Where do you work/go to school?

[Phax]

The confusion was caused by ignorance on the reader's part. My post was clear enough. However, some things can't be understood w/o having had the experience. So, it would be useless to explain even further.

So far what I've gotten out of your posts is that you have a chip on your shoulder, probably because you're jealous about some people you know, who have more money than you do and throw it in your face.

Calling your intended audience ignorant, and then demeaning their ability to understand your secretive communication makes you a poor communicator. Telling people that they cannot understand is another way of saying that you are unable to sufficiently explain things in a way that they can be understood.

I'm far from rich. I live in southern California and see kids driving around in brand new cars all the time. It frustrates me and leads me to wonder what it is that their parents do that is so freakin valuable to society, that not only can the support themselves well above the median, but that they can also buy vehicles for their children that are worth more than I make in a year. The uneven distribution of wealth kind of boggles of the mind. It would be nice to have a flat income tax.

[szh]

The uneven distribution of wealth kind of boggles of the mind. It would be nice to have a flat income tax.

... Uhhh ... now, this I did not get! As an aside, I favor a flat tax, but I do not think that it favors the not-rich! Progressive taxes (i.e., higher tax margins for more income) have always taken more from the "rich" than not!

So, can you elaborate on this?

Z

[vicki]

I don't get it either. You are complaining that some of these kids own cars worth more than your annual income yet you are for a flat income tax? You want to be taxed the same amount as someone making 500k a year?

[Phax]

I don't get it either. You are complaining that some of these kids own cars worth more than your annual income yet you are for a flat income tax? You want to be taxed the same amount as someone making 500k a year?

No. My understanding of what a flat tax is, is that everyone is taxed at the same percentage. For example, everyone regardless of income is taxed at 10%. The whole income tax bracket situation sucks. For example, I just got a raise and my boss made it retroactive back to the first of the year. Because of that, I got an extra ~$1000 in my last paycheck (pre-tax). But because of that extra bump in my paycheck, it bumped me up to the next level, and I only netted an extra $100 over what I would have been paid if I hadn't gotten the raise at all.

I'm all for a flat tax because the rich hardly pay any taxes anyway. A flat tax really evens it out for people in the middle of the spectrum (30-80k a year). When you're stuck in the middle like I am, you can get a raise which in theory means that you'd be earning more. But since the raise bumped you into the next tax bracket, you lose the raise to taxes. That's simply not fair. I don't work harder, so that the government can have more money to spend. Tax the bastards who are earning six plus figures a year. They are the ones profitting off of the system. They should be the ones supporting it.

Anyone making more than $100,000 a year more than likley has a tax guy, and that tax guy knows all about how to shift the funds around. So when all is said and done, the people earning six figures a year are paying less than people earning less than half of that.

[szh]

Oh, boy! Sorry, Phax, but I have to disagree with you a bit here! It is a of a classic myth that people making more total compensation, pay less total taxes than people making less compensation. It just does not happen that way!

To convince yourself, please feel free to look at your last years tax return and do the following math: divide what was put into your bank account (including tax refunds) by your total salary last year. That is your effective spending money. For people making less than $50k a year, I bet that this number is about 70% to 80% (depending on the state you live in and their tax bite and the social security you paid, etc.). For me, living in California, that number is about 55% or 56% - more than a third of my income goes to Fed Tax, State Tax, Social Security, Medicare, etc. - stuff that I have no choice but to pay!

FWIW, what you got hit by was the temporary massive leap to a much higher bracket (because of the large retroactive nature of the increase...which you will get back at tax refund time). And are thus arguing in favor of a flat tax (the percentage way of calculating it) for the same reason that I favor it. At the present time, at my salary, for every extra $1 that I make, I pay $0.38 to the Feds and $0.10 to the [sarcasm]wonderful[/sarcasm] State of California and a bit here and a bit there (FICA, SDI, etc.) such that I get about $0.45 in my pocket of that $1 that I "made". Incrementally speaking. Bites, doesn't it?

So, do I favor a "flat tax"? 20% or 25%, lets say? Even with an escape clause for the people who make less than $15k a year? IN A HEARTBEAT!!! Because, then I would pay a lot less total in taxes than I do now!

By the way, no accountant can make AMT (Alternative Minimum Tax) disappear, regardless of how much "shifting of funds" he can do! And, yes, I make more than $100k a year, but I do not have an accountant ... (a) I can't afford one and (b) the accountant will not save me more in taxes than he would cost me.

