Do you think citizens on food stamps should be able to buy junk food?

[eriseis]

Yeah I saw a video on youtube about one of the Wall Street protests and some woman kept berating this guy that is part of the 1% saying he needs to pay more in taxes and stuff like that. The guy eventually shut her up by telling exactly how much he pays every year which was more than 5 years worth of her salary. Sometimes people just don't understand that someone else with more money has it just as hard/harder than they do.

Alright, let's put it in perspective.

Johnny makes 20k a year, pays X%. That X% could've made the difference between a better doctor, a better insurance, higher-quality food, et cetera.

Mary makes 250k a year, pays X%. That X% could've made the difference between her going to the Bahamas, getting 3 iPads instead of 2, buying a new Mercedes.

People need to stop thinking about brute percentages. It's quality of life that matters. If I have 1000 dollars, giving away 200 won't hurt as bad, in the sense of satisfying needs, as if I had 100 and I gave away 15.

[shootyadead]

Alright, let's put it in perspective.

Johnny makes 20k a year, pays X%. That X% could've made the difference between a better doctor, a better insurance, higher-quality food, et cetera.

Mary makes 250k a year, pays X%. That X% could've made the difference between her going to the Bahamas, getting 3 iPads instead of 2, buying a new Mercedes.

People need to stop thinking about brute percentages. It's quality of life that matters. If I have 1000 dollars, giving away 200 won't hurt as bad, in the sense of satisfying needs, as if I had 100 and I gave away 15.

I understand that, but can you reasonably ask someone to pay X% more just because they make more? I know the brackets change and go up with higher income. But at what point is X% too much? If he makes 1million a year are you gonna ask him to pay 900k of that? I don't know the exact percentages of the brackets, but I think there has to be a point where you say ok we can't take any more from this guy he's paid his dues.

Also to note that people in the lower brackets are much more likely to receive money back from their taxes than those in the upper brackets. I know I always get back more than I put in because I have kids and I'm in the lower brackets.

[Wells]

I'm sure he probably made well over that. The thing is she kept calling him out over paying more taxes until she realized he pays over 5 years worth of her salary at once to taxes. I am usually on the protestors side when it's something like that but in a case like that you can't really argue with the man.

yes I can. What he paid in comparison to her is only half the issue. If he made that much more than her then yes he should be paying that much more than her.

Its not even a good sound bite.

I understand that, but can you reasonably ask someone to pay X% more just because they make more?

yes.

but I think there has to be a point where you say ok we can't take any more from this guy he's paid his dues.

And we're no where close to that.

[Twiddly]

yes I can. What he paid in comparison to her is only half the issue. If he made that much more than her then yes he should be paying that much more than her.

Its not even a good sound bite.



yes.



And we're no where close to that.

what would you say is a good % in my mothers case? She makes 120,000 gross a year, and pays in 30,000 of that to federal taxes, so 90,000, then state taxes (Which I will not even get into since they vary)

Then you compare her to someone making 22,000 a year, almost 100,000 less, getting 6000 in taxes back, about 4000 -the 2000 she spent in.


Does that seem fair to you? Or is the actual % something different?

Does working for 30 years, getting a masters in something mean anything? Or should they simply have to pay more, because they make more?

[shootyadead]

yes I can. What he paid in comparison to her is only half the issue. If he made that much more than her then yes he should be paying that much more than her.

Its not even a good sound bite.



yes.



And we're no where close to that.

I think you just like arguing with me lol. I know that he should pay more because he made more. I don't have a problem with that. But you cannot expect someone to pay 80% or 90% of their income because they make more. You say we're nowhere close to the point where you say enough is enough, so what point is that?

[wbjack]

As a corner store employee, I see the same situation all the time. Customer pulls up in some expensive car, blows 4 or 5 Jacksons on scratch tickets, and then bitches to me when we don't take Link (Illinois stamps card). Total abuse of the system.

[Clockwork Pinkie]

Yes, food is food. If a kid is starving on the side of the street...or if you really hate kids, the girl of your dreams is starving and about to die on the side of the street and all you have with you is Doritos. Are you really going to sit there and be like "Hmm but it's junk food, I can't give this to her" or think she'll say "But it's junk food, why would I eat that?" Food is food, so food stamps should be able to buy it, really only common sense there. It's feeding people, it's saving lives, that's most that our tax-player money can do. I'd be more upset about other things your tax dollar is being used for.

[eriseis]

I understand that, but can you reasonably ask someone to pay X% more just because they make more? I know the brackets change and go up with higher income. But at what point is X% too much? If he makes 1million a year are you gonna ask him to pay 900k of that? I don't know the exact percentages of the brackets, but I think there has to be a point where you say ok we can't take any more from this guy he's paid his dues.

Also to note that people in the lower brackets are much more likely to receive money back from their taxes than those in the upper brackets. I know I always get back more than I put in because I have kids and I'm in the lower brackets.

This is a completely different argument than what I originally responded to. Furthermore, the limit is 35%, so no room for hyperbolic scenarios.

Fine, people in lower brackets get money back. But to support my argument. The money you get back helps with your needs as a parent, the money the millionaire didn't get back well, he already has enough to support his family.

Also, remember the whole Romney tax PR fiasco? At some point, I can pay an accountant to play my numbers within the tax legal framework so I end up reducing my taxes or earn income through investments and pay jsut 15% of taxes. People in lower brackets can't do that. Warren Buffet, one of the 3 richest men in the world paid less in taxes in proportion to this income than his secretary.

[shootyadead]

what would you say is a good % in my mothers case? She makes 120,000 gross a year, and pays in 30,000 of that to federal taxes, so 90,000, then state taxes (Which I will not even get into since they vary)

Then you compare her to someone making 22,000 a year, almost 100,000 less, getting 6000 in taxes back, about 4000 -the 2000 she spent in.


