Why is it so hard to tax the rich?

@wildgrass said
Self-reliant, hard working people are paying 25% of their earnings into a system where their neighbor (who benefits exactly the same from the system) pays 0% of their earnings because they don't have any earnings that go through a W-2 form because they inherited wealth from their great grandparents and so they don't work real jobs.

So,. it's not that the earners are "not ...[text shortened]... ple are not paying taxes and why we have so willingly accepted a system that gives them a free ride?

You said “””obviously the discussion should be focused on why the rich people are not paying taxes and why we have so willingly accepted a system that gives them a free ride?”
But they DO pay taxes ….. do we have to tell you again how much taxes the upper one percent are already paying. They are paying taxes little fella. You are saying they are not paying taxes.. What in the hell. Are we supposed to respond to this stupid post?

Secondly, the neighbor who you all seem to be so worried about how much money they make, has so much money invested elsewhere that that money is running corporations, which make us all happy. Leave them the hell alone, and frankly there are not that many of them.

@wildgrass said
Maybe they're not setting money aside because they're too busy paying taxes, footing the bill for rich guys who don't have to.

True that some people do not set money aside. Some people take that money and go to Six Flags. Or buy something that they don’t need.
I cannot imagine on the forum debate stage, getting into such weeds as thT? chatting about mistakes that people have made to put themselves in a hole.
True, many of those cases are sad and they wish they had it to do over. Like not have too many children. But it is not the place of the forum to sit here and figure out how they can get their feet on the ground, except by cutting up their credit cards and living on what they earn, and go get a second job. And I guess the wife has to go to work too. Many people on this forum, both wife and husband work. If you cannot figure out how 2 wage earners salaries cannot keep each other alive, then we can chat with someone else.
You must be one of those safety-net guys that marauder is trying to push into our society. Hey, don’t tell my yard man about that net, because he will quit working and my petunias will wilt. (You don’t get what that means, do you….)

@AverageJoe1 said
You said “””obviously the discussion should be focused on why the rich people are not paying taxes and why we have so willingly accepted a system that gives them a free ride?”
But they DO pay taxes ….. do we have to tell you again how much taxes the upper one percent are already paying. They are paying taxes little fella. You are saying they are not paying taxes.. ...[text shortened]... ns, which make us all happy. Leave them the hell alone, and frankly there are not that many of them.

Again you make the mistake of citing the top 1% of people who are filing W-2 paperwork, which are not the same people as the ones who are rich.

Mark Zuckerburg pays 1.1% effective tax rate, compared to the average worker whose tax rate is 14 times higher than that.

@AverageJoe1 said
True that some people do not set money aside. Some people take that money and go to Six Flags. Or buy something that they don’t need.
I cannot imagine on the forum debate stage, getting into such weeds as thT? chatting about mistakes that people have made to put themselves in a hole.
True, many of those cases are sad and they wish they had it to do over. Like ...[text shortened]... because he will quit working and my petunias will wilt. (You don’t get what that means, do you….)

Maybe just address the issue of why you think it's ok that rich people's tax rates are much much lower than the average worker, instead of ranting about Six Flags and yard maintenance?

@Rajk999 said
I did not see where you explained why the US economic system sis topping people for being self-reliant. I think the opposite is the case. The US the go-to place if you want to succeed in life. People all over the world know this [except some Americans apparently]. Proof of this is the sheer volume of immigrants risking their lives to get in. In the US you can start with ...[text shortened]... working and they are self-reliant.

BUT ... you must have the right attitude and some ambition.

It seems like you're trying to argue somewhere here that low taxes on the ultra-wealthy is somehow helping the system. Why do you think that?

I'd prefer a system where the rich chipped in at least the same percentage rate as the average worker.

@wildgrass said
Again you make the mistake of citing the top 1% of people who are filing W-2 paperwork, which are not the same people as the ones who are rich.

Mark Zuckerburg pays 1.1% effective tax rate, compared to the average worker whose tax rate is 14 times higher than that.

With all due respect, this is too complex to discuss on the forum. We’ve all pretty much said at all. At least we all do agree that the Tax code needs to be changed so everybody pays their fair share, and I’ll be quite liberal to say that.
So since I was brave to say that, I want you to be brave now and tell us how much mark Zuckerberg‘s fair share should be. “fair Share”. Bernie says it a lot, but he never says how much it should be.
And then maybe you could start another thread as to how his extra money would filter down to people that are sitting there with their hands out.
Not the 50M destitute, AvJoe say to feed and house them.

@wildgrass said
Maybe just address the issue of why you think it's ok that rich people's tax rates are much much lower than the average worker, instead of ranting about Six Flags and yard maintenance?

