middle class families....

WE should not have to do anything for these people ....it is called fiscal responsibility....they need to get another Job, move to a State where they can find better work....go to collage....what ever it takes. If they are not making enough to pay there bills and working there butts off than something is wrong with that picture...they are spending moneys in places they should not.....

they most likely dont want to cur back on anything....I have watched the S. Orman show and on Oprah where families are working 2 Jobs yet have no money for food....why...because they are paying off 2 expensive cars...home they cant afford....eating out 3 times a week.....hooked on Starbucks....just bought a new LCD TV....has all the cable stations possible and so on and so on.....


You have a home you cant afford...than move out and rent...if ya cant sell it....let it go in foreclosure or find some roommates to move in.....cant find a job, go on the Internet and look for the states that are in the green and move there.....want more money, Go back to school......

search and ye shall find.....I would move to the end of the earth if it meant that I had to...no ifs ends or buts.....

So to those of you that feel it is deserved.....do you also feel that you deserve peoples moneys that make $250,000 and over...do you feel entitled to it ...I would like to know....[/QUOTE]

Again...tax cuts are not redistributing the wealth.

And if only things really were black and white...just like you posted. But, real life isn't that way.

I have dedicated my life to helping others. Call me a socialist if it makes you feel better. Whatever you need to label my concern for my fellow man...go ahead. I'll take that label with pride. I'll plaster it on my forehead for everyone to see.

People are struggling. I see people every day...every day...that are doing everything they can. They make too much money to qualify for assistance, but not enough to provide their family the "American Dream". To deny that this group of people exists is disengenuous.

Healthcare costs too much money...so if something catastrophic happens...they are SOL. Our economy is in the tank...and mommy loses her job due to job cuts (and mommy has a college education)...and now mommy and daddy can't afford the mortgage.

Things happen. People work and work and work...and sometimes it's still not enough. For whatever reason.

Do I OWE these people anything? Do you OWE these people anything?

While I won't answer for you, I will say that I feel an obligation to those who are less fortunate than myself. I am very blessed, and I have no issue with helping my fellow man.

However, Barack's plan is not a hand-out, it is a TAX CUT. The tax increase on those making over $250,000/year (only a very small percentage of Americans) will bring us back to Clinton-era tax levels. Were the rich not rich then?

I'm tired of the fat cats at the top making bank and sitting high while others are struggling. Trickle down economics is a farce.

Label me how you want. Call me a socialist.

But, people are struggling. And I see nothing wrong with offering middle class tax cuts. That's not redistributing ANYTHING. It's lessening the tax burden on a group of people...many of whom desperately need a little extra in their pockets at the end of the day.

 

[honugirl]

For example, lets say I get a $45,000 stock dividend. Take 15% off that, that's $6750. That leaves me with $38,250. Now, tell me, how much taxes would someone earning $45,000 have to pay and tell me if it's fair or not? If it's equal, I'll concede, but if it's not, then I feel free to have the freedom to gripe about it. It's not my fault I can't work. If I wasn't sick, believe me, I'd rather be banking this money for future use...

 

[crazyforgoofy]

Again...tax cuts are not redistributing the wealth.

And if only things really were black and white...just like you posted. But, real life isn't that way.

I have dedicated my life to helping others. Call me a socialist if it makes you feel better. Whatever you need to label my concern for my fellow man...go ahead. I'll take that label with pride. I'll plaster it on my forehead for everyone to see.

People are struggling. I see people every day...every day...that are doing everything they can. They make too much money to qualify for assistance, but not enough to provide their family the "American Dream". To deny that this group of people exists is disengenuous.

Healthcare costs too much money...so if something catastrophic happens...they are SOL. Our economy is in the tank...and mommy loses her job due to job cuts (and mommy has a college education)...and now mommy and daddy can't afford the mortgage.

Things happen. People work and work and work...and sometimes it's still not enough. For whatever reason.

Do I OWE these people anything? Do you OWE these people anything?

While I won't answer for you, I will say that I feel an obligation to those who are less fortunate than myself. I am very blessed, and I have no issue with helping my fellow man.

However, Barack's plan is not a hand-out, it is a TAX CUT. The tax increase on those making over $250,000/year (only a very small percentage of Americans) will bring us back to Clinton-era tax levels. Were the rich not rich then?

I'm tired of the fat cats at the top making bank and sitting high while others are struggling. Trickle down economics is a farce.

Label me how you want. Call me a socialist.

But, people are struggling. And I see nothing wrong with offering middle class tax cuts. That's not redistributing ANYTHING. It's lessening the tax burden on a group of people...many of whom desperately need a little extra in their pockets at the end of the day.

Well said. Thanks. If you're a socialist then move over cause I'm one too.

 

[Goofyluver]

Well said. Thanks. If you're a socialist then move over cause I'm one too.

Scooting over to make room...

