I think my previous questions may not be the right ones, especially because Rick Warren at Saddleback had asked about the “rich.” So following his lead, I’ve modified the trust questions. Here they are:
I’m sure I’m missing the point, but I don’t understand the questions. What does money have to do with trusting the government or preserving the Constitution? And the first one is obviously a trick question because to answer “less than $20K per year” you would also have to answer yes to the following 5 options. I thought the previous questions were much easier to answer.
Hey Gwynne, thanks for being among the few to answer…. at least so far.
And as for your points, well, I see I have a nit picking accountant here worried about the absence of some wording saying something like “less than or equal to, but not more than….” geeesh give a blogger a break…. I’m not writing tax code here. (Course, you’re not the first to complain about my “tricky” multiple choice questions.
And hey, I need the break because there’s that other substantive point about money, and trust, and the Constitution….
Maybe I’m hearing something different than you, but I’d swear that for some, maybe some of your clients, who wins in November would make a tax difference to them….. So, do some have less reason to trust the government than others? or more reason to pay attention to politics?
And hey, defining who is rich seems to be important in this election–you know, less than $150k, or less than $5million. And I’m not sure that it’s a new issue…..
My 2 cents: if we make a lot of money, we don’t want government to take it. If we don’t make very much money we don’t want government to take it. If we can’t make enough money to support ourselves, we want government to help us make up the difference. If we have more than enough, we want those lazy bums to work harder instead of asking government (us) to pay their way.
Or that’s the way the arguments usually go when asked about what’s wrong with government.
To me, government is a necessary machine that, ideally, should preserve the balance between security and freedom. And as many of our founding fathers have said, it can’t be done without God’s guidance.
So, trust? That depends on who’s running the machine.
Hey Barb, yes, in God we trust…. but still we must do justice or the work of politics. And a good machine helps. But as to trusting people, well, anybody can say they’re committed Christians. And some -may- be, but they may be mistaken about the best policies….
And a lot of policies involve money…. So do those who need government assistance trust government more than those who want the bums to work?
Defining who is “rich” does seem to be a point of discussion, especially since McCain joked that he thought the line was drawn at $5 million. That played well into the Democrats hands, didn’t it? Along with not knowing how many houses he owns. Ah, well. The comment that concerned most of my clients was Obama’s “promise” not to raise the taxes of 95% of our citizens. The 95% line is drawn at about $150,000 so those who make over $150,000 should expect a tax increase even though Obama himself defines “rich” as over $250,000 per year. And the top 5% already pay over 50% of the taxes in this country!
My problem answering your questions though is that I know folks at all income levels who do not trust the government. The “rich” do not want someone else telling them what to do with their money. The “poor” do not want to have to rely on an inept government or a government that may provide free handouts but doesn’t protect their rights.
No, kids don’t learn that kind of stuff in school. Sadly. In fact, most people don’t understand the other statistics from Gwynne, either, that the top 5% pay 50% of the taxes. Nor do they understand that corporations don’t “pay” taxes, they only collect taxes on behalf of the government. The only folks who pay are the folks who work, and the top 5% of workers pay 50% of the total.
If you are “rich” by owning some stock, you get to pay taxes three times–the corporate tax that is passed to you in prices, the taxes you pay on the income (dividends) from the stock you owe and the capital gains on the stock when you sell it. The farce that corporations should pay their “fair share” of taxes is the worst form of governmental chicanery and should be abolished, immediately, as immoral.
But I don’t trust the government to do that anytime soon.
I don’t trust the government — period. It doesn’t matter how much one earns, the government is not to be trusted. Bear arms and wait ’till you see the whites of their eyes. And yes, taxes corporations as much as possible. The rich do not pay their fair share. LOL
Thanks for the book title “Washington’s God” I was looking for just such a book following our bible study, “The Truth Project” http://www.thetruthproject.org/
The top 0.1% of taxpayers by income pay 17.4% of federal income taxes (earning 9.1% of the income), the top 1% with gross income of $328,049 or more pay 36.9% (earning 19%), the top 5% with gross income of $137,056 or more pay 57.1% (earning 33.4%), and the bottom 50% with gross income of $30,122 or less pay 3.3% (earning 13.4%).
It’s a dumbocrat lie that the rich don’t pay a fair share. They pay taxes at almost twice their income share, while the bottom 50% pay one quarter of their share–an 8 to 1 disparity!
When you add sales, FICA, Medicare, state and local taxes, plus personal property, real estate and the hidden taxes like “usage fees” for parks/highways/bridges, etc, the average US taxpayer pays 40% of his income to the government.
I’m sure I’m missing the point, but I don’t understand the questions. What does money have to do with trusting the government or preserving the Constitution? And the first one is obviously a trick question because to answer “less than $20K per year” you would also have to answer yes to the following 5 options. I thought the previous questions were much easier to answer.
Hey Gwynne, thanks for being among the few to answer…. at least so far.
And as for your points, well, I see I have a nit picking accountant here worried about the absence of some wording saying something like “less than or equal to, but not more than….” geeesh give a blogger a break…. I’m not writing tax code here. (Course, you’re not the first to complain about my “tricky” multiple choice questions.
