Happiness Is ... Being Old, Male and Republican

[UT IE 95]

Please explain how, when and for what purpose, ONE DIME of your money has been "given" to me!

Not sure if you used them but welfare, public assistance programs, free health clinics, food stamps, etc.

 

[UT IE 95]

Yea, keep believing those giving the money to the poor are getting nothing from it.

I believe both parties get plenty in return.

 

[MG1968]

Not sure if you used them but welfare, public assistance programs, free health clinics, food stamps, etc.

name one of those that are to be found in Article 1 Section 8 of the US Constitution.

 

[UT IE 95]

So many things wrong with that but most glaring - you define poor as bottom half of the population? Does that mean you would expect someone in the 40th percentile to pay no taxes and/or receive tax credits from the top 5%?

I know lots of poor people that pay taxes.

 

[allvol123]

I believe both parties get plenty in return.

Yea, I just don't like this stereotype that one party does it to help the helpless. My ass.

 

[UT IE 95]

name one of those that are to be found in Article 1 Section 8 of the US Constitution.

None. That