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June 29, 2008 at 10:25 AM #230945June 29, 2008 at 10:30 AM #230765jficquetteParticipant
[quote=afx114]If we want to talk about fairness in taxes, we should also look at how the smaller states receive way more benefits from the federal taxes than they put in. California, New York, etc, are paying the lions share of taxes, with a big majority of those funds going towards smaller states. All of the people in small states calling for lower taxes should realize that they’re not even paying their fair share to begin with.[/quote]
I agree. Our system is gradually becoming one founded on redistribution of wealth which is not the way our system was designed to operate.
June 29, 2008 at 10:30 AM #230888jficquetteParticipant[quote=afx114]If we want to talk about fairness in taxes, we should also look at how the smaller states receive way more benefits from the federal taxes than they put in. California, New York, etc, are paying the lions share of taxes, with a big majority of those funds going towards smaller states. All of the people in small states calling for lower taxes should realize that they’re not even paying their fair share to begin with.[/quote]
I agree. Our system is gradually becoming one founded on redistribution of wealth which is not the way our system was designed to operate.
June 29, 2008 at 10:30 AM #230899jficquetteParticipant[quote=afx114]If we want to talk about fairness in taxes, we should also look at how the smaller states receive way more benefits from the federal taxes than they put in. California, New York, etc, are paying the lions share of taxes, with a big majority of those funds going towards smaller states. All of the people in small states calling for lower taxes should realize that they’re not even paying their fair share to begin with.[/quote]
I agree. Our system is gradually becoming one founded on redistribution of wealth which is not the way our system was designed to operate.
June 29, 2008 at 10:30 AM #230936jficquetteParticipant[quote=afx114]If we want to talk about fairness in taxes, we should also look at how the smaller states receive way more benefits from the federal taxes than they put in. California, New York, etc, are paying the lions share of taxes, with a big majority of those funds going towards smaller states. All of the people in small states calling for lower taxes should realize that they’re not even paying their fair share to begin with.[/quote]
I agree. Our system is gradually becoming one founded on redistribution of wealth which is not the way our system was designed to operate.
June 29, 2008 at 10:30 AM #230949jficquetteParticipant[quote=afx114]If we want to talk about fairness in taxes, we should also look at how the smaller states receive way more benefits from the federal taxes than they put in. California, New York, etc, are paying the lions share of taxes, with a big majority of those funds going towards smaller states. All of the people in small states calling for lower taxes should realize that they’re not even paying their fair share to begin with.[/quote]
I agree. Our system is gradually becoming one founded on redistribution of wealth which is not the way our system was designed to operate.
June 29, 2008 at 2:44 PM #230882gandalfParticipantUntil the issue of what constitutes income is resolved in a fair and consistent way, any discussions of the value of relative tax rates by income level are meaningless. Wealth is accrued at the high-end through a variety of channels, both directly and through indirect vehicles that provide access to wealth.
(Low income people have little wealth to speak of, and comparably little income, so ignore the bottom quintile.)
As for the upper four quintiles, wealth distribution has shifted dramatically away from the middle quintiles and towards the upper quintile over the past 30 years. Labor hours per household have increased and household incomes remain stagnant. Explain the relative increase in wealth in the upper quintile? Income, no?
The tax system is skewed away from the middle class and towards the wealthy through the use of sophisticated tax shelters and tax accounting mechanisms. A discussion of tax policy isn’t meaningful until it addresses tax avoidance and the definition of income (year over year accumulation of wealth).
June 29, 2008 at 2:44 PM #231003gandalfParticipantUntil the issue of what constitutes income is resolved in a fair and consistent way, any discussions of the value of relative tax rates by income level are meaningless. Wealth is accrued at the high-end through a variety of channels, both directly and through indirect vehicles that provide access to wealth.
(Low income people have little wealth to speak of, and comparably little income, so ignore the bottom quintile.)
