47% will pay no federal income tax

#1
utvolpj

utvolpj

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#1
47% of households owe no tax - and their ranks are growing - Sep. 30, 2009

Most people think they pay too much to Uncle Sam, but for some people it simply is not true.In 2009, roughly 47% of households, or 71 million, will not owe any federal income tax, according to estimates by the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.
Some in that group will even get additional money from the government because they qualify for refundable tax breaks.
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The center's original 2009 estimate was 38%. That was before enactment in February of the $787 billion economic recovery package, which included a host of new or expanded tax breaks.
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Someone please enlighten me as to how we're going to pay for all these fun little gov't programs by only taxing the wealthiest of Americans
 
#5
#5
I think we've nearly reached the point where the majority "can vote themselves money"...
 
#8
#8
It is ridiculous. I don't know about the "fair tax," but certainly when an entire half of the country pays nothing, that's pretty good evidence in my book that the tax code, with all of its deductions, rebates, credits, etc., is so riddled with politicized gifts to too many sectors of the economy. Time for a major overhaul and simplification.
 
#10
#10
lawgator1 said:
It is ridiculous. I don't know about the "fair tax," but certainly when an entire half of the country pays nothing, that's pretty good evidence in my book that the tax code, with all of its deductions, rebates, credits, etc., is so riddled with politicized gifts to too many sectors of the economy. Time for a major overhaul and simplification.
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Without question. While we are at it, lets do away with withholding and force people to write a check every year on April 15. Then....we can hold elections on April 16. Give everyone a tax day and election day holiday.
 
#11
#11
lawgator1 said:
It is ridiculous. I don't know about the "fair tax," but certainly when an entire half of the country pays nothing, that's pretty good evidence in my book that the tax code, with all of its deductions, rebates, credits, etc., is so riddled with politicized gifts to too many sectors of the economy. Time for a major overhaul and simplification.
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do you really think this is about deductions and rebates?

What about the enormous piles of wealth that were obliterated in 2008? Is that considered a deduction? A consumption tax would eliminate such issues altogether.
 
#12
#12
BigPapaVol said:
do you really think this is about deductions and rebates?

What about the enormous piles of wealth that were obliterated in 2008? Is that considered a deduction? A consumption tax would eliminate such issues altogether.
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My theoretical problem with consumption tax (a code word for sales tax) is that there would be immediate calls to exempt certain things, such as food or milk or medicine, followed by calls to exempt other things, such as fuel or housing or cars, followed by calls to exempt still more things ....

Reality is that our elected leaders would be incapable of standing firm on a no exemption policy and the same creep of exemptions and breaks we see now would happen over time in that structure, as well.

Plus, what do we do about purchases made outside the country? Does this not encourage a flight of purchasing power and capital to Canada, Mexico, China, and Europe?
 
#13
#13
Daddy Gee said:
I think we've nearly reached the point where the majority "can vote themselves money"...
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I believe the quote is from a guy name Tytler.

"A democracy can no longer exist once the majority of voters discover that they can vote themselves largess from the public coffers"
 
#14
#14
the problem with a consumption tax is that the black market would go nuts. I don't think it works from a practical point of view.
 
#15
#15
lawgator1 said:
My theoretical problem with consumption tax (a code word for sales tax) is that there would be immediate calls to exempt certain things, such as food or milk or medicine, followed by calls to exempt other things, such as fuel or housing or cars, followed by calls to exempt still more things ....

Reality is that our elected leaders would be incapable of standing firm on a no exemption policy and the same creep of exemptions and breaks we see now would happen over time in that structure, as well.

Plus, what do we do about purchases made outside the country? Does this not encourage a flight of purchasing power and capital to Canada, Mexico, China, and Europe?
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so what good is revisiting our tax code if we believe politicians too lily livered to enforce it anyway?

In that case, any new system is a sham.
 
#17
#17
droski said:
the problem with a consumption tax is that the black market would go nuts. I don't think it works from a practical point of view.
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I don't disagree. We'll still have to have a herd of enforcement folks, just as we do today, but there are far fewer sellers to regulate than their are citizens.

I'm not advocating the consumption tax, but I am for something that taxes EVERYONE.
 
#20
#20
The tax code could be simplified to one line. Set amount (example 10%) everyone pays, no exemptions period.

That would be fair, and everyone pays.
 
#21
#21
Oldvol75 said:
The tax code could be simplified to one line. Set amount (example 10%) everyone pays, no exemptions period.

That would be fair, and everyone pays.
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you know, there was a candidate that ran on that platform, but the media had already givein Johnny Mc the victory in the RP
 
#23
#23
Oldvol75 said:
The tax code could be simplified to one line. Set amount (example 10%) everyone pays, no exemptions period.

That would be fair, and everyone pays.
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I think the 47% not paying is outrageous but 0% is right there with it. To not create a base would be crazy
 
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