[Ludi]

I don't get any health coverage from paying taxes, so you're one up on me. I also don't make much money, so I don't reckon I pay as much in taxes as you. Property taxes are high in my area, I resent that, but I should have done better research before moving here. *shrug* I probably don't get as worked up abut taxes as I should. I tend to go with the "render unto Ceasar what is Ceasar's" idea...

[RonMN]

I smoke...so about 99.99% of my income goes to taxes

[RiverRat]

Can anyone provide a link to data that indicates what the typical US citizen pays in OVERALL taxes.

I once saw a statistic that referenced 50%-60% of income is lost to one tax or another (ie … income + real estate + sales + personal property +…etc).

I pointed this out once to a family member and they looked at me in disbelief.

You want to envision a MAD-MAX scenario that would make even the most doomin’ PO scenario look like a walk in the park …. Imagine this…

*** No taxes are levied in any form or fashion. You get to keep 100% of your wage. ***

Joe six pack on April 14th filling out his 2 question tax form …

1. Income stated for 2005 … $50,000

2. Please submit a check for … $30,000 by April 15th

Let the REVOLUTION begin.

[Ludi]

Eventually the Romans levied so many taxes against their farmers (which were paid in grain) that the farmers had no grain left over with which to plant next year's crop....

[JBinKC]

River actually your tax dollar pays for programs like medicaid and medicare even though we don't directly receive it.

I believe May 8th is tax freedom day for an average American but I think the figure excludes hidden taxes like property taxes.

For a couple of years my overall tax rate to income was 115% if you can believe that when I converted my IRA to a Roth.

Since I was educated in private schools I am not receiving many benefits from the system other than fire protection, a worthless police force, garbage collection which is now restricted and roads. I figure I am

Oh by the way I just received a property tax assessment double what I have paid before so my rate will climb higher.

At least high taxes on gasoline is much easier variable cost to modify. Property taxes on the other hand much more difficult and inconvenient thing to change.

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('JBinKC', 'O')h by the way I just received a property tax assessment double what I have paid before so my rate will climb higher.

[JBinKC]

I couldn't find anything in the state of Missouri code that sets a percentage limit and uses fair market value to determine the tax which I unfortunately cannot deny since the appraisal is still below comps in my area.

[Kingcoal]

Modern Republican presidents always campaign promising tax reform. All they ever manage is tweaking tax rates and such. The American income tax system simply takes in too much money to screw with. Another problem with changing the income tax system is the underlying legality (or lack thereof) regarding income taxes. The last thing that congress and the IRS wants is to have the "code" itself dragged in front of the Supreme Court again. They generally don't do too well in that venue!

I like a national sales tax, which should be dear to any Peaker. The tax would discourage consumption and encourage production. The individual would decide how much tax they want to pay and the rich would once again get socked.

The flat tax is already here. Republicans have flattened out tax rates to put most of the burden on the upper middle class.

A flat tax? We're halfway there

[RonMN]

did somebody say "hidden taxes"???

Look for the "surcharge" on your phone bill!!! Hidden taxes are EVERYWHERE! The gov't got smart & hid them in plain sight because they consider us sheep (we wouldn't protest)...me thinks it's time for a boston tea party!

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Kingcoal', ' ')and encourage production.

[Specop_007]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Kingcoal', 'M')odern Republican presidents always campaign promising tax reform. All they ever manage is tweaking tax rates and such. The American income tax system simply takes in too much money to screw with. Another problem with changing the income tax system is the underlying legality (or lack thereof) regarding income taxes. The last thing that congress and the IRS wants is to have the "code" itself dragged in front of the Supreme Court again. They generally don't do too well in that venue!

I like a national sales tax, which should be dear to any Peaker. The tax would discourage consumption and encourage production. The individual would decide how much tax they want to pay and the rich would once again get socked.

The flat tax is already here. Republicans have flattened out tax rates to put most of the burden on the upper middle class.