Does that seem fair to you? Or is the actual % something different?

Does working for 30 years, getting a masters in something mean anything? Or should they simply have to pay more, because they make more?

So your mom is basically paying 25% of her income into taxes, before State taxes as you said. I'm guessing that's about right for the income bracket (I honestly have no clue what they are or what the percentages are). It does seem like the government punishes you for making more money and rewards those who make less. It's an odd thing no matter which side you are on, and to be in the middle has to be even worse.

[Wells]

what would you say is a good % in my mothers case? She makes 120,000 gross a year, and pays in 30,000 of that to federal taxes, so 90,000, then state taxes (Which I will not even get into since they vary)

Its 3am. I hate doing math when I'm fully awake as is.

getting a masters in something mean anything?

Yes it does. She got mucho tax breaks for it and the debt she incurred.

But you cannot expect someone to pay 80% or 90% of their income because they make more.

No one is saying they should. Obama wanted to raise them to something like 35%. Historically that's incredibly low.

[shootyadead]

This is a completely different argument than what I originally responded to. Furthermore, the limit is 35%, so no room for hyperbolic scenarios.

Fine, people in lower brackets get money back. But to support my argument. The money you get back helps with your needs as a parent, the money the millionaire didn't get back well, he already has enough to support his family.

Also, remember the whole Romney tax PR fiasco and the Warren Buffet? At some point, I can pay an accountant to play my numbers within the tax legal framework so I end up reducing my taxes or earn income through investments and pay jsut 15% of taxes. People in lower brackets can't do that. Warren Buffet, one of the 3 richest men in the world paid less in taxes in proportion to this income than his secretary.

Yeah I remember reading about that with Warren Buffet. That's rediculous. I didn't know the limit was 35% so no I don't guess that is too much at all to ask for those making millions. In fact I'd say past a certain point in millions it should go up even more. But that's not up to me.

[Deleted]

I want to make 200k eur a year Currently im making 3.6k eur a year :P And i use food stamps to buy pizza 1x a month, because i love pizza and cant afford it more than 1x a month. Rest of food stamps is used to buy groceries.

[Wells]

I want to make 200k eur a year Currently im making 3.6k eur a year :P And i use food stamps to buy pizza 1x a month, because i love pizza and cant afford it more than 1x a month. Rest of food stamps is used to buy groceries.

Oh you greedy sonofabitch




I'm joking I'm joking

[eriseis]

Yeah I remember reading about that with Warren Buffet. That's rediculous. I didn't know the limit was 35% so no I don't guess that is too much at all to ask for those making millions. In fact I'd say past a certain point in millions it should go up even more. But that's not up to me.

Another example. My boyfriend's former boss is a college professor and she's married to another college professor. They make a combined income of 300k for 9 months of work plus summer courses plus w/e money in grants they make. She used to pay him less than 30k. The lady (to not get banned for calling her what I'd love to call her) has one child, a 7-year old with an iPhone and an iPad and who is in a private school with better security than government buildings.

Is it fair to take out money from a grad student spending half his income in rent and who has to work 2 other jobs to break even and take the same percentage of income from his boss?

[shootyadead]

Another example. My boyfriend's former boss is a college professor and she's married to another college professor. They make a combined income of 300k for 9 months of work plus summer courses plus w/e money in grants they make. She used to pay him less than 30k. The lady (to not get banned for calling her what I'd love to call her) has one child, a 7-year old with an iPhone and an iPad and who is in a private school with better security than government buildings.

Is it fair to take out money from a grad student spending half his income in rent and who has to work 2 other jobs to break even and take the same percentage of income from his boss?

No it's not fair at all. Again I never realized how skewed the numbers are in the different brackets. Honestly let's just do away with money altogether and go back to bartering goods and services (no not prostitution lol).

[Twiddly]

Oh you greedy sonofabitch




I'm joking I'm joking

TORCH HIM! PIZZA IS A JUNK FOOD LUXURY!


I do not agree with you saying my mom got mucho tax breaks because of her education. Unfortunetly for my family, she did not get massive government grants for it, and she spent the time in college studying and *LE GASP* volunteering at a local welfare clinic instead of working; I'm sure if there is such a thing she is going to heaven, but today, in the real world?

[Wells]

I do not agree with you saying my mom got mucho tax breaks because of her education.

This is funny because I got a huge tax break for it.

Sounds like she did her taxes poorly.

[eriseis]

No it's not fair at all. Again I never realized how skewed the numbers are in the different brackets. Honestly let's just do away with money altogether and go back to bartering goods and services (no not prostitution lol).

As long as we don't do that in WoW. I like my AH gold too much.

[Twiddly]

This is funny because I got a huge tax break for it.

Sounds like she did her taxes poorly.

Twas in a different time perhaps, I was not around for her college career :P Maybe it is because she has a government job now, it seems like they get less compensation for more work at VA clinics. Not that she complains about it, but I sure do! I have personally seen job offers from private companies that will pay for relocation costs, AND more then triple her current salary, and she still works for the VA.

[shootyadead]

As long as we don't do that in WoW. I like my AH gold too much.

Same here. I can't believe they are going to charge like 4 or 5 seperate charges to play the RMAH in Diablo3.

---------- Post added 2012-03-06 at 10:37 AM ----------

Twas in a different time perhaps, I was not around for her college career :P Maybe it is because she has a government job now, it seems like they get less compensation for more work at VA clinics. Not that she complains about it, but I sure do! I have personally seen job offers from private companies that will pay for relocation costs, AND more then triple her current salary, and she still works for the VA.

Seems like she really loves what she does, and you said earlier that she doesn't complain about it at all so she's definitely a saint, especially considering I know how bad it can be dealing with people at the VA.