3 People (Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos & Warren Buffett) are richer than the poorest 50% of Americans

[rightwinger]

If a company could just "pass on" taxes through higher prices on their product, they would already be doing it

They do. Where do you think the money comes from?

If you sell a product for $5 and it now costs you $5.50 to make the same profit.....you do not just collect $5.50

If the market would have been willing to pay $5.50, you would already be charging it

 

[Markle]

We need to go back to 1950's level taxes on the fucking rich!

That is the right thing to do to rebuild our economy along with strong Unions for our workers.

You really might try doing a bit of research before posting but that would be expecting too much of a Progressive.

I have done this before but from (1963). It will do for our purposes.

Anyone (a single person) earning $4,000 per year or less paid income tax at the rate of 20%. Adjusted for inflation, that would be $31,800.00 per year. That translates to everyone earning LESS THAN $31,800 PER YEAR WOULD PAY 20% INCOME TAX. Gosh, that sure would eliminate that 48% that pay no income tax today! Way to go!


As for the top rate of your beloved 91% in 1963, that was paid by those earning over $400,000.00 Adjusted for inflation, that would be $3,186,770.00 today. Do you want to tell us that 1% of the nation earns of 3.2 MILLION PER YEAR? Really?

In the same year, employees paid 3.625% for Social Security and the employer paid nothing. Not quite the 15.2% of today.

Now, do you really want to go back to those rates? Are you aware of the long, long list of deductions in 1963? All interest on everything and the list goes on.

Federal Income Tax Brackets for Tax Year 1963


FICA & SECA Tax Rates

The Inflation Calculator

 

[Markle]

I can never understand why republicans vote against their own self interests.

I am a staunch Conservative, please explain specifically how my voting for personal responsibility is against my own self-interest.

 

[bripat9643]

The progressive slogan should be "GIMMIE GIMMIE GIMMIE"

We used to have more money for infrastructure, education, science

But since our wealthiest taxpayers have put us on an austerity budget we are scraping to get by

Or we spend too much on studying lesbian nazi hookers abducted by aliens and forced into weight loss clinics.

That and paying for governments who didn't invest properly in pensions 40 years ago up until today.

We have let our wealthy off the hook for contributing to our society

We have all paid a price

When you use the government gun to get their $$ it's not contributing.

I've never seen anyone pay taxes at gunpoint

Just because the goons keep thei guns in their holsters as long as you pay up, that doesn't mean they won't come out the minute you refuse to pay.

Sent from my SM-G935P using USMessageBoard.com mobile app

 

[whitehall]

What do you mean "now"? It has always been that way. Each of the three richest Americans probably pays more personal, property and corporate taxes than the combined tax returns of the "bottom half of the U.S." so what's the point? If lefties want to experiment in socialism why don't you go to Hollywood and force the degenerate actors, who produce no tangible product, to accept the same salary as the guy who changes the light bulbs and sweeps the studio floors. Let us know how you make out.

 

[Crixus]

3 Richest Americans Now Own More Wealth Than Bottom Half of US Combined
Wednesday, November 08, 2017
by Common Dreams

Three Richest Americans Now Own More Wealth Than Bottom Half of US Combined: Report

"The elite ranks of our billionaire class continue to pull apart from the rest of us," a new Institute for Policy study analysis finds
by Jake Johnson, staff writer

In the United States, the 400 richest individuals now own more wealth than the bottom 64 percent of the population and the three richest own more wealth than the bottom 50 percent, while pervasive poverty means one in five households have zero or negative net worth.

snip

"The wealthiest 25 individuals in the United States today own $1 trillion in combined assets," the report notes. "These 25, a group equivalent to the active roster of a major league baseball team, hold more wealth than the bottom 56 percent of the U.S. population combined, 178 million people."'

snip

In order to get a broader sense of the size of the chasm between rich and poor in the U.S., Collins and Hoxie place the net worth of the top one percent and the bottom one percent side by side.

"The wealthiest 25 individuals in the United States today hold more wealth than the bottom 56 percent of the U.S. population combined, 178 million people." "All combined, households in the bottom one percent have a combined negative net worth of $196 billion," the report finds. "For comparison, the top one percent, a category holding the exact same number of people, have positive $33.4 trillion in combined net worth."