Z

[cys19]

Hmm, let's see. In the last 24 hrs, you've labelled me an ignorant reader and that I can barely comprehend english because I didn't interpret your post exactly the way you intended. Very mature.I'm not going to take the low road and respond with insults as I'm reasonably sure you're a teenager. (Adults normally don't post that they drive their mom's Camry)

Let's see. So far from my posts, you've only comprehended some of the insults directed to you. And, after given so much time, you still couldn't interpret what I wrote, while the other reader who was inevitably brought into the middle of this (and to whom I apologize) could. Mmm. Maybe, you should go back to school. Or is it too late?

(About what I have in my profile, normal adults usually have a sense of humor.)

And sorry if I had a misunderstanding from your first reply, but I sensed an arrogant, snide attitude after reading it. So, I took it as an insult.

"You do yourself no favors by being hostile and insulting, whether it be toward a spoiled kid that you think doesn't appreciate their good fortune, or to someone you don't even know who cared enough to respond to your post."

Oh and FYI, b/c it would've been too subtle for you to grasp anyways, normal adults are not hypocrites.

[cys19]

So far what I've gotten out of your posts is that you have a chip on your shoulder, probably because you're jealous about some people you know, who have more money than you do and throw it in your face.

Calling your intended audience ignorant, and then demeaning their ability to understand your secretive communication makes you a poor communicator. Telling people that they cannot understand is another way of saying that you are unable to sufficiently explain things in a way that they can be understood.

Phax, you're just repeating what Bubba said. I appreciated it when Vicki actually re-read what I wrote and skipped over Bubba's reply. I would appreciate it a lot if you did the same Thanks.

[vicki]

Ok no more fighting in my thread! Let's all kiss and make up. Happy times. Peace. Love. Harmony. Far out man.

[cys19]

::pouty lips::

[Jesda]

Damn hippy!

[cys19]

Hahahaha

[krazy skwerel]

"normal adults are not hypocrites"

Damn thats funny

[cys19]

Yeah he was talking about adults this adults that as if the world were perfect. So, I played Mr. Idealistic too. :pface

[vicki]

Whats wrong with being a hippy?

Don't discriminate. Spread the love, mmaaaan. *peace sign

[Bubba1]

Right on. Hippies are fun. Enough bandwidth has been wasted with this angry kid. Back to the thread.

[w1ngzer0]

Right on. Hippies are fun. Enough bandwidth has been wasted with this angry kid. Back to the thread.

lmao. This thread got out of control by whiners.

[cys19]

Sorry, I had a hard time getting through to the simple-minded one. The rest of you didn't deserve this, especially Vicki. It's just those who can't think on their own have a tendency to stagnate, or even confuse, the rest of the group. Like discussing politics with the simple-minded, nothing good comes out of it, just more repeated arguments.

[vicki]

Haha. This is why political, economic, and religious topic should be kept off the boards. All I asked was a simple question of what people are doing with their lives and holy drama errupted. I'm serious about the kissing and making up part. Let's see some pucker!

[Bubba1]

Have you actually made a post that doesn't include a cheap insult? Sheesh. How about you take your last childish cheap shot and perhaps the moderators will close this thread.

[vicki]

[vicki]

[vicki]

[Jesda]

Dont worry, be happy.

[Jesda]

Yeah so some of my friends work at Best Buy. I wanna get in on that at-cost discount for a new XM tuner.

[vicki]

[vicki]

NEW RULES OF THIS THREAD

1. Shut up2. Post pictures of hot chicks or don't post at all.

k bye

[cys19]

Have you actually made a post that doesn't include a cheap insult? Sheesh. How about you take your last childish cheap shot and perhaps the moderators will close this thread.

Haha, cheap insults, huh? You can't even defend yourself. Come to think of it, you were probably one of those who everybody picked on back in grammar school. But it's all good. I won't pick on you anymore.

[cys19]

Dont worry, be happy.

WOO she's hot! You've got good taste.

[vicki]

Hi cys19, in case you haven't noticed the rules I've laid out in huge font, let me introduce you to them.

NEW RULES OF THIS THREAD

1. Shut up2. Post pictures of hot chicks or don't post at all.

One of you needs to be the bigger man and not retort. Jesus fvcking Christ.

[cys19]

Yes ma'am. :icesangel