Morticians?
… Wait, what? Did she think that all of the former slaves emigrated to Liberia? And then magically a bunch of other Africans just moved here at the same time, but then most of them randomly decided to swap out their original surnames for European ones?
Having a healthy population benefits everyone exactly as directly as having an educated population–more so, in fact, since everyone will produce better work when they’re not dead, whereas some people have no aptitude for or interest in higher education.
And with our current tax system, the more you make, the more you pay in taxes. I fail to see how another graduated increase doesn’t equate to “general tax revenue.”
Ahh but everyone makes it their way sooner or later.
It’s one thing to beat up on Guin, leave her Daddy out of it !
Welcome to the wide world of language, jackass. “Fall pregnant” is a common term in other countries where English is spoken. And since I spent most of this week communicating with midwives in the UK and Sweden, it was at the forefront of my mind. Get bent.
I was insured under my parents plan at the time, but when you either turn 18 or leave college, you cannot stay insured under your parents plan. When I left college and got a job I was insured.
What does that have to do with anything?
You asked for a scenario, incredulous that one should exist. Now you’ve seen one.
If you’d been paying attention, the taxpayers – which includes me, you dimbulb – did pay for the emergency surgery I had, because I could not. Medical assistance would not pay for the other hospitalizations, despite the fact that I was in grave condition during one (to the extent of “call the family to come say goodbyes, she is circling the drain”) and had a sub-poverty level income and no insurance. Consequently my finances ever since have been fucked.
But that’s immaterial because, for the umptyumpth time, a public health plan option would not be free. Those who sign up for that plan would pay premiums, just like those who sign on to United Healthcare (with the $12 million dollar CEO) or Aetna (with the $38 million dollar CEO) or Blue Cross do. So the taxpayers wouldn’t be “paying” for anyone’s care, the plan members who are, themselves, taxpayers, would be.
Suuure you did. Was that before or after you were hurling concrete at a passing car?
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11374443&postcount=42
As much as I appreciate the hourly reminder that there are truly crazy people on the Internets, I think I’m going to have to unsubscribe from this one. PM me if someone says something interesting.
Whoa – where was this???
That may be true, but has nothing to do with what I said. The direct benefit I’m talking about is actually utilizing the program (i.e., getting subsidized education or health insurance).
A special surtax is being proposed to pay for one specific program. That’s different than just the whole idea of progressive income taxation.
Most rich people inherited nothing from their parents.
In other words, you are selfish. You value certain things (i.e., spending time with family, enjoying your job) over producing value for society. I love it when people like you say I am sociopathic and don’t do anything that benefits society when the opposite is actually true.
Uh, OK. If we post “too many” messages to this, er, message board, we get banned? Or do you suppose there was some other reason why those folks were banned? :dubious:
Oh, and Rubystreak? I scroll past far more posts than I reply to, so I’m not really interested in trying to keep track of posts that are several apart. Particularly since many of you don’t quote enough that I know what you are responding to, so I have to go back and forth thru to the old post as well. Bosstone, I have no idea what the multi-quote feature is. Oh, reading further I see that MsWhatsit has explained it - I shall give it a try.
Thread where Omega Glory pits her. I think the thread he links to in his OP is the one Miller refers to.
You’re a fucking idiot.
How do you benefit society? Be specific, please.
I clicked on the multi-quote button and nothing happened…
Read the thread. All that cite did was say the same old thing “Health Costs Cause Bankruptcy!!!”, without looking into whether or not these folks were just skating on the edge and any emergency would have put them under. That is the sort of study that I am having trouble finding, tho I am currently downloading, very slowly, an address given by Elizabeth Warren who is supposed to be an expert in bankruptcy and finance. In the little bit that I’ve seen so far, it appears that the average family in the US has zero in savings yet are carrying a lot of credit card debt, so it is no wonder that $20,000 in medical costs put them into bankruptcy. Medical emergencies, which include injuries, are probably more common than, say, a tornado taking out your house and place of work. Tho before you ask for a cite, I don’t have one - that just seems like common sense.
Are those people uninsured because they actually have no money for insurance, or because they have other things they would rather spend it on? Again, read the thread, since people are complaining about me having to repeat myself. It would help if you all wouldn’t keep trying to use the same lame arguments.
I have already repeated myself on this once - do you want me to do it again?
You think I’m wrong?
I make enough to pay the surtax (not the full 5.4% though, yet). I don’t rob banks for a living or beat up old ladies (the last one I do just for fun). So how do you suppose I make the money I make? Does it just fall from the sky?
If you pay a dollar for a candy bar, and you pay $5 for lunch, and you pay $20 for dinner, is there a reason you paid different amounts for each of those things, or is it completely random? Would you pay $20 for a candy bar if the candy bar salesman asked?
So, it’s pretty obvious. I make a lot more money per year than the average person. And the reason is that I provide more value to society than the average person. The details of exactly how I provide that value don’t really matter–the fact that I make more is the only fact you need to know to know that I provide more value.
You enable tax avoidance by the very rich. How many of your wealthy clients pay no income tax at all?
I suspect that the extended families of the Rockefellers and Vanderbilts would think that you’re wrong. Just as obvious examples.
No, please, provide details. The question is not, “In what way do you provide value to those in need of tax lawyers?” The question is, “In what way do you provide value to society?”
What are you talking about? All I said is that the vast majority of rich people didn’t inherit anything. I didn’t say that there aren’t rich people that got it by inheritance. I think we are seeing which one of us is truly the fucking idiot here.
The people that pay me have lots of choices for how they spend their money. They are members of society, and the other people they could give their money to are members of society.
I could take a job that would allow me to have a more regular schedule, but I choose not to, and I make more for it, which shows that I benefit society more by doing the job I do than does someone who’s not willing to.
There are different ways to do things. I help people do things in the way that allows them to lower their tax bill. That’s not a bad thing.
:rolleyes: I love the myth that the rich don’t pay taxes. In reality, the top 1% of income earners pay some huge percentage of taxes (I forget, something like 60-70%).
How many posters on this message board pay no income tax at all? 70%? 80%? 90%? But that’s just hand-waved away.