<more>

Three Richest Americans Now Own More Wealth Than Bottom Half of US Combined: Report

It is time to close the loopholes, increase their income tax and even the fucking playing field. That my friends is the right thing to do.

Mother......fucker.......must........pay.....

 

[rightwinger]

We used to have more money for infrastructure, education, science

But since our wealthiest taxpayers have put us on an austerity budget we are scraping to get by

Or we spend too much on studying lesbian nazi hookers abducted by aliens and forced into weight loss clinics.

That and paying for governments who didn't invest properly in pensions 40 years ago up until today.

We have let our wealthy off the hook for contributing to our society

We have all paid a price

When you use the government gun to get their $$ it's not contributing.

I've never seen anyone pay taxes at gunpoint

Just because the goons keep thei guns in their holsters as long as you pay up, that doesn't mean they won't come out the minute you refuse to pay.

Sent from my SM-G935P using USMessageBoard.com mobile app

Tissue Fingerboy?

 

[Indeependent]

Gates does nothing for anyone.

Then why do people give him money?

Who gives him money?
Be specific.

 

[Markle]

Since supply side eased the burden on the wealthy, we have less for infrastructure, education and healthcare

As you know, total lie.

 

[bripat9643]

Or we spend too much on studying lesbian nazi hookers abducted by aliens and forced into weight loss clinics.

That and paying for governments who didn't invest properly in pensions 40 years ago up until today.

We have let our wealthy off the hook for contributing to our society

We have all paid a price

When you use the government gun to get their $$ it's not contributing.

I've never seen anyone pay taxes at gunpoint

Just because the goons keep thei guns in their holsters as long as you pay up, that doesn't mean they won't come out the minute you refuse to pay.

Sent from my SM-G935P using USMessageBoard.com mobile app

Tissue Fingerboy?

Your concern for people who are being looted is noted.

 

[grainbely]

It's THEIRS. Not mine, and not yours. Unreal.

You're being dishonest in thinking we want to take what they have. What shitty news source is telling you that?

Billionaires are evidence that our capitalist economy is broken. And each dollar they gain on you is more "free speech" power they have over you in the economic and political realms. Soros and the Koch brothers operate huge political networks bigger than the DNC and RNC that are essentially handpicking city, state, and federal politicians so they can use their "free speech" advantage to shape our world. Is that what you want? Just wait til we get our first trillionaire in a few decades. They will be deciding what you eat for lunch. For as much as the right harps on centralized power in the government, you guys sure are incredibly quick to hand centralized wealth and power to these billionaires. This is exactly what the founding fathers were trying to escape. Someone on a gold throne in a different state shouldn't be making decisions on my behalf unless I empower them to do so.

We can in part thank the conservative judicial activism of the 2000s for this.

 

[Aldo Raine]

Three Richest Americans Now Own More Wealth Than Bottom Half of US Combined: Report

We can deal with a fact like this in two ways: We can debate whether it's "right" or "wrong", or we can deal with reality.

The reality is that if we allow this stunning wealth inequality to continue, the bottom 99.99% will ultimately decide they've had enough. And when something like that happens, we usually knee-jerk too far in the opposite direction.

"Right" or "Wrong" is irrelevant. This can't continue. If it does, what comes next will be worse than it needs to be.
.

We are headed for that knee jerk reaction, because our huge central omnipresent government protects and enriches the super wealthy. We have a government of the super rich, by the super rich, and for the super rich...and this has been the case for some time.

When has the central government done anything that the super wealthy oppose?

Trump won in part because he 'claimed' he would change things but as we know, he has done little.

I think a mistake we make is to think that it's the people we put in power that matters.

It's the system in which we allow them to operate that matters. We have to change the system, otherwise these people will continue to be infected by it.
.

Agreed. Trump was put in power by the people who hoped he could change things. However, the system clearly does not want change and opposes him at every level.

Americans like to think voting allows them the power to change things. Sadly, the reality clearly proves this is not true. Yes...it is the system.

If you really believe he actually meant to change things. He did not he hoaxed you, he is one of them and surrounded himself with them.

