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Old 2012-04-11, 08:35 PM   [Ignore Me] #34
Figment
Lieutenant General
 
Re: Santorum Drops Out


So Malorn, then why do rich people have a LOWERED tax rating right now in the US?

Meaning they not only make more money, have more money left after taxes, but also pay a lower percentage?


If you look at the world in percentages, say for instance... everyone pays 60% tax.

Then if you earn 20.000, you have 8.000 left to spend. If you earn 20 million, you have 8 million left to spend.

That's not quite "fair", because it is not by a long shot as easy to do stuff with 8.000 than with 8 million. One does not NEED 8 million, but one may NEED 15.000 in a capitalist world where the 8 million influences costs.

You also forget that the percentage of costs for lower incomes is much, MUCH greater than that of higher incomes. Housing, energy (incl. fuel and heating), education, food, etc. makes it much harder to get by for someone with minimum wages than someone with an income in the billions, who doesn't even know what to do with their money anymore. So to tax someone with more money isn't weird, as long as it doesn't mean they worked harder for nothing. A difference is fine, but to have the "peasants" slave, stress and then have nothing left is rather bad for society.

Besides, those companies these big guys run, they use the roads and other infrastructure much more than citizens. So to have them pay more for the maintanance of infrastructure and the wellfare of their employees is IMO a good thing, including the economy.



I'll give you the example of dutch tax rates:

http://www.okxvanleeuwen.com/?p=228

Dutch income tax for the highest income bracket is 52% and has been for decades. In the USA, it's as low as 15% iirc.

Our infrastructure is among the best of the world. Our economic climate among the best within Europe. Our people among the richest in the world.

Yet we get taxed far heavier than you lot. Fuel alone. You get a heart attack and almost start rioting if it costs a couple cents per gallon more. Why? We pay many times as much per LITER. Yet we can, despite of our higher taxes. We know the money is invested in education, infrastructure, public services, city maintanance, public works and other important parts of our life. It subsidises new economic initiatives, funds research, defends the country, cleans up the environment we live in.

And of course, is disputed on where to spend most and what to make budget cuts on. Socialist parties do tend to want to spend more than you get in taxes and they ARE actually opposed by liberals in that: there's a limit. And low tax and small government is fine, but there is a lower limit and a minimal level of budget and government you need. You cannot expect the private world to invest in any infrastructure they have no personal interest in (no profit to be made). A government however, will. And for that, you need taxes.

However, when taxed, the government doesn't just take. It also gives and invests and that improves the lives for everyone, as long as it is done wisely.



And there (the wise part) I share your concern regarding America. Especially the Reps, they just spend everything on their own prefered budgets anyway to finance their buddies in particular industries who paid their election programs... >.>
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