All you selfish unpatriotic people out there raise your hand

[eisely]

According to Joe Biden paying more taxes is patriotic. According to Obama, McCain and Palin are promoting "selfishness" when it comes to tax policy.

 

How many people participating in this forum really want to pay more taxes?

[Merlyn_LeRoy]

How many people here think a 700 billion dollar bailout and massive national debt (the national debt "clock" recently had to add another digit) will get magically paid off by the tooth fairy, or someone else? What do you think "debt" MEANS?

[Rooster7]

Reagan got the same song and dance when he ran for President. He (or rather we) did pretty good in the 80s.

 

Obama's plan is to redistribute wealth - not pay off our debts. Higher taxes will bring our economy to a grinding halt, throwing this country backwards for many years. The federal government shouldn't attempt to take care of the poor by making more folks poor. There is a very large middle-class in this country and higher taxes will help to bring them down to the point where they'll need federal help. It makes more sense to let those folks keep their money, feed their own families, and help the economy grow.

 

[Beavah]

Yah, I reckon it's patriotic to give proper equipment and body armor to our troops in the field, eh?

 

I suspect it's also patriotic to give injured vets the best possible medical care we can.

 

I confess I don't find it particularly patriotic to borrow money at interest from da likes of the Saudis and Chinese, knowing that all I'm doin' is helping fund Islamist schools or factories that take jobs away from Americans.

 

Nobody likes paying taxes, and taxes shouldn't be so high that we're killing business.

 

But is it patriotic to pay taxes? Is it somethin' I tell every First Class scout is part of his responsibility as a citizen.

 

You betcha.

 

B

 

[TheScout]

I admire Sam Adams who through the British chests of tea in Boston harbor.

 

America was founded in the midst of a tax revolt.

[Ohio_Scouter]

I'll pay more taxes when the Wall Street crooks restore their losses from my retirement funds.

[scoutingagain]

Do I want to pay higher taxes? Of course not. But it's not about what I want.

 

Like it or not, regardless of who gets elected tomorrow, someone, somewhere, at sometime, will have to pay higher taxes to begin pay off the irresponsible debt we've gotten ourselves into. I didn't vote for the tax cutting, irresponsible spending current administration, but as a citizen I recognize my responsiblity to the country and my kids to try and begin to pay up.

 

Like it or not we are in a mess of our own creation and we need to begin to set thing right, and it won't come easy. Not paying taxes is unpatriotic. Period. Down there with the anti-war crowd that say they won't pay taxes to support a war they don't agree with.

 

SA

[scoutldr]

I want to pay a "Fair Tax". There is a cost for freedom...and everyone who lives here should pay their fair share.

[packsaddle]

I don't expect something for nothing.

I think it is better to pay a bill than to borrow and expect that bill to be paid by our children. As a responsible citizen I don't make purchases I can't pay for. If I make a purchase, when I get the bill I pay it. I don't kite checks or piggyback credit cards, putting off the result for my heirs. I disagree that this has anything to do with patriotism. It is merely being responsible.

The people of this country also should pay their debts as a nation. We don't. And you can see and feel some of the results right now. We shouldn't expect something for nothing. We won't get something for nothing. We seem to expect to get something, and then let future generations shoulder the burden of payment. I think that is obscene.

 

That said, I am interested in the Fair Tax idea. I just don't see enough courage in the public to adopt that approach. We'd rather run up the credit cards without a care for the future.

 

As for the implications of selfishness and patriotism, what do YOU propose in order to pay the huge debts we've accumulated? Funny thing about debt...the market can contract, reducing our net worth. But the number in the debt doesn't change. It's just as big. Not diminished at all...unless it's paid. So how do you propose to pay it? Or do you?

