# Fuck it, just raise my taxes, OK **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 30, 2010, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484 "2010-11-30T23:49:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cammacdon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Cammacdon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cammacdon)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/21 "2010-12-01T07:57:24Z")
> [@Acid\_Lamp](#): > > It won’t get that bad. If this happened on any really significant scale there would be rioting in the streets along with a general breakdown of law and order as the masses of “technically” homeless poor did what was necessary to feed and clothe themselves. Yeah you’re right it wont be so bad there will always be garbage to eat out of right? idiot. You underestimate the power of complacency and overestimate the will power of most Americans. If a stolen election and subsequent appointing of an unelected incompetent leader by a corrupt court didn’t cause rioting in the streets, You think an economic depression will? wake up man, people with backbone a very small minority in the USA. There is no hope for this nation or the world as we know it. If you need a historical reference, see the fall of Rome. Nothing awaits us but a new feudal age where the rich own absolutely everything and the non rich have nothing. Hope you look good in rags. All this talk is meaningless. the wealthy industrial powers OWN this country have no intention in giving up one whit of their wealth for any purpose other than to buy solid gold toilet seats, diamond encrusted faucets and $16,000 umbrella stands.Or any other meaningless instrument of the “my dick is bigger than yours” message. Face it capitalism blows socialism blows. No government will ever work because the predatory nature of man is contradictory to the very idea of any benevolent or even one that doesn’t deliberately malign citizen’s interests for personal gain. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/22 "2010-12-01T08:17:22Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > No war in a democracy should be approved without the means to fund it. Lawrence Lindsey was fired when he estimated the Iraq War’s cost at about $100-200 billion. Such a high figure was considered impolitic to share with the nation’s shareholders. The CBO estimates that direct costs of the war will exceed $1000 billion: tallying indirect costs brings the figure at up to $2000 billion. Yet Bush fired Lawrence Lindsey. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/23 "2010-12-01T09:31:12Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > the victims of a changing global economy who can’t live on six bucks an hour like the rest of the world! They can. They just don’t want to. Ah, epicaricacy, it’s like a holiday. In Rome. or, IOW, suck it, Americans. You reap what you sow. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/24 "2010-12-01T10:13:30Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > They can. They just don’t want to. > > Ah, epicaricacy, it’s like a holiday. In Rome. > > or, IOW, suck it, Americans. You reap what you sow. Funny thing is, when a big country that imports a lot of stuff goes down, other economies go down with it. Heck, pretty much the reason you just lost 86,000 jobs last quarter is because of us. And it’s not like living conditions are that great anyways. Your schadenfreude will be short lived. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/25 "2010-12-01T10:38:37Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Funny thing is, when a big country that imports a lot of stuff goes down, other economies go down with it. Heck, pretty much the reason you just lost 86,000 jobs last quarter is because of us. Naah, it’s because our politicos are too dumb to keep us away from a losing bet disguised as easy money…thankfully, ethical investing has kept me well-shielded from the current fiscal horrorshow. Which means I can give back to those in need this year, like a good little Ant. So excuse me if I don’t have any sympathy for the petulant cries of the Grasshopper Nation. > [@BigT](#): > > And it’s not like living conditions are that great anyways. When have they ever been? We’re kind of used to it. Which was my oblique point. Americans whining because they can’t afford their McMortgagesand all the other trappings of their wasteful lifestyle is the very epitome of “tough shit” to someone who lives 5 mins walk from a shantytown. > [@](#): > > Your schadenfreude will be short lived. I doubt it. If this was 1950 I’d be chuckling at the collapse of the British Empire. 2100, maybe I’d be gleeful at the end of the New Chinese Hegemony. Right now, America’s the imperial giant getting its _totally self-earned_ comeuppance. Now, pardon me, I have dancing to do. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/26 "2010-12-01T13:23:57Z")
The media don’t call out the “conventional wisdom” that “you shouldn’t raise taxes in a recession.” Bullshit. FDR raised taxes on the rich one hell of a lot in the 1930s while pulling the US out of the Great Depression. Somehow we managed to live through peace and prosperity in the 1950s with marginal rates of 90%. If the rest of us can’t have our tax cuts without including the fat cats, then fuck the fat cats. I’ll take my medicine just to make sure they take theirs. You’re worried about the deficit? Here’s a clue. We spend very nearly as much on defense as the rest of the world combined. It ain’t necessary. Cut defense, pull the troops home, and rebuild our infrastructure. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Jocko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncle_jocko/32/2932_2.png) [@Uncle\_Jocko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Jocko)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/27 "2010-12-01T13:35:16Z")
I have to wonder … how many folks who will now lose their extended unemployment benefits actually voted for the Republican/Tea Party candidate last month? Did they not realize what they were going to get … the shaft? Just saw Mike Pence bob and weave on MSNBC when he was asked if he would support extension of the unemployment benefits in exchange for allowing the tax cuts to expire on those making over $1 million. Of course, he said the most important thing to do in this economy is to not raise taxes on anyone. Because, ya know, people without jobs (and therefore, without income) are really, really concerned about their income taxes going up. And Republican obstructionism continues to be the order of the day. START? DADT? Unemployment benefits? Bush tax cuts sunset? Why, we don’t have time to do all that in the lame duck!! We’ve been too busy saying NO all year … that takes time, you see. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/28 "2010-12-01T13:58:31Z")
It’s funny when I see threads like this and people still think there’s any difference between the Democratic and Republican parties. I think **Cammacdon** is the closest to getting it - your whole country is firmly entrenched in a system that doesn’t work, you’re going to go down _hard_, and you’re going to take the rest of the world except possibly China with you (certainly Canada). But you keep arguing over whether it’s the blue deck chairs or the red deck chairs that make any difference on the Titanic - it’s a good distraction. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/29 "2010-12-01T14:03:53Z")