 

[gipper]

Three Richest Americans Now Own More Wealth Than Bottom Half of US Combined: Report

We can deal with a fact like this in two ways: We can debate whether it's "right" or "wrong", or we can deal with reality.

The reality is that if we allow this stunning wealth inequality to continue, the bottom 99.99% will ultimately decide they've had enough. And when something like that happens, we usually knee-jerk too far in the opposite direction.

"Right" or "Wrong" is irrelevant. This can't continue. If it does, what comes next will be worse than it needs to be.
.

We are headed for that knee jerk reaction, because our huge central omnipresent government protects and enriches the super wealthy. We have a government of the super rich, by the super rich, and for the super rich...and this has been the case for some time.

When has the central government done anything that the super wealthy oppose?

Trump won in part because he 'claimed' he would change things but as we know, he has done little.

I think a mistake we make is to think that it's the people we put in power that matters.

It's the system in which we allow them to operate that matters. We have to change the system, otherwise these people will continue to be infected by it.
.

Agreed. Trump was put in power by the people who hoped he could change things. However, the system clearly does not want change and opposes him at every level.

Americans like to think voting allows them the power to change things. Sadly, the reality clearly proves this is not true. Yes...it is the system.

If you really believe he actually meant to change things. He did not he hoaxed you, he is one of them and surrounded himself with them.

No. I have learned long ago not to trust any politician and I know the system will prevent change, because the wealthy elite won’t allow it.

 

[Aldo Raine]

We can deal with a fact like this in two ways: We can debate whether it's "right" or "wrong", or we can deal with reality.

The reality is that if we allow this stunning wealth inequality to continue, the bottom 99.99% will ultimately decide they've had enough. And when something like that happens, we usually knee-jerk too far in the opposite direction.

"Right" or "Wrong" is irrelevant. This can't continue. If it does, what comes next will be worse than it needs to be.
.

We are headed for that knee jerk reaction, because our huge central omnipresent government protects and enriches the super wealthy. We have a government of the super rich, by the super rich, and for the super rich...and this has been the case for some time.

When has the central government done anything that the super wealthy oppose?

Trump won in part because he 'claimed' he would change things but as we know, he has done little.

I think a mistake we make is to think that it's the people we put in power that matters.

It's the system in which we allow them to operate that matters. We have to change the system, otherwise these people will continue to be infected by it.
.

Agreed. Trump was put in power by the people who hoped he could change things. However, the system clearly does not want change and opposes him at every level.

Americans like to think voting allows them the power to change things. Sadly, the reality clearly proves this is not true. Yes...it is the system.

If you really believe he actually meant to change things. He did not he hoaxed you, he is one of them and surrounded himself with them.

No. I have learned long ago not to trust any politician and I know the system will prevent change, because the wealthy elite won’t allow it.

But he is one of the wealthy elite and he was NOT a politician and that's why many voted for him. But he is a puppet master, he just got rid of the puppet and stopped pretending. I don't believe he has the interests of the common man at heart and his actions prove it.

 

[gipper]

We are headed for that knee jerk reaction, because our huge central omnipresent government protects and enriches the super wealthy. We have a government of the super rich, by the super rich, and for the super rich...and this has been the case for some time.

When has the central government done anything that the super wealthy oppose?

Trump won in part because he 'claimed' he would change things but as we know, he has done little.

I think a mistake we make is to think that it's the people we put in power that matters.

It's the system in which we allow them to operate that matters. We have to change the system, otherwise these people will continue to be infected by it.
.

Agreed. Trump was put in power by the people who hoped he could change things. However, the system clearly does not want change and opposes him at every level.

Americans like to think voting allows them the power to change things. Sadly, the reality clearly proves this is not true. Yes...it is the system.

If you really believe he actually meant to change things. He did not he hoaxed you, he is one of them and surrounded himself with them.

No. I have learned long ago not to trust any politician and I know the system will prevent change, because the wealthy elite won’t allow it.

But he is one of the wealthy elite and he was NOT a politician and that's why many voted for him. But he is a puppet master, he just got rid of the puppet and stopped pretending. I don't believe he has the interests of the common man at heart and his actions prove it.