[scottteng]

Selfish and unpatriotic when it comes to taxes raising both hands very high. Already ready for the next tea party having gotten my property taxes. I must admit to being a fair tax supporter as well. I do everything within my power to reduce my income tax liability to a legitimate zero fairly consistently. Give us the "fair tax" and watch the economy hum no more income, business or payroll taxes only pay when you buy something. The savings rate would soar. Remember you tax something because you want less of it and reward what you want more of. The fair tax taxes consumption and rewards savings AKA capital investment. It could even be said to fit in to Mr O's spread the wealth around theory as all would get a prebate each month. Government check for everyone hopefully you would need to show that card to vote in the next election. All visitors legal and illegal would pay their fair share on whatever they bought. All black market kingpins and weekend flea marketers paying their share as well.

http://www.fairtax.org/site/PageServer

[perdidochas]

Amen to the Fair Tax. I would pay slightly more taxes under the Fair Tax (as I have a lot of itemized income tax deductions), however, I think it's effects on revitalizing our economy would far outweigh the personal costs to me.

[BrentAllen]

How many zeros in a billion?

This is too true to be funny.

 

The next time you hear a politician use the word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about whether you want the 'politicians' spending YOUR tax money.

 

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of it's releases.

 

A.

A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

 

B.

A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.

 

C.

A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.

 

D.

A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth.

 

E.

A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.

 

While this thought is still fresh in our brain...

let's take a look at New Orleans ....

It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division.

 

Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D)

asked Congress for 250 BILLION DOLLARS to rebuild New Orleans Interesting number...

what does it mean?

 

A.

Well... if you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans

(every man, woman, and child)

you each get $516,528.

 

B.

Or... if you have one of the 188,251 homes in

New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.

 

C.

Or... if you are a family of four...

your family gets $2,066,012.

 

Washington , D. C

 

< HELLO! >

Are all your calculators broken??

 

Accounts Receivable Tax

Building Permit Tax

CDL License Tax

Cigarette Tax

Corporate Income Tax

Dog License Tax

Federal Income Tax

Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)

Fishing License Tax

Food License Tax

Fuel Permit Tax

Gasoline Tax

Hunting License Tax

Inheritance Tax

Inventory Tax

IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)

IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)

Liquor Tax

Luxury Tax

Marriage License Tax

Medicare Tax

Property Tax

Real Estate Tax

Service charge taxes

Social Security Tax

Road Usage Tax (Truckers)

Sales Taxes

Recreational Vehicle Tax

School Tax

State Income Tax

State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)

Telephone Federal Excise Tax

Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax

Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax

Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax

Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax

Telephone State and Local Tax

Telephone Usage Charge Tax

Utility Tax

Vehicle License Registration Tax

Vehicle Sales Tax

Watercraft Registration Tax

Well Permit Tax

Workers Compensation Tax

 

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

 

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago...

and our nation was the most prosperous in the world.

 

We had absolutely no national debt....

We had the largest middle class in the world...

and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

 

What happened?

Can you spell 'politicians!'

 

What the heck happened? ????

 

[eagle77]

Brent,

Nice post. I don't think the politicians are the only ones to blame. The only way they were able to do this was because John Q Public put them in power to do it. Look at some of the turnouts at the polls. Too many people today do not take advantage of the power that they have in voting. These people need to spend some time in a country where the public has no say, has no rights. Then maybe they would actually appreciate what their vote means. Then there are those out there that really want the government in control of everything. I don't know which is scarier. Lifetime politicians need to be done away with. Our leaders need to worry more about what is going on here at home instead of trying so hard the other way to please other governments that would love to do away with the USA.

[funscout]

Yes, it is patriotic to pay taxes. There will always be a part of the population who are physically and/or mentally unable to work, so of course we should support them. Now, is it really patriotic to ask some people to pay more taxes simply because other able-bodied people don't want to work hard enough to support themselves?

 

If Obama just taxes the rich, then the wealthy will have no incentive to make more money. If the poor are just handed money, then they will have no incentive to work. Who does that leave? Us middle class workers. Any one can see that policy is not going to work.

[evmori]

Reganomics was a joke and only made the rich richer!

 

Yup we will be paying for the bailout! And Obama wants to raise taxes! Wonder if anyone in government ever thought taking a close look at what they are paying for the goods & services our taxes cover to see if we are getting our monies worth? Got a feeling the answer is no. If they did, I'd bet we wouldn't need to raise taxes!