A flat tax? We're halfway there

[JBinKC]

I have noticed we had no reply from someone from Europe which was my initial intended goal to this post. I would surely rather have a tax like a high gasoline tax which can be a variable cost as opposed to a more fixed cost property tax.

Personally, I would like to see a VAT, abolish income and social security taxes and change in our foreign policy back to the Monroe Doctrine I am sick of footing the bill to police the world and defend "freedom".

[Specop_007]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('JBinKC', 'I') have noticed we had no reply from someone from Europe which was my initial intended goal to this post. I would surely rather have a tax like a high gasoline tax which can be a variable cost as opposed to a more fixed cost property tax.

Personally, I would like to see a VAT, abolish income and social security taxes and change in our foreign policy back to the Monroe Doctrine I am sick of footing the bill to police the world and defend "freedom".

[JBinKC]

Well its a hell alot easier to change your mode of transportation than to pick up and move!!!!!!

[Riverside]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('RonMN', 'd')id somebody say "hidden taxes"???

Look for the "surcharge" on your phone bill!!! Hidden taxes are EVERYWHERE! The gov't got smart & hid them in plain sight because they consider us sheep (we wouldn't protest)...me thinks it's time for a boston tea party!

[RiverRat]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('RonMN', 'd')id somebody say "hidden taxes"???

Look for the "surcharge" on your phone bill!!! Hidden taxes are EVERYWHERE! The gov't got smart & hid them in plain sight because they consider us sheep (we wouldn't protest)...me thinks it's time for a boston tea party!

[12amps]

State lottos are ridiculous hidden taxation on stupid greedy people.

I did a little thought experiment and was shocked to learn the truth.

I live in Texas and we have a TX lottery. As an example say 10 million people pay it before someone hits the jackpot. So does that person win 10 million? HELL NO!!!

What really happens: 10 million people all pay $1 each for a total of $10 million.

Understand that that $10 million is AFTER TAX (ie already went to Big GOV) so in reality it is ACTUALLY more like $15 million EARNED dollars.

So from that $15 million only $4,000,000 goes to the lottery money that goes back to the lucky individual after the state gets its cut.

But thats not all! The lucky bastard that wins also has to pay TAXES ON TOP OF THAT! So if he wins 4 million dollars he really gets something more like $2,000,000 dollars. And even then its NOT a LUMP SUM. The State gives it out in monthly payments and sometimes stretches it out to as long as 20 or more years.
The thing about that is, of course, $2,000,000 in 1980 is not the same as $2,000,000 in 2000 and not the same as $2,000,000 in 2020. etc. For ex. $2,000,000 in 1980 would be equivalent of $4,814,100 in 2006.

Essentially what that means is the WINNER only really gets $1,000,000!!

Now remember how much of the PEOPLE's money went in to this scam? $15 million dollars. And the winner gets only $1,000,000.
That's about 1/15th of the original amount that went in...

Now comes the fun part. The winner gets $1,000,000 but the rest of the 9,999,999 people get NOTHING! In fact for every winner that wins $1,000,000 the state gets $14,000,000 and 9,999,999 people each lose [s]$1[/s] $1.5 dollars.

Lets use a little simple statistics and calculate the expected gain using probalility.

($1,000,000)/(10,000,000 people) + (-$1.5)*(9,999,999/10,000,000 odds of losing)= 0.1 + (-1.49999985) = -$1.4899

So on average, each and every time you play the Texas Lottery, you should EXPECT to lose $1.48. Expect 6 percent of that $1.48 to go to some lucky bastard who actually wins, and the rest 94% to go straight to uncle sam.

The Lottery is a taxation on the greedy, the stupid, and the poor.

The greedy and the stupid deserve it, the poor don't deserve to get scammed and conned by the very force sworn to protect their property, liberties and freedom and pursuit of happiness.

[gnm]

The lottery is just a tax on people who can't do math... As you have just demonstrated.

-G

[Specop_007]

You obviously suck at math.

[12amps]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Specop_007', 'Y')ou obviously suck at math.