And hey, I need the break because there’s that other substantive point about money, and trust, and the Constitution….
Maybe I’m hearing something different than you, but I’d swear that for some, maybe some of your clients, who wins in November would make a tax difference to them….. So, do some have less reason to trust the government than others? or more reason to pay attention to politics?
And hey, defining who is rich seems to be important in this election–you know, less than $150k, or less than $5million. And I’m not sure that it’s a new issue…..
My 2 cents: if we make a lot of money, we don’t want government to take it. If we don’t make very much money we don’t want government to take it. If we can’t make enough money to support ourselves, we want government to help us make up the difference. If we have more than enough, we want those lazy bums to work harder instead of asking government (us) to pay their way.
Or that’s the way the arguments usually go when asked about what’s wrong with government.
To me, government is a necessary machine that, ideally, should preserve the balance between security and freedom. And as many of our founding fathers have said, it can’t be done without God’s guidance.
So, trust? That depends on who’s running the machine.
PS I trust only God. And those you have committed their lives to Christ.
Hey Barb, yes, in God we trust…. but still we must do justice or the work of politics. And a good machine helps. But as to trusting people, well, anybody can say they’re committed Christians. And some -may- be, but they may be mistaken about the best policies….
And a lot of policies involve money…. So do those who need government assistance trust government more than those who want the bums to work?
Now let me return to that topic of trust in God. I read a book this summer, Washington’s God. Good stuff. He had a deep appreciation for Providence. Get it Amazon…..
http://www.amazon.com/Washingtons-God-Religion-Liberty-Country/dp/0465051278/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220458346&sr=8-1
Defining who is “rich” does seem to be a point of discussion, especially since McCain joked that he thought the line was drawn at $5 million. That played well into the Democrats hands, didn’t it? Along with not knowing how many houses he owns. Ah, well. The comment that concerned most of my clients was Obama’s “promise” not to raise the taxes of 95% of our citizens. The 95% line is drawn at about $150,000 so those who make over $150,000 should expect a tax increase even though Obama himself defines “rich” as over $250,000 per year. And the top 5% already pay over 50% of the taxes in this country!
My problem answering your questions though is that I know folks at all income levels who do not trust the government. The “rich” do not want someone else telling them what to do with their money. The “poor” do not want to have to rely on an inept government or a government that may provide free handouts but doesn’t protect their rights.
Hey Gwynne, you’re just too sensible, like those people who don’t trust someone who gives them money.
But, where do you find people like that?
Do students learn stuff like that in school?
No, kids don’t learn that kind of stuff in school. Sadly. In fact, most people don’t understand the other statistics from Gwynne, either, that the top 5% pay 50% of the taxes. Nor do they understand that corporations don’t “pay” taxes, they only collect taxes on behalf of the government. The only folks who pay are the folks who work, and the top 5% of workers pay 50% of the total.
If you are “rich” by owning some stock, you get to pay taxes three times–the corporate tax that is passed to you in prices, the taxes you pay on the income (dividends) from the stock you owe and the capital gains on the stock when you sell it. The farce that corporations should pay their “fair share” of taxes is the worst form of governmental chicanery and should be abolished, immediately, as immoral.
But I don’t trust the government to do that anytime soon.
Yeah Pop, “corporate taxation” sounds like almost perfect propaganda…. at least for those willing to trust people who give them money.
I don’t trust the government — period. It doesn’t matter how much one earns, the government is not to be trusted. Bear arms and wait ’till you see the whites of their eyes. And yes, taxes corporations as much as possible. The rich do not pay their fair share. LOL
Denis, maybe that should have been, “Bear arms and get yourself a Barrett .50.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWJp14tkBlU
Course, that takes some money.
Thanks for the book title “Washington’s God” I was looking for just such a book following our bible study, “The Truth Project” http://www.thetruthproject.org/
Hey Barb, the Truth Project looks like a good study.
On George, my ol’ mentor has a new one. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, but “George Washington: America’s First Progressive” should be good. See if you can get it from the library; it’s pricey at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/George-Washington-Americas-First-Progressive/dp/1433103710/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220546982&sr=1-7
For Denis, some facts on taxation in the US:
The top 0.1% of taxpayers by income pay 17.4% of federal income taxes (earning 9.1% of the income), the top 1% with gross income of $328,049 or more pay 36.9% (earning 19%), the top 5% with gross income of $137,056 or more pay 57.1% (earning 33.4%), and the bottom 50% with gross income of $30,122 or less pay 3.3% (earning 13.4%).
It’s a dumbocrat lie that the rich don’t pay a fair share. They pay taxes at almost twice their income share, while the bottom 50% pay one quarter of their share–an 8 to 1 disparity!
When you add sales, FICA, Medicare, state and local taxes, plus personal property, real estate and the hidden taxes like “usage fees” for parks/highways/bridges, etc, the average US taxpayer pays 40% of his income to the government.
I say, repeal the 16th amendment!