Taxing the rich?

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PennEd

Senior Member
Apr 22, 2013
13,572
9,091
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#21
ONLY Australia has more living space in their homes in the World than the U.S.

All that socialism, that seems to look so good, comes with a LOT of big drawbacks. One of which is the shoebox sized homes in much of Europe and elsewhere in the world.

The average American home is 2174 Sq. ft. compared to socialist "utopia" Sweden at 893 Sq. ft. Italy 872, U.K. 818....

Not to mention the tiny matchbox cars they drive.
 
Jul 20, 2019
1,228
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#22
In the US, maybe. Plenty of developed countries have much, much higher taxes, and yet, goods don't cost very much more than they do in the US. At any rate, the benefit of higher taxes funding robust social programs drastically offsets any increase in goods price. A variety of goods can all decrease in price in socialized systems: medicine, education, public transport and healthcare, to name a few.
unfortunately due to the way the deep state has set up the usa from the beginning, it capitalism or nothing. Anything else is communism apparently. Very hard to convince Americans of free healthcare, free education, efficient public transportation, free water and sewer etc. Now look at the mess they are in.
 

calibob

Sinner saved by grace
May 29, 2018
8,268
5,516
113
Anaheim, Cali.
#23
FYI: From Rincon Point to the Imperial Beach/Tijuana border its 213 miles by highway with over 14,550,000 population in about a 75 mile wide strip. That's why they live in small expensive homes and apartments and drive mini cars there.

That's why I moved to OK 9 years ago. But from birth L.A. seemed normal to me.
 

calibob

Sinner saved by grace
May 29, 2018
8,268
5,516
113
Anaheim, Cali.
#24
unfortunately due to the way the deep state has set up the usa from the beginning, it capitalism or nothing. Anything else is communism apparently. Very hard to convince Americans of free healthcare, free education, efficient public transportation, free water and sewer etc. Now look at the mess they are in.
If it wasn't for FDR California ballots might be in German and Japanize rather than English and Spanish. And what would have happened to New York, if the Nazis had completed the 'A' bomb first? Why do some of you think it was referred to as the "Manhattan project"?

Joe Mc Carthy was a paranoid/pathological liar & delusional alcoholic who died of alcohol relate hepatitis at 48 years old.
 
U

UnderGrace

Guest
#25
In the US, maybe. Plenty of developed countries have much, much higher taxes, and yet, goods don't cost very much more than they do in the US. At any rate, the benefit of higher taxes funding robust social programs drastically offsets any increase in goods price. A variety of goods can all decrease in price in socialized systems: medicine, education, public transport and healthcare, to name a few.
Wow this is not true.

All social programs are funded through taxes and debt.

The cost actually increases exponentially over time and the "quality" of said goods diminish over time.
 

calibob

Sinner saved by grace
May 29, 2018
8,268
5,516
113
Anaheim, Cali.
#26
Wow this is not true.

All social programs are funded through taxes and debt.

The cost actually increases exponentially over time and the "quality" of said goods diminish over time.
True! Because corrupt administrators embezzle or misappropriate the money.
 

calibob

Sinner saved by grace
May 29, 2018
8,268
5,516
113
Anaheim, Cali.
#28
What will it take to zero out the national debit and make the USA solvent again is a equal question to who will pick up the tab.
 
U

UnderGrace

Guest
#30
I would agree if you said 'a' problem rather than 'the' problem. If the government is supposed to be non profit how is privatization supposed to work?
Why does government have to run health care services?
 

calibob

Sinner saved by grace
May 29, 2018
8,268
5,516
113
Anaheim, Cali.
#31
Why does government have to run health care services?
If employers would include it with the wages for people that get paid by the hour and welfare was replaced by workfare for the able then the costs and recepients would decrease quite significantly.
 

calibob

Sinner saved by grace
May 29, 2018
8,268
5,516
113
Anaheim, Cali.
#32
If interest rates on savings accounts would return to a 4.0-5.0% normal and also increase the interest rates on debt to banks. Not the Federal Reserve, then people would be more encouraged to save more than go into debt. Moderate inflation is a sign of a healthy economy and also would benefit the lower paid majority of the nation the most. The increase of cash flow would eventually trickle up to the rich and we could start paying off the National Debt, which is a clear and present danger. I think.

I'm nothing like an economist but my Dad was a dust bowl refugee and my Mom's parents escaped to America in a fishing boat during the post WW1 civil war in Yugoslavia. They all worked with their hands for a living and paid taxes.
 
U

UnderGrace

Guest
#33
If employers would include it with the wages for people that get paid by the hour and welfare was replaced by workfare for the able then the costs and recepients would decrease quite significantly.
Employers can include what they please it is up to the employee to decide if they want that employment or not.

No compulsion, let the parties enter into their agreement.
 

RickyZ

Senior Member
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
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#34
The idea that giving tax breaks to the rich means the money trickles down to the rest, it doesn't.
Right. It's like giving 10 bones to one dog, on the assumption that he'll share them with 9 other dogs.
 

RickyZ

Senior Member
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
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#35
socialism hasn't worked because it never has been allowed to. Many countries around the world practice socialism and it works well. everyone should have access to free water, sewage, education, health and dental at the very least. And a strong welfare system to look after the sick , elderly and those that simply cannot get a job for various reasons. Capitalism has failed
A hybrid of the two would work best, but good luck with that!
 

RickyZ

Senior Member
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
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#36
a rich ruling class that ran things for many decades unchallengend , had many who even questioned them thrown in gulags
And here I thought Trump was a conservative... lol
 

RickyZ

Senior Member
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
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#37
Really? It was allowed to work in the USSR, Cuba, and Venezuela, and proved itself to be DISASTROUS.

All so-called *Socialism* does is put the wealth of a country into the hands of a handful of thugs. Russia is presently ruled by the Mafiya. China is no different and the Triads work hand-in-hand with the thugs in government.
And that differs from what the USA has today by..?
 

RickyZ

Senior Member
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
113
#38
unfortunately due to the way the deep state has set up the usa from the beginning, it capitalism or nothing. Anything else is communism apparently. Very hard to convince Americans of free healthcare, free education, efficient public transportation, free water and sewer etc. Now look at the mess they are in.
There is no such thing as 'free' healthcare, education, etc. SOMEONE pays for it. It's just a shifting of the cost from one place to another.
 

Chester

Senior Member
May 23, 2016
4,314
1,442
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#39
There is a lot of political talk about taxing big companies and taxing the rich today.
People need to understand a simple fact.
Any time taxes are increased on any company, that tax is passed on to the consumer.
Every company or business has a certain amount of profit that it must make to remain in business.
If that profit is not made, the business will close.

Same can be said of the rich.
They decide how much they need each year to continue their lifestyle and will find a way to make it.
Any increase in taxes, guess who will pay, the consumer.

I ran my own business for 47 years and every year I determined how much money I need to make to make the 60-70 hours a week I worked worthwhile and set my prices accordingly.
When cost went up, whether cost of product, labor, TAXES, my prices went up accordingly.

Everything the government promises to give you has a price and that price will ultimately be pay by you the consumer.
I see your reasoning here, and I don't disagree - but I would add one more piece to the plot . . .

if by increasing your prices because of increased taxes you would cause your customer base to abandon your product (for something cheaper) then you might have to reconsider how much profit you would have to make.

So if someone else with the same product and the same quality of product is willing to make less profit, they would conceivably get a bigger part of the market, and thus could put you out of business.

So it is possible that increasing taxes on the rich could cause them to have to reconsider their profit margins.