As for the upper four quintiles, wealth distribution has shifted dramatically away from the middle quintiles and towards the upper quintile over the past 30 years. Labor hours per household have increased and household incomes remain stagnant. Explain the relative increase in wealth in the upper quintile? Income, no?
The tax system is skewed away from the middle class and towards the wealthy through the use of sophisticated tax shelters and tax accounting mechanisms. A discussion of tax policy isn’t meaningful until it addresses tax avoidance and the definition of income (year over year accumulation of wealth).
June 29, 2008 at 2:44 PM #231015gandalfParticipantUntil the issue of what constitutes income is resolved in a fair and consistent way, any discussions of the value of relative tax rates by income level are meaningless. Wealth is accrued at the high-end through a variety of channels, both directly and through indirect vehicles that provide access to wealth.
(Low income people have little wealth to speak of, and comparably little income, so ignore the bottom quintile.)
As for the upper four quintiles, wealth distribution has shifted dramatically away from the middle quintiles and towards the upper quintile over the past 30 years. Labor hours per household have increased and household incomes remain stagnant. Explain the relative increase in wealth in the upper quintile? Income, no?
The tax system is skewed away from the middle class and towards the wealthy through the use of sophisticated tax shelters and tax accounting mechanisms. A discussion of tax policy isn’t meaningful until it addresses tax avoidance and the definition of income (year over year accumulation of wealth).
June 29, 2008 at 2:44 PM #231051gandalfParticipantUntil the issue of what constitutes income is resolved in a fair and consistent way, any discussions of the value of relative tax rates by income level are meaningless. Wealth is accrued at the high-end through a variety of channels, both directly and through indirect vehicles that provide access to wealth.
(Low income people have little wealth to speak of, and comparably little income, so ignore the bottom quintile.)
As for the upper four quintiles, wealth distribution has shifted dramatically away from the middle quintiles and towards the upper quintile over the past 30 years. Labor hours per household have increased and household incomes remain stagnant. Explain the relative increase in wealth in the upper quintile? Income, no?
The tax system is skewed away from the middle class and towards the wealthy through the use of sophisticated tax shelters and tax accounting mechanisms. A discussion of tax policy isn’t meaningful until it addresses tax avoidance and the definition of income (year over year accumulation of wealth).
June 29, 2008 at 2:44 PM #231065gandalfParticipantUntil the issue of what constitutes income is resolved in a fair and consistent way, any discussions of the value of relative tax rates by income level are meaningless. Wealth is accrued at the high-end through a variety of channels, both directly and through indirect vehicles that provide access to wealth.
(Low income people have little wealth to speak of, and comparably little income, so ignore the bottom quintile.)
As for the upper four quintiles, wealth distribution has shifted dramatically away from the middle quintiles and towards the upper quintile over the past 30 years. Labor hours per household have increased and household incomes remain stagnant. Explain the relative increase in wealth in the upper quintile? Income, no?
The tax system is skewed away from the middle class and towards the wealthy through the use of sophisticated tax shelters and tax accounting mechanisms. A discussion of tax policy isn’t meaningful until it addresses tax avoidance and the definition of income (year over year accumulation of wealth).
June 29, 2008 at 3:08 PM #230897anParticipant[quote=gandalf]
As for the upper four quintiles, wealth distribution has shifted dramatically away from the middle quintiles and towards the upper quintile over the past 30 years. Labor hours per household have increased and household incomes remain stagnant. Explain the relative increase in wealth in the upper quintile? Income, no?
[/quote]
Could the savings rate and today’s generation of I want it and I want it now mentality exacerbated this distribution? Rich people will always be able to buy all the luxury stuff they want and they can afford it easily. However, today, you have a lot of middle class people trying to look rich or just want those luxury things now. Which in essence, reduced the cash they have to invest to make more money. I see more and more luxury things being bought by the middle class. If they would save more, in due time, they would become wealthy, but we all know the American way is to have our things and to have it now. So, yes, income has only risen in lock step with reported inflation, but spending habit does a bigger number on wealth creation. We all know it’s not how much you make, but how much you spend that really matter.Another example of our spending habit is in the housing market. People of past generation would wait and save for a down payment before buying their first house. But now, you have people going out, buying the biggest house the bank is willing to let them with 0% down, etc. Then they complain they don’t make enough. How about spending less, so that you actually have $ left over to save.
