Do the rich have moral obligation to help the poor?

[Random010203]

Saying "it just wouldn't work with 300 million people" several different ways might be a talking point, but it's a bad one. I counter with "it could work even better with 300 million people. Reason: more people getting health care means massive job growth." You're into making more jobs right?

I made several other talking points in list form, check my submission.

[spanishninja]

Except they are really keen on trying to get out of doing that, too.

Uh, everybody in their right mind are also doing what they can to pay as little tax as possible. That's why H&R Block is a thing.

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That true on the federal level, but most states in America have a state income tax, so while 50% of American don't pay federal income tax, pretty much all Americans pay state income tax. I would also like to point out that corporate income tax makes up on average only about 2% of state tax and local revenue; whereas, 20% of state and local tax revenue comes from individual income tax, 2% comes from motor vehicle license tax, 35% comes from property tax, and 34% comes from sales tax. Now it's nos stretch of the imagination to say that in a country with 330 million people, the majority of sales tax is not paid by the top 10% and the majority or real estate is not owned by the top 10% (although that one is a probably a bit closer), so the states themselves are primarily funded by the middle and lower class while the federal government is primarily funded by the top 10%.

Now, to sum things up, the total estimated tax revenue for 2016 is $6.6 trillion with $3.3 trillion being collected by the federal government, $1.9 trillion collected by state governments, and $1.4 trillion collected by local governments. If we crunch some numbers the top 10% (which I'm including corporation in) provides $1.881 trillion to the federal government and $66 billion to state and local governments plus a majority of state income tax leaving the top 10% at a solid $1.947 trillion plus a majority of $660 billion. Now if we take a look at the tax contributions from the lower classes we have $1.419 trillion collected by the federal government. Now, because I don't have concrete numbers on the percentage of state and local tax paid by the lower classes I can't say exactly how much they pay, but we can reasonably assume that because of the sheer number of people who are not in the top 10% that they contribute more to the state/local sales tax, motor vehicle license tax, and property tax, so a majority of 71% of state/local tax revenue comes from the lower classes. This would be a majority of $2.343 trillion thus the lower classes pay a solid $1.419 trillion plus a majority of $2.343 trillion

The point is that when looking at total tax revenue, that image of the rich paying hand over fist in taxes becomes quite absurd not to mention the fact that CEO's and executives make more of their money through stocks and not through salary which means that the high income tax rates that they always complain about do not apply to a majority of their yearly earnings. In fact only about 33% of CEO pay comes from salary and 54% comes from stock options, so while they typically pay the 40% income tax on their salary, they only pay a 20% capital gains tax on their stocks if they liquidate them which means that they pay half the taxes on a majority of their income.

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Actually, it's a common practice in STEM fields for workers to sign away all rights to any and all intellectual property they develop while employed with that company. Now that does cover stuff that they design as part of their job, but it also covers things that the workers develop on their own time with their own resources, so in effect, the companies and corporations are stifling innovation by removing the incentive to create from those most apt to invent by undermining the workers right to their intellectual property. I mean this undermines this "primary mark of what makes a capitalist system successful" yet the state does not step in to protect the intellectual property rights of the individual. And if you wanna argue that if they sign over their rights then it's their fault then think about the phrase "standard practice". When such a practice is so widespread it leaves the employee with two options. First, sign away their rights and get a paycheck which leads to a tamping down on innovation because those with the skills to invent have no incentive to do so, or second, decide to not sign away their rights and not get a job because no one will hire you unless you sign away your rights to your intellectual property.

Regarding your statement about property taxes, the rich are obviously paying more property taxes than people who don't pay federal income tax, simply from the fact that the latter group isn't likely to own property.