Source, Yahoo: ‘Americans Are Overtaxed’ and Other Federal Budget “Myths”
Category: Taxes and Policy, Video
Please use the comments to demonstrate your own ignorance, unfamiliarity with empirical data and lack of respect for scientific knowledge. Be sure to create straw men and argue against things I have neither said nor implied. If you could repeat previously discredited memes or steer the conversation into irrelevant, off topic discussions, it would be appreciated. Lastly, kindly forgo all civility in your discourse . . . you are, after all, anonymous.
War after the cold war expired was about 3% of GDP it has risen more than 60% chasing terrorism.
The other rising “third” of US government outlays is the bloated war machine (over 20% of outlays not including security related pay outs in other agencies) and other discretionary spending which is militarist and domestic keynesianism. War should be cut by two thirds and would still out spend any other “rival by three times. But oh the jobs and the dividends to be lost!
5% of GDP for “other discretionary” is not chopped liver! Fees etc need to pay more for these things.
Smaller entitlements, but hugely larger war and discretionary than the rest of the world.
No prince prospers from long war. Sun Tzu
The sacred search for war profits has to stop.
Ryan’s budget INCREASES Defense without specifying where the cuts are. Do we really need to increase defense?
Simply put, this book projects a profoundly dishonest thesis. The government tax burden, even federal alone, is not going down. A great deal of the tax burden is hidden in what are effectively value added taxes. At every level from mine/farm to consumer, corporation expenses include employment taxes, payroll taxes, corporate income taxes,,,semi-infinite list and these are hidden from view on April 15th, but nonetheless raise the price of every thing the consumer buys….
We need to stop arguing about this false premise…that ‘visible’ taxes need to raised and focus simply on expenditures. There will be no compromise, come November. Duplicitousness needs constant calling out, as the Ship of State IS sinking. I wouldn’t blame our grandchildren for literally, skewering us and roasting us on an open pit.
Simply put, this book projects a profoundly disingenuous thesis. The government tax burden, even federal alone, is not going down. A great deal of the tax burden is hidden in what are effectively value added taxes. At every level from mine/farm to consumer, corporation expenses include employment taxes, payroll taxes, corporate income taxes,,,semi-infinite list and these are hidden from view on April 15th, but nonetheless raise the price of every thing the consumer buys….
We need to stop arguing about the false premise…that ‘visible’ taxes need to be raised and focus on expenditures. There will be no compromise, come November. Duplicitousness needs constant calling out, as the Ship of State IS sinking. I wouldn’t blame our grandchildren for literally, skewering us and roasting us on an open pit for our prodigality and selfishness.
For those with enough patience, see this link: “how much tax do we really pay”
http://nowandfutures.com/taxes.html
Here’s a non-intuitive thought: Beyond a relatively low % of taxes paid, most tax increases tend to benefit the well off NOT the poor. Please reflect on this and if you require an explanation, I’ll provide it.
Finally: There seems too be much foggy thinking when the budget is discussed. I see no serious discussion in one obvious are: instead of concentrating on spending cuts and tax increases/decreases where is the discussion about cutting COSTS not services. I.E. instead of denying my grandpa’s Isaac knee replacement via Medicare just cutting the COST of it via: technological advancements, fraud elimination, low overhead, low inflation in general, etc. Same goes for all Gov. expenditures incl. the military.
@OldDogDaltz: Right, the source of all evil is expenditures. Let’s just freeze ALL federal, state and local government spending for 90 days and see how that works out? No police, fire or other emergency response services, no sewage treatment, electricity, communications infrastructure, road repairs, airports, agricultural subsidies, etc.
Look, if you really want to grasp the problem, read David Cay Johnston’s book (available in paperback), “Perfectly Legal: The Covert Campaign to Rig Our Tax System to Benefit the Super Rich – and Cheat Everybody Else”:
http://www.amazon.com/Perfectly-Legal-Campaign-Benefit-Everybody/dp/1591840198
I know, it probably doesn’t fit your worldview, but give it a shot… for the sake of your grandchildren.
@bear_in_mind: “freeze” as in freeze the contractually built in increases in salaries, pensions etc granted by the politicians of the day without regard to consequences? That’s what’s going to happen, either voluntarily or via bankruptcy (Stockton, CA, San Bernardino CA, etc). I dont think anyone is advocating eliminating Gov. spending.
Don’t worry about our children and grandchildren.
When they control the country, they will simply devalue the currency and transfer wealth by wiping out the real value of their parents’ savings and entitlement benefits, and the real burden of their own debt.
They will earn $million/year while the parents struggle to buy a $100 loaf of bread with their $2000/month social security.
Or maybe this will already happen much sooner.
regardless of whether our taxes have gone up, govt spending is also at all time highs and all of us can see that every time we turn around.
let’s bring back the clinton era tax rates ALONG with clinton era govt spending as % of GDP!