June 29, 2008 at 3:08 PM #231018anParticipant[quote=gandalf]
As for the upper four quintiles, wealth distribution has shifted dramatically away from the middle quintiles and towards the upper quintile over the past 30 years. Labor hours per household have increased and household incomes remain stagnant. Explain the relative increase in wealth in the upper quintile? Income, no?
[/quote]
Could the savings rate and today’s generation of I want it and I want it now mentality exacerbated this distribution? Rich people will always be able to buy all the luxury stuff they want and they can afford it easily. However, today, you have a lot of middle class people trying to look rich or just want those luxury things now. Which in essence, reduced the cash they have to invest to make more money. I see more and more luxury things being bought by the middle class. If they would save more, in due time, they would become wealthy, but we all know the American way is to have our things and to have it now. So, yes, income has only risen in lock step with reported inflation, but spending habit does a bigger number on wealth creation. We all know it’s not how much you make, but how much you spend that really matter.Another example of our spending habit is in the housing market. People of past generation would wait and save for a down payment before buying their first house. But now, you have people going out, buying the biggest house the bank is willing to let them with 0% down, etc. Then they complain they don’t make enough. How about spending less, so that you actually have $ left over to save.
June 29, 2008 at 3:08 PM #231029anParticipant[quote=gandalf]
As for the upper four quintiles, wealth distribution has shifted dramatically away from the middle quintiles and towards the upper quintile over the past 30 years. Labor hours per household have increased and household incomes remain stagnant. Explain the relative increase in wealth in the upper quintile? Income, no?
[/quote]
Could the savings rate and today’s generation of I want it and I want it now mentality exacerbated this distribution? Rich people will always be able to buy all the luxury stuff they want and they can afford it easily. However, today, you have a lot of middle class people trying to look rich or just want those luxury things now. Which in essence, reduced the cash they have to invest to make more money. I see more and more luxury things being bought by the middle class. If they would save more, in due time, they would become wealthy, but we all know the American way is to have our things and to have it now. So, yes, income has only risen in lock step with reported inflation, but spending habit does a bigger number on wealth creation. We all know it’s not how much you make, but how much you spend that really matter.Another example of our spending habit is in the housing market. People of past generation would wait and save for a down payment before buying their first house. But now, you have people going out, buying the biggest house the bank is willing to let them with 0% down, etc. Then they complain they don’t make enough. How about spending less, so that you actually have $ left over to save.
June 29, 2008 at 3:08 PM #231066anParticipant[quote=gandalf]
As for the upper four quintiles, wealth distribution has shifted dramatically away from the middle quintiles and towards the upper quintile over the past 30 years. Labor hours per household have increased and household incomes remain stagnant. Explain the relative increase in wealth in the upper quintile? Income, no?
[/quote]
Could the savings rate and today’s generation of I want it and I want it now mentality exacerbated this distribution? Rich people will always be able to buy all the luxury stuff they want and they can afford it easily. However, today, you have a lot of middle class people trying to look rich or just want those luxury things now. Which in essence, reduced the cash they have to invest to make more money. I see more and more luxury things being bought by the middle class. If they would save more, in due time, they would become wealthy, but we all know the American way is to have our things and to have it now. So, yes, income has only risen in lock step with reported inflation, but spending habit does a bigger number on wealth creation. We all know it’s not how much you make, but how much you spend that really matter.Another example of our spending habit is in the housing market. People of past generation would wait and save for a down payment before buying their first house. But now, you have people going out, buying the biggest house the bank is willing to let them with 0% down, etc. Then they complain they don’t make enough. How about spending less, so that you actually have $ left over to save.
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