http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/ad-lib/2011/apr/10/tax-evaders-wall-shame/ This is from April but still, perhaps now even more, apropos:
Now you see, this is what I mean by NEW republicans vs. the republicans of yesteryear. In 1979, when the then chairman of Chyrsler corp. went before congress to borrow just ONE billion dollars, everyone was us in arms. They didn't believe back then in borrowing from the government. Sink or swim was their attitude. Now fast forward 30+ years and these guys have no problem with bailouts, to the tune of HUNDREDS of billions, not paying ANY taxes and shipping many of their jobs overseas. I'm sorry but I can't even begin to put these guys in the same category as a Henry Ford, Andrew Carnige (sp) or a Walt Disney. I was a kid during the time Chrysler was going broke back in the late 70's. Many of my relatives worked for the auto industry in Detroit so I heard a lot about this guy LEE IACCOCA. When I came of age, I read his book back in the late 80's. The things he did like paying himself only a $1 a year until Chrysler turned around. Cutting the million dollar a year salaries to all the managers who worked under him. The discounts he gave on the automobiles. Even came out with a new car, the SPECIAL K that cost a fraction of what the other cars cost. This guy created value through creativity and innovative ideas. When Chrysler turned around, he paid the government back ahead of schedule. When he retired, his stock options in the company were worth hundreds of millions. However, no one said a word because he earned it. His slogan was "If you can find a better deal, take it." Have you even HEARD of anyone doing that today, NO. Bailouts, cutting employees jobs, outsourcing jobs overseas, not paying taxes, that's the NEW way of creating value.
Here's the problem. What can be done? Its clear no matter who gets in office this is how things are done now and even if we did manage to get them to pay taxes what's to keep them from packing up and leaving the states for a much more tax friendly country?
The thing is, the idea that the US isnt tax friendly is bullshit that's been fed to us. They arent paying *any* taxes. How does one get more tax friendly than that, yet we're constantly being threatened that they'll go overseas if we dont give them even more. Public financing of elections would be a start - at least the pols wouldnt be taking direct marching order from corporations
But thats the thing its tax friendly now because of the loop holes but imagine they weren't there. Imagine if they actually had to pay some not even all their taxes. What would be the incentive for them not to pack it all up and go to Hong Kong. They'll have bigger earnings and as one Goldman Sach's said not too long ago they're all about creating profits not jobs.
Yeah they are about profits. There are ways to get them to pay *something* and still remain competitive. A lot of the high tech companies that outsourced to India are beginning to regret some of it - case in point: Company I worked for had a massive technical failure last week - it was a hardware failure and the fault of the vendor. But sorting it out took the technical team at the company over 24 hours, in part because the first people in on the issue were in India, and made things worse because they didnt know what they were doing. It wasn't a production system, but still it was one of the worse meltdowns I've ever seen on this kind of system. This pushed back testing for some new production application software. If they miss their already tight target date the company stands to lose $500 million. And I'm too young to have been a hippie. I think the "Summer of Love" was what, 1967? I was not quite 9 that summer, and even for a precocious girl, that was just a wee bit young for free love and drugs
But who's doing the most damage to the economy??? You see it and know what's going on, yet you are still an apologist for corporate criminality. Recall that NOT ONE PERSON working on Wall Street was sent to jail following the financial collapse in 2009. These people are literally sucking out the blood and treasure of this country, and because people like you desire to be aligned with them, you defend their grotesque actions. This country is on the verge of collapse not because of middle class tax cheats, it's because good people of conscience refuse to hold corporate elites accountable for their epic fraud and theft of this nation's wealth.
Nearly 1500 Millionaires Paid No Taxes in 2009 By GARY BAUMGARTEN The Los Angeles times reports that 1,470 millionaires paid no taxes in 2009. How did they get away with this? Quite legally. They were either tax exempted because of their foreign investments. Or because they gave to charity. So let me see if I get this right. Republicans oppose lifting tax exemptions from the very wealthiest of our fellow Americans because they, the rich folk, are “job creators.” But, according to the IRS, the jobs they are creating, aren’t in the USA. They are on foreign soil. Then there are those who argue that the government should not be involved in social programs. That’s something for the churches and other private agencies to provide. It’s called charity. But the rich people who gave to charity were then exempted from paying taxes. So, isn’t that the same as if the government paid that money directly to the charities? There are those who are concerned about the growing list of people on the other, lower, end of the economic spectrum, who aren’t paying income taxes. They note, as the LA Times does, that the total percentage of Americans who are tax exempted is 46 percent. A staggering number. But why aren’t they paying taxes? Mainly because they are out-of-work. Many of them suddenly and prematurely unemployed. If you don’t have income, you don’t pay taxes. Some people say low income folk who aren’t paying taxes are bringing this country down. They’re not, it is argued, paying their fair share. One fellow told me the poor should not be subsidized by the government at all. They should subsist on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. There was a bit of resentment in that statement, which, I actually understand. The guy who made it is barely eking out a living himself. But I’ll tell you what. I’d rather be part of the 54 percent who are paying taxes than the 46 percent who are not. Unless, of course, I was a millionaire.
2% of Americans control roughly 90% of the wealth in this country. By rule and proportion, that 2% SHOULD be paying the most in taxes. Stop being brainwashed by right wing propaganda and research the numbers. Sorry, but a billionaire dodging on his taxes is not the equivalent of my next door neighbor cheating Uncle Sam. But yall keep carrying the water for those victimized rich folk who had their tax attorneys lobby Congress to write the tax code that favors THEM. How many of you have tax attorneys on retainer?? How many of you have offshore 'tax shelters'??? Thought so.
Progressive tax versus a flat tax is a rich man's hustle. Keep the same tax rate, eliminate all the loopholes and deductions and maintain the top tax rate where it was during the Clinton presidency, at 39%. You've got to earn your way out of a deficit, you can't cut, cut, cut the Federal government to the bone when times are the most difficult.
And this post comes down to the core of what's wrong with the working class. Dude you're not listening at all. In your hopes to become one of the wealthy you're siding with people who wouldn't piss on you even if you were on fire. If they earn the vast majority of the wealthy why shouldn't they pay more? Tracking down all the Juanitas and Tyrones for the few hundreds they owe will never come close to the amount the rich don't pay because of loop holes. Going after those who literally don't have it makes no sense. How much do you want to bleed the stone
Paniro, check my thread out: http://whitewomenblackmen.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19068 You have GOP voters that want taxes raised too.
Then you should word things differently fam because that line about demonizing the rich makes it sound like you're sympathizing with them as if they have a plight. I agree all should pay but our deficit problem isn't being caused by the poor my friend. It's basic math
