Yup, it was 70% in the economic golden age people talk about. Also federal and corporate income taxes contributed about the same to the federal tax take in the 50s. Now personal income tax contributes four times as much as corporation tax and the rich pay a smaller share. The burden has shifted from the rich and large corporations to the middle class and small businesses, the main job creators. I don't advocate the 70% rate, 40% would be more than enough as the top rate if people actually had to pay it. It's ridiculous how the rich can pay a lower effective tax than people earning a fraction of their income.
I agree, I just want EVERYONE to pay their fair share. Including corporations. And I have no problem saying that if they don't like it, they can get the hell out. Lower the corporate tax rate, but close all the loopholes that allows them to keep money off-shore. Why should they benefit from everything that is cultivated with public tax dollars (a well-educated-ish workforce, transportation infrastructure) without having to pay for it?
Our policy should foster a cycle of mutual benefit. It's not that liberals admonish success. I believe the liberal ethos embraces a long-term vision and that we want to start fixing things now. This must be tempered against people that are selfish and can only think in the past. I say selfish because many of the right's policies a) attempt to stifle any action on the part of the left in attempt to ensure that they can get re-elected, and b) will only appease the people to get their votes. Of course the masses will love the party that pledges to not sign any new taxes. To the layperson in America, taxes are bad, always. Even when they're at very low rates historically. Even in the face of such a large deficit.
I do believe government needs to be MUCH more transparent so we can see how our money gets spent, but it's not like that information isn't out there. Simply put, there's no responsibility and no connection between what our government does and the people. After all, they're the ones that elected the officials that choose whether we go to war or not. As we all know, it's far easier to point fingers and just blame it on the other side.
This map is partial proof that people will vote against their best interests. Since this map only looks at the top 10%-lowest 10%, I'd like to find out the average percentage of states that vote Democratic and of those that vote Republican.
The most fascinating/scary part of all this is how the Republican Party have managed to convince a significant portion of the electorate, ie. the GHod-fearing Christian Conservatives, that THEY are the party which represents the views that Jesus Christ would have had if he were alive today. Jesus was the ultimate sandal-wearing progressive, and the Republicans have successfully managed to contort that into an agenda that happens to be in perfect aligned with that off Big Business.
I have lived in the US for almost 15 years now, and the levels of ignorance in the voting public with regards to their understanding of policy is without a doubt my least favorite part of living in this amazing country.[/QUOTE]
I've been here ten years and would concur.
The most fascinating/scary part of all this is how the Republican Party have managed to convince a significant portion of the electorate, ie. the GHod-fearing Christian Conservatives, that THEY are the party which represents the views that Jesus Christ would have had if he were alive today. Jesus was the ultimate sandal-wearing progressive, and the Republicans have successfully managed to contort that into an agenda that happens to be in perfect aligned with that off Big Business.
I have lived in the US for almost 15 years now, and the levels of ignorance in the voting public with regards to their understanding of policy is without a doubt my least favorite part of living in this amazing country.
I've been here ten years and would concur.
Kim Kardashian is one of these types of voters, need I say more?
Well, she's probably brighter than Palin, Bachmann and Perry, more charismatic with better PR than Romney. She might be a better candidate for POTUS.
The most fascinating/scary part of all this is how the Republican Party have managed to convince a significant portion of the electorate, ie. the GHod-fearing Christian Conservatives, that THEY are the party which represents the views that Jesus Christ would have had if he were alive today. Jesus was the ultimate sandal-wearing progressive, and the Republicans have successfully managed to contort that into an agenda that happens to be in perfect aligned with that off Big Business.
I have lived in the US for almost 15 years now, and the levels of ignorance in the voting public with regards to their understanding of policy is without a doubt my least favorite part of living in this amazing country.[/QUOTE]
I've been here ten years and would concur.
=D>
Someone said to me recently that Obama vs Romney was the clearest thing they'd seen in terms of smart vs arse, and they felt Obama would landslide because of this. I reminded them about Gore v Bush. Yes, he might've stolen it, but the fact is he should never been close enough to be able to, he should've been dead in the water. I "hope" we're not in for one of those...
The most fascinating/scary part of all this is how the Republican Party have managed to convince a significant portion of the electorate, ie. the GHod-fearing Christian Conservatives, that THEY are the party which represents the views that Jesus Christ would have had if he were alive today. Jesus was the ultimate sandal-wearing progressive, and the Republicans have successfully managed to contort that into an agenda that happens to be in perfect aligned with that off Big Business.
I have lived in the US for almost 15 years now, and the levels of ignorance in the voting public with regards to their understanding of policy is without a doubt my least favorite part of living in this amazing country.
I've been here ten years and would concur.