# $200K/year isn't rich. Why aren't we taxing corporations? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 12, 2011, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110 "2011-09-12T23:36:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/261 "2011-09-15T15:29:57Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Extrapolating out my current mortgage ($1550/ mo, 145k 10 year note, with tax/insurance included), 4k per month comes out to somewhere in the neighborhood of a 375k note. Using the example of 120k after tax, that is 10k/month for the whole family. Spending 40% of your take home pay on the mortgage seems incredibly stupid to me. So, that is one of the many reasons that fantasy budget where the poor 200k/yr earners cannot afford any increases in taxes is the stupidest thing I have heard in a while. A few posters in this thread are trying _real real hard_ to convince us that people making 8x more than some of us live pretty much the same and it takes a lot of gall to do so. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![SmartAlecCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SmartAlecCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAlecCat)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/262 "2011-09-15T15:35:28Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Let’s try to figure it out. > > $200K income will get you $120K net or so. > > […expenses showing this person isn’t ‘rich’…] So how much exactly do you think this person would get hit by increasing the marginal tax rate for taxable income over $200K by 3%? ---
**Author:** ![gurujulp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ba9def/32.png) [@gurujulp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gurujulp)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/263 "2011-09-15T15:42:46Z")
> [@rogerbox](#): > > I don’t need to, I am not the one being dishonest about how someone making over 200k has to budget to host guests. You were I suspect intentionally conflating “not wanting to do it” with “cannot afford it easily” I think because it supports the imagery you like of the top 3% of the richest people in one of the richest countries not being rich. > > I got overseas once a year on a custodian’s salary, anyone who makes 200k can easily pay to host guests with cash on hand and also go on a number of luxurious vacations per year. I was born at night, but it wasn’t _last_ night. > > You’re right I didn’t. Are you claiming “I can’t afford a tax increase on my income over 250k per year because I am bad at managing my money” is a valid argument? Wow. If you can’t see why I shan’t be replying to these, uh, rather inflammatory and insulting statements, then you are, well… I am unable to say those things in this forum. I would be happy to respond to any actual questions or even commentary, posed politely. Have a good 'Dope experience! ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/264 "2011-09-15T15:48:43Z")
I’m not seeing what’s particularly inflammatory or insulting about those statements. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/265 "2011-09-15T15:50:22Z")
> [@rogerbox](#): > > A few posters in this thread are trying _real real hard_ to convince us that people making 8x more than some of us live pretty much the same and it takes a lot of gall to do so. :rolleyes: I am one of those people. I know a lot of those people. We do live pretty much the same as you. We grocery shop. We compare prices. We don’t drive Ferraris. We don’t have indoor swimming pools and tennis courts. We fly economy class and queue up on Southwest same as you. We do not stay in penthouse suites in hotels and do not jet to the south of France for a weekend. I don’t see much difference. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/266 "2011-09-15T15:51:30Z")
Try doing it on $50K, and you will. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/267 "2011-09-15T15:52:29Z")
> [@SmartAlecCat](#): > > So how much exactly do you think this person would get hit by increasing the marginal tax rate for taxable income over $200K by 3%? Someone who earns exactly $200K will get not get hit at all. Someone who earns $250K will get hit quite a bit. I consider it a good idea not to reach into other people’s pockets no matter how good your intentions are and no matter how little you think they will miss the money you take. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/268 "2011-09-15T15:53:45Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > Try doing it on $50K, and you will. I did. In the past, I did it on $20K, and on $50K. And qualitatively, there is no difference. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/269 "2011-09-15T15:55:22Z")
That? Is _hilarious_. I’m gonna like you! ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/270 "2011-09-15T15:56:56Z")
If a household is making $200,000 per year and they are living paycheck to paycheck, they are living beyond their means. They are irresponsible and don’t deserve government assistance. (Sound familiar?) ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/271 "2011-09-15T15:59:00Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > If a household is making $200,000 per year and they are living paycheck to paycheck, they are living beyond their means. They are irresponsible and don’t deserve government assistance. > > (Sound familiar?) Did someone suggest “government assistance”? ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/272 "2011-09-15T16:01:27Z")
This thread is actually pretty amusing. It began with: > [@levdrakon](#): > > In some cities, I wouldn’t be that surprised to find a waiter or bartender making $200K and still have three roommates and no car. Well, maybe not, but life ain’t cheap these days. …as the fantastic argument for why $200K is not “rich”. But now you have people genuinely claiming that living on $200K is “pretty much the same” as living on $20K, and saying they don’t have any surplus income for their pension. Where does the extra money go? Is it that as soon as you walk into walmart all the prices are scaled by income? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/273 "2011-09-15T16:01:31Z")
> [@rogerbox](#): > > A few posters in this thread are trying _real real hard_ to convince us that people making 8x more than some of us live pretty much the same and it takes a lot of gall to do so. :rolleyes: That’s not at all what I’m trying to say. What I’m trying to say is that there are people who make 200k and people who are RICH, and that there’s a wide gulf of difference between them, almost certainly a bigger gulf than between 50k and 200k per year. The gap between 25k and 200k is probably more similar to the 200k-RICH gap, but that still doesn’t make the 200k person rich, it just points out that the 25k person is really not well off. 200k is definitely comfortable- wealthy even. But hardly rich, unless you’re looking at it by some global standard, at which point 50k per year is also rich. 25k per year sucks. 50k is sustainable. 250k is a more comfortable version of that. But 1 million a year is a whole other animal than 200k ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/274 "2011-09-15T16:04:06Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > I did. In the past, I did it on $20K, and on $50K. And qualitatively, there is no difference. Besides the 5,000 sqft house, nicer car, better retirement package, private school and lavish entertainment budget, it’s identical! ---
**Author:** ![gurujulp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ba9def/32.png) [@gurujulp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gurujulp)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/275 "2011-09-15T16:04:20Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > I’m not seeing what’s particularly inflammatory or insulting about those statements. Actually, on re-reading, I think you are right- these specific statements were not in and of themselves _particularly_ slanted that way, but the overall tone and apparent POV of this individual, when connected to calling me a liar, gently, but claiming my untruths, not once, but twice, makes me not want to run around in an attempt to defend my integrity. But yes, it was more of the continued, “You aren’t telling the truth!” statements that caused my reaction, as opposed to any other direct insult that bothered me. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/276 "2011-09-15T16:05:16Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Did someone suggest “government assistance”? Tax cuts (specifically the unsustainable Bush tax cuts) are government assistance. And now the Republicans want them extended indefinitely and for them to be the new standard, so repealing those tax cuts are now seen as tantamount to raising taxes. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/277 "2011-09-15T16:05:32Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Besides the 5,000 sqft house, nicer car, better retirement package, private school and lavish entertainment budget, it’s identical! All those are quantitative differences (except the private school part). As I said, no real qualitative differences. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/278 "2011-09-15T16:06:17Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > All those are quantitative differences (except the private school part). As I said, no real qualitative differences. So, the quality of your life is not any better after you quadruple your income? ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/279 "2011-09-15T16:09:13Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > Tax cuts (specifically the unsustainable Bush tax cuts) are government assistance. How “newspeak” of you. “War is peace”. “Freedom is slavery”. “If I take less money from you I am assisting you”. Taking less money from someone is not “assistance”. It is still taking money from them. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110/280 "2011-09-15T16:10:18Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > So, the quality of your life is not any better after you quadruple your income? It is incrementally better. Look up what “qualitative” vs “quantitative” is. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200k-year-isnt-rich-why-arent-we-taxing-corporations/596110.md?page=15)