No, I have agreed with you throughout that wishing the issue is how to change it without renting and raving like a bunch of liberals wanting someone else’s money.
And since you wanted me to answer something, let me ask you something. Is anyone person entitled to the labor of another.

@AverageJoe1 said
With all due respect, this is too complex to discuss on the forum. We’ve all pretty much said at all. At least we all do agree that the Tax code needs to be changed so everybody pays their fair share, and I’ll be quite liberal to say that.
So since I was brave to say that, I want you to be brave now and tell us how much mark Zuckerberg‘s fair share should be. “fair ...[text shortened]... e sitting there with their hands out.
Not the 50M destitute, AvJoe say to feed and house them.

It's not complex these are very simple questions. Six Flags has nothing to do with why rich people are permitted to not pay the taxes that normal people have to pay.

@wildgrass said
It seems like you're trying to argue somewhere here that low taxes on the ultra-wealthy is somehow helping the system. Why do you think that?

I'd prefer a system where the rich chipped in at least the same percentage rate as the average worker.

I hate to rain on your little campaign against the rich, but 40% of IRS tax revenue, comes from the wealthy 1% in the US.

The rich do not pay large sums in income tax. They do it in the form of corporation taxes and other taxes on their businesses. Warren Buffet paid $26 Billion in corp taxes in 2024, on his holding company Berkshire Hathaway.

You really are like a little child with this nonsensical 'hate the rich' campaign

@Rajk999 said
I hate to rain on your little campaign against the rich, but 40% of IRS tax revenue, comes from the wealthy 1% in the US.

The rich do not pay large sums in income tax. They do it in the form of corporation taxes and other taxes on their businesses. Warren Buffet paid $26 Billion in corp taxes in 2024, on his holding company Berkshire Hathaway.

You really are like a little child with this nonsensical 'hate the rich' campaign

Corps pay corporate taxes buddy. Berkshire Hathaway is not Warren Buffett. He barely even works there.

Your statistics are wrong. People who pay the most taxes pay the most taxes. Wealthy people are not those people.

@wildgrass said
He only gets one vote.

you don't think 250 millions buy you more than one vote? quite a lot more? are all the people dumping millions into ads idiots? philanthropists supporting the starving advertisers?


or you're being sarcastic and answering as a republican would?

@wildgrass said
Corps pay corporate taxes buddy. Berkshire Hathaway is not Warren Buffett. He barely even works there.

Your statistics are wrong. People who pay the most taxes pay the most taxes. Wealthy people are not those people.

Delusional. All income is taxed. In the case of a business owner, he bears the burden of several taxes, although for your own twisted little thread here to choose to focus on income taxes. Taxes on profits are the same.
- A business owner, partner, LLC, or corporation, pays himself a salary, he pays income tax
- The business makes a profit and taxes are paid, before profits are distributed.
- The business distributes dividends, this is also taxed.

He still bears the burden of taxes on income or on profits, and dividends.

@wildgrass said
It's not complex these are very simple questions. Six Flags has nothing to do with why rich people are permitted to not pay the taxes that normal people have to pay.

The Six Flags reference has to do with people who are spending money like crazy so as you write about how much things cost, my response is people should do a better job, budgeting their money
Correct, it is not complex at all

@Zahlanzi said
you don't think 250 millions buy you more than one vote? quite a lot more? are all the people dumping millions into ads idiots? philanthropists supporting the starving advertisers?


or you're being sarcastic and answering as a republican would?

I don't think he's directly bribing people for their votes.

@Rajk999 said
Delusional. All income is taxed. In the case of a business owner, he bears the burden of several taxes, although for your own twisted little thread here to choose to focus on income taxes. Taxes on profits are the same.
- A business owner, partner, LLC, or corporation, pays himself a salary, he pays income tax
- The business makes a profit and taxes are paid, before pr ...[text shortened]... s, this is also taxed.

He still bears the burden of taxes on income or on profits, and dividends.

Yeah. But the rich people who own these companies pay themselves extremely small salaries. Mark Zuckerburg's taxable income is $1 per year. You can donate your stock gains to a charity you also own, borrow against your own portfolio, and you can cash out substantial amounts of capital gains every year at 0% capital gains tax. The system taxes income for people who work hard but doesn't tax income if you are rich.

You're naive if you think these guys are paying taxes.

Warren Buffet's tax rate is 0.1%
Mark Zuckerburg's tax rate is 1.1%
Jeff Bezos 1.1%
Elon Mush 2.2%

Everyone else in America averages 15% rates!