So the huge Republican victory in the last election means… what? Is there any particular policy we SHOULD change based on the voters’ collective statement? ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/30 "2010-12-01T14:20:19Z")
If our esteemed politicians would simply quit adding earmarks to every bit of legislation they agree to pass, we wouldn’t be in this mess. I’m not agreeing to give them one more cent of my hard-earned money until they stop with the porkbarrelling. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/31 "2010-12-01T14:30:37Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > So the huge Republican victory in the last election means.. what? No more than the huge Democratic victory in the previous one did, since all it led to was filibustering of literally everything the winners tried. Remember that shit? NB: The Democrats still control the White House and Senate. That means .. what? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/32 "2010-12-01T14:36:47Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > So the huge Republican victory in the last election means.. what? > > Is there any particular policy we SHOULD change based on the voters’ collective statement? Well, we sure as hell didn’t have a policy of increasing taxes. ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/33 "2010-12-01T14:49:35Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Cite? Cite that a cite is needed? ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/34 "2010-12-01T15:40:07Z")
:Pats Franks’ head: It’s all right. One day soon this foolish republic shall collapse from lack of fiscal sense, & in the chaos that follows, a new Vespasian shall arise, & tax whomever he will. At least that’s the lie I tell myself to cope. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/35 "2010-12-01T15:52:00Z")
I was talking with my brother over Thanksgiving - he works in a steel mill and is a UAW member. He was complaining because while he was working every day those guys who were laid off were collecting benefits only about $150 less per week than he got for a full week’s work. Most of them weren’t running around looking for other employment - they were using the time to fix up their houses or enjoy the holidays. Typically my brother worked during his periods of layoff, so this had him pretty angry, but he could understand the incentives behind it. He was of the opinion that the benefits ought to be scaled down. Now, this interested me because my brother’s observation matched pretty perfectly with those of the winners of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Economics - they also observed that extending unemployment benefits will cause unemployment to remain higher, because it allows those on unemployment to be choosier about the job they will take, and perhaps the time they will take it. Having been on unemployment myself, I am fully on board with its use as a safety net - and the costs of this can be borne. Extending benefits massively increases these costs to both the economy and the unemployed - this isn’t wise to continue. At some point these have to end. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/36 "2010-12-01T15:53:50Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > So the huge Republican victory in the last election means.. what? > > Is there any particular policy we SHOULD change based on the voters’ collective statement? We should ban mulattoes from the White House? No, wait, that’s not it. There was no giant referendum on Obama. There were a bunch of local races between boring old Democrats & boring old Republicans, & the youth vote that put Obama in (& which will re-elect him) had no enthusiasm for the old white politicos on either side. Attempting to derive a policy conclusion from this is misplaced, as policy should be based on good knowledge, not popular passion; & futile, as the populace was basically reacting with anxiety & frustration, not advocating a policy. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/37 "2010-12-01T15:58:07Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > Now, this interested me because my brother’s observation matched pretty perfectly with those of the winners of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Economics - they also observed that extending unemployment benefits will cause unemployment to remain higher, because it allows those on unemployment to be choosier about the job they will take, and perhaps the time they will take it. Sure it does. This, in turn, drastically reduces the amount of turnover during a recession, because people are more likely to take jobs commensurate with their skills and experience than whatever they grab onto in desperation. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_Stimulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Digital\_Stimulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_Stimulus)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/38 "2010-12-01T18:14:16Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > If our esteemed politicians would simply quit adding earmarks to every bit of legislation they agree to pass, we wouldn’t be in this mess. > > I’m not agreeing to give them one more cent of my hard-earned money until they stop with the porkbarrelling. Oops, [not anytime soon](http://blog.sunlightfoundation.com/2010/11/30/senate-rejects-earmark-ban-39-56/). And I thought fo’ sho’ that Rand Paul (or Jim DeMint, at least) was gonna come to the rescue. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/39 "2010-12-01T18:26:38Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Lawrence Lindsey was fired when he estimated the Iraq War’s cost at about $100-200 billion. Such a high figure was considered impolitic to share with the nation’s shareholders. The CBO estimates that direct costs of the war will exceed $1000 billion: tallying indirect costs brings the figure at up to $2000 billion. This is something that has puzzled me – the wars have been curiously absent in nearly all the recent discussion about the deficit and spending vs. taxes. But obviously, that’s a pretty big factor in the deficit, right? And one which is, hopefully, not a long-term cost? So spending-wise, things are higher right now than they would be otherwise and will be again once we’re not at war in two different places? I guess I know why the Republicans haven’t brought it up – they started the wars, and IIRC I believe Bush initially kept them off the budget books so the deficit didn’t look as bad, so ignoring them is an easy way to make Obama and the Democrats look like they’re spending like crazy all of a sudden, but why didn’t the Democrats counter? (Apart from being terrible at winning elections, I mean.) ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-just-raise-my-taxes-ok/562484/40 "2010-12-01T18:31:37Z")
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