 

[crazyforgoofy]

Good for you. I think everything you accomplished is commendable. But you are naive if you think that everyone can do the same thing you did. There are many people who cannot go to college. Some for financial reasons, some because they literally aren't cut out for it, some aren't physically capable. Not every single person can go to college, get a great paying white collar job.

But beyond that have you ever seriously considered what your life would be like if every single person out there got a college degree and moved into middle class?

-who would bus your tables?
-who would build your homes? fix your roof?
-mow your lawn,
-change the oil in your car?

We need these people in out society, and the least we can do in return is make sure the basics are taken care of.



Oh for heavens sake a few extra hundred bucks at tax time doesn't "level the playing field" If you're really making $250,000 or more a year you can rest comfortably in your superiority. You'll always have more, the better cars, the better health insurance, better vacations, and pretty much everything.

All we're trying to do is make sure some of the working poor have a little extra for the basics of life. The things you take for granted - things like being able to get the meds they need, getting a tooth fixed when it cracks, replace a fridge when it dies.

Maybe if you stopped looking at it as your life being diminished, and look at it as helping those that aren't as blessed as you; you might see that it's actually the decent thing to do.

 

[JennaTX]

Again...tax cuts are not redistributing the wealth.

And if only things really were black and white...just like you posted. But, real life isn't that way.

I have dedicated my life to helping others. Call me a socialist if it makes you feel better. Whatever you need to label my concern for my fellow man...go ahead. I'll take that label with pride. I'll plaster it on my forehead for everyone to see.

People are struggling. I see people every day...every day...that are doing everything they can. They make too much money to qualify for assistance, but not enough to provide their family the "American Dream". To deny that this group of people exists is disengenuous.

Healthcare costs too much money...so if something catastrophic happens...they are SOL. Our economy is in the tank...and mommy loses her job due to job cuts (and mommy has a college education)...and now mommy and daddy can't afford the mortgage.

Things happen. People work and work and work...and sometimes it's still not enough. For whatever reason.

Do I OWE these people anything? Do you OWE these people anything?

While I won't answer for you, I will say that I feel an obligation to those who are less fortunate than myself. I am very blessed, and I have no issue with helping my fellow man.

However, Barack's plan is not a hand-out, it is a TAX CUT. The tax increase on those making over $250,000/year (only a very small percentage of Americans) will bring us back to Clinton-era tax levels. Were the rich not rich then?

I'm tired of the fat cats at the top making bank and sitting high while others are struggling. Trickle down economics is a farce.

Label me how you want. Call me a socialist.

But, people are struggling. And I see nothing wrong with offering middle class tax cuts. That's not redistributing ANYTHING. It's lessening the tax burden on a group of people...many of whom desperately need a little extra in their pockets at the end of the day.

EXACTLY!!!

Thanks for your post, you put into words what I could not come up with as well as you did.

 

[shortbun]

Color me skeptical. Had you doubled the waiter's tip and also given cash to the homeless man, removing extra money from yourself, THAT would have been more like what we want to accomplish. You see, the redistribution of wealth will not come from people on a waiter's salary but from people like you who have lots to give. And-thanks!

 

[AndyLL]

I don't get it.

No one is suggesting that the top rates go up to the 50% it was under Reagan or the 70-90% it was before.

The top 2 rates are going up to what it was under Clinton. The economy and rich did just fine under Clinton.

In any case most of the riches income comes from dividends and cap gains, not payroll.

They will be taxed at 20% which is a lower rate then I pay.

I would be more then happy to keep the top rates low if ALL income, including Cap Gains and Dividends were taxed that that rate.

For some reason the same people that complain that it isn't fair that the rich have to pay a higher rate on payroll income don't seem to be complainng that the rich pay a lower rate on much of their income.

 

[minnie61650]

For example, lets say I get a $45,000 stock dividend. Take 15% off that, that's $6750. That leaves me with $38,250. Now, tell me, how much taxes would someone earning $45,000 have to pay and tell me if it's fair or not? If it's equal, I'll concede, but if it's not, then I feel free to have the freedom to gripe about it. It's not my fault I can't work. If I wasn't sick, believe me, I'd rather be banking this money for future use...

Please note the rate of 15% tax on dividends was voted by congress in 2003.
Under the Obama plan if your income does not exceeed $250,00 Your taxes will not increase.

---------------------------------------------------------
From this site:

http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/article/0,,id=164272,00.html

Schedule X — Single

31,850 $77,100 $4,386.25 plus 25% of the amount over 31,850

Not great at math but I will try to figure it out.
PLease bear with me since I am doing this long hand.
If someone catches a mistake please feel free to help me out.

$45,000-31,850= $14,150

25% of $14,150 is about $3,537.25

$4,386.25 + $3,537.25= $7,923.50
-------------------------------------------

If my figures are correct you are currently paying less taxes with the dividend than if you had earned income.