# Whoopie! I got my tax cut! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 7, 2005, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565 "2005-01-07T15:12:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/1 "2005-01-07T15:12:16Z")
An extra $3.56 a week. Maybe I’ll buy that box of Dixie cups I’ve had my eye on. Fuck you very much, Mr. Bush. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/2 "2005-01-07T15:15:44Z")
It’s better than nothing. Would you rather pay an extra $3.56 in taxes? ---
**Author:** ![pizzabrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9c0ed/32.png) [@pizzabrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pizzabrat)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/3 "2005-01-07T15:16:19Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > An extra $3.56 a week. Maybe I’ll buy that box of Dixie cups I’ve had my eye on. Fuck you very much, Mr. Bush. That can get you a monthly TiVo service. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/4 "2005-01-07T15:20:43Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > It’s better than nothing. Would you rather pay an extra $3.56 in taxes? Ah, an optimist. I suppose pushing a knife four inches into my belly is better than pushing it in six inches. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/5 "2005-01-07T15:21:22Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > It’s better than nothing. Would you rather pay an extra $3.56 in taxes? Depending on what it’s spent on, yes. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/6 "2005-01-07T15:21:49Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > It’s better than nothing. Would you rather pay an extra $3.56 in taxes? While the top .5% are getting _huge_ cuts? And the alternative is that our standing debt won’t keep skyrocketing? Hmmm…let me think… ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/7 "2005-01-07T15:22:09Z")
I’ll have it. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/8 "2005-01-07T15:26:51Z")
> [@](#): > > The Bush administration’s newly released budget projections reveal an anticipated budget deficit of $450 billion for the current fiscal year, up another $151 billion since February. > [@](#): > > The new estimates show that, under Bush, total outlays will have risen $408 billion in just three years to $2.272 trillion: an enormous increase in federal spending of 22 percent. > [@](#): > > But the real truth is that national defense is far from being responsible for all of the spending increases. According to the new numbers, defense spending will have risen by about 34 percent since Bush came into office. But, at the same time, non-defense discretionary spending will have skyrocketed by almost 28 percent. Government agencies that Republicans were calling to be abolished less than 10 years ago, such as education and labor, have enjoyed jaw-dropping spending increases under Bush of 70 percent and 65 percent respectively. Yeah, great idea that tax cut. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/9 "2005-01-07T15:28:48Z")
$3.56 x 52 weeks = $185.12 Since Bush likes to say he gives everyone a tax cut since everyone pays taxes, let’s assume that everyone in the country gets an extra $3.56 a week. [217.8 million people](http://usgovinfo.about.com/cs/censusstatistic/a/latestpopcounts.htm) x $185.12 = $40,319,136,000 So $40 _ **billion** _ added to the economy. Sounds like a decent idea to me. But then, what do I know? ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/10 "2005-01-07T15:40:38Z")
Wait, what did I miss? I thought '05 marginal rates were supposed to be the same as '04 and next reduction didn’t kick in until '06. No? Or is this a cut in some other tax? **Lib** , did you go out and buy machinery eligible for bonus depreciation again? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/11 "2005-01-07T15:48:25Z")
> [@manhattan](#): > > Wait, what did I miss? I thought '05 marginal rates were supposed to be the same as '04 and next reduction didn’t kick in until '06. No? Or is this a cut in some other tax? **Lib** , did you go out and buy machinery eligible for bonus depreciation again? 😃 Nah. I got out of the business I owned. I’m back to being a senior veep again. Maybe I’d better check with payroll. I’ll really be pissed if I have to pay back the stupid three bucks. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/12 "2005-01-07T15:49:23Z")
> [@Lord Ashtar](#): > > $3.56 x 52 weeks = $185.12 Hey! I’m only getting $5.21\*24 = $125.04! An amount I would gladly let the government keep in exchange for shaving the same amount from spending somewhere, thereby closing the deficit by $250.08. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/13 "2005-01-07T15:51:59Z")
I just talked with the building inspector yesterday about getting a building permit on some land I bought last week. Total from all the various fees and taxes: $7100 to get the permit. Ouch. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/14 "2005-01-07T15:53:06Z")
It costs $3.56 to stick a knife 4 inches in someone’s belly? I don’t know what that says about our values but you gotta admit it’s a pretty good bang for your buck. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/15 "2005-01-07T15:58:32Z")
To those of you that are lamenting the fact that you’re getting money back and that you don’t want it, keep in mind that you can donate it to the IRS. Nobody said you had to get a refund. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/16 "2005-01-07T16:07:08Z")
> [@Lord Ashtar](#): > > So $40 _ **billion** _ added to the economy. Sounds like a decent idea to me. But then, what do I know? As it turns out, that 40 billion doesn’t actually come for free. Which do you prefer, short term happiness or long term solvency? ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/17 "2005-01-07T16:07:32Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > It costs $3.56 to stick a knife 4 inches in someone’s belly? I don’t know what that says about our values but you gotta admit it’s a pretty good bang for your buck. Even better, you get paid $3.56 to stick it 6 inches into someone’s body. What A Country! ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/18 "2005-01-07T16:10:12Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > What A Country! In Russia, the taxes cut you! ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/19 "2005-01-07T16:13:39Z")
> [@Lord Ashtar](#): > > $3.56 x 52 weeks = $185.12 > > Since Bush likes to say he gives everyone a tax cut since everyone pays taxes, let’s assume that everyone in the country gets an extra $3.56 a week. > > [217.8 million people](http://usgovinfo.about.com/cs/censusstatistic/a/latestpopcounts.htm) x $185.12 = $40,319,136,000 > > So $40 _ **billion** _ added to the economy. Sounds like a decent idea to me. But then, what do I know? You know, it isn’t exactly “taken” from the economy when you pay taxes with it. The Fed spends it. On different things than Joe Consumer, but they do spend it. It isn’t like they take the tax revenue and hold a big bonfire (although I know some people seem to think that). ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565/20 "2005-01-07T16:14:36Z")
Doh! I think I figured it out – it’s probably a result of indexing the brackets for inflation to prevent or at least mitigate bracket creep. I don’t recall when they started doing that, but I think it was prior to the current President. You may owe your thanks to President Carter! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoopie-i-got-my-tax-cut/283565.md?page=2)