Do you spend all day listening to Rush Limbaugh or something? Because damn, have you ever memorized all the right-wing talking points.
In answer, no. That’s a totally deceptive figure that was cooked up in order to make the uninformed angry about something stupid. The vast majority of Americans pay taxes. A significant percentage of American families don’t pay federal income taxes, because their incomes are low, or because the money they take in is not taxable income, as is sometimes the case for retirees and other people who aren’t working for wage income. Most of these people still pay plenty in federal taxes, however, and the few that don’t are deeply impoverished.
. . . Right. You have a problem with raising taxes to the level they were at the last time we were earning a surplus (under Clinton). Because you, apparently, like so many people, think we can cut taxes on the wealthy year after year (with those of us who aren’t wealthy only getting a few bucks a week in “tax relief”) and somehow still magically pay for all our responsibilities. By “cutting spending”.
Let me guess: you don’t have any actual proposals for where these cuts are going to come from, do you? You’re just sure they have to happen!
I would recommend two or three well-placed nukes – certainly one in Texas – and say it was a Manhattan-type experiment gone awry, like they had been afraid might happen with the real Manhattan experiment.
Wouldn’t be any problem if we had a progressive/redistributive income-tax system like we had until the 1980s, but with no loopholes, if you’re in the 70% bracket you actually pay 70%.
Give me some time and I can expand the checklist. While we’re at it, cut recruitment by 30%, and cut overseas deployments by at least 1.5x that (did you know we have over 1000 bases around the world? Wtf for?) Overall we could cut $500 billion from the annual defense budget without any increase to the chances of us or our allies being defeated.
If you are concerned about spending, Always Start With The Military. Nothing wastes more of our money for less return. Not that I hate the military or military people, on the contrary. It simply has got way out of hand. For example, remember when slaughtering 100,000+ foreign civilians at a cost of over $3 trillion for no good reason seemed like a Very Patriotic thing to do? We still have to pay for that shit you know, and the pubbies would like to fool you into blaming the bill on something else. If anything on the whole planet needs reigning in, it is American military adventurism.
Now, reorganizing health insurance so that free riders actually pay into the system? It doesn’t take a lot of research to see why that makes sense. But let’s face it, the South isn’t exactly famous for ‘a lot of research’ Impeach Earl Warren indeed.
There’s almost something sort of grimly humorous in the fact that all these GOP budget proposals that claim to “cut” spending inevitably are promising merely to continue raising military spending at a rate someone lower than the current rate of increase.
But God knows we can’t afford to pay for health care for the poor, even if it means actually saving money. Think of how many GOP Congressmens’ districts make parts for the F-35. So that boondoggle sure as fuck isn’t ever going away.
Of course that’s what I meant. Everyone pays taxes on things, goods and services they buy…I meant federal income taxes. I have seen wildly varying reports as to what percentage of citizens actually pay taxes on their income. I don’t know what to believe. Apparently because I am just stupid, according to some. I have my moments…just like everyone else. This is certainly not my area of expertise.
WTF is wrong with you dude? Why do you assume I have a problem with raising taxes? Wait…I know. You think I am a Republican. Nice try. I never said any of the things you are saying about tax cuts. What I WAS saying is that there’s a large percentage of people in this country that don’t pay ANY income taxes. What the percentage is I do not know (and I don’t think anyone really does). This fact alone keeps money out of the federal coffers (although I maintain they would just waste it anyway).
Dude, I don’t care who is in office. I don’t think there’s a huge difference between the Democrat and Republican parties, except for maybe the right courting the craziest part of religious people for votes.
And yes, I have a proposal (as much as it pains me as I am from a deeply steeped military family): cut the military budget. In half. I cannot envision why we need to continually outstrip other Western nations in GDP on military spending the way we do…to fight what? Terrorists in Afghanistan? Drones are relatively cheap. Get more of those and shitcan programs like the F-22 (as awesome a toy as it is) because it isn’t necessary nor does it meet current threats, unless you are worried about an imminent war with China or Russia in the near future.
Close bases overseas in countries like Germany now that there is no USSR. Save a fortune. What I WOULD do is keep the Navy strong as shit. Let them project our force if we must police the world. They can be just about anywhere.
Raise taxes on the uppermost earners. It won’t hurt them. Go after non-payers. There’s a goldmine there.
That’s my “proposal”, for starters. Why do you insist on insulting me? I am presenting a reasonable argument (well…now I am).