I don’t think you realize that we had but two choices. The other candidate was clearly are crook. So, Trump was the lesser of two evils.

If you think we have ever had a POTUS who has the interests of the common man at heart, you need to think again.

 

[Soupnazi630]

Whenever this issue comes up the obvious question which no one can answer is so what?
How does it hurt you if someone makes more money than you?

If you make enough to pay your bills and support yourself and your family what does it matter?

These wealthy people did not take their money from others they made their wealth and earned their money so why should they be punished?

Especially since most of their wealth is invested which provides endless jobs and opportunities for others?

Other than some emotional sentiment how is it the right thing to do to raise ANYONE"S taxes?

It doesn't hurt me

But why are we offering them more tax breaks when they obviously don't need it?

Because any tax break for anyone is a good thing.

You still did not answer why is it just the right thing to do to take more of their money?

Why?

Because we are a society. We achieve more as a group than we do as a bunch of individuals
We have sold out to supply side economics and have less to show for it as a society

Any society forcing others to give more to achieve more is not a society worth living in.

We do not have less to show for it and supply side is proven to work.

So the fact dispute you and you cannot demonstrate how it is the right thing to do

You can check out any time you like.....

Since supply side eased the burden on the wealthy, we have less for infrastructure, education and healthcare

I have checked and you are dead wrong we in fact increased those budgets.

Your claim is false and a massive fail

 

[Weatherman2020]

Did we ever find out who these 3 are and their political views yet?

 

[Aldo Raine]

I think a mistake we make is to think that it's the people we put in power that matters.

It's the system in which we allow them to operate that matters. We have to change the system, otherwise these people will continue to be infected by it.
.

Agreed. Trump was put in power by the people who hoped he could change things. However, the system clearly does not want change and opposes him at every level.

Americans like to think voting allows them the power to change things. Sadly, the reality clearly proves this is not true. Yes...it is the system.

If you really believe he actually meant to change things. He did not he hoaxed you, he is one of them and surrounded himself with them.

No. I have learned long ago not to trust any politician and I know the system will prevent change, because the wealthy elite won’t allow it.

But he is one of the wealthy elite and he was NOT a politician and that's why many voted for him. But he is a puppet master, he just got rid of the puppet and stopped pretending. I don't believe he has the interests of the common man at heart and his actions prove it.

I don’t think you realize that we had but two choices. The other candidate was clearly are crook. So, Trump was the lesser of two evils.

If you think we have ever had a POTUS who has the interests of the common man at heart, you need to think again.

We are on opposite sides of who was/is the bigger crook, and I agree about never having a POTUS that has our interests at heart. But speaking with many Trump voters around here they honestly believed this limousine liberal was all in for them, honest to god. And sadly/scarily still do!

 

[Rustic]

Agreed. Trump was put in power by the people who hoped he could change things. However, the system clearly does not want change and opposes him at every level.

Americans like to think voting allows them the power to change things. Sadly, the reality clearly proves this is not true. Yes...it is the system.

If you really believe he actually meant to change things. He did not he hoaxed you, he is one of them and surrounded himself with them.

No. I have learned long ago not to trust any politician and I know the system will prevent change, because the wealthy elite won’t allow it.

But he is one of the wealthy elite and he was NOT a politician and that's why many voted for him. But he is a puppet master, he just got rid of the puppet and stopped pretending. I don't believe he has the interests of the common man at heart and his actions prove it.

I don’t think you realize that we had but two choices. The other candidate was clearly are crook. So, Trump was the lesser of two evils.

If you think we have ever had a POTUS who has the interests of the common man at heart, you need to think again.

We are on opposite sides of who was/is the bigger crook, and I agree about never having a POTUS that has our interests at heart. But speaking with many Trump voters around here they honestly believed this limousine liberal was all in for them, honest to god. And sadly/scarily still do!

Anything that damages the federal government is a good thing for the people… fact

 

[dblack]

Gates does nothing for anyone.

Then why do people give him money?

Who gives him money?
Be specific.

Stuff the pompous, 'be specific' shit up your ass. Anyone who buys his products is giving him money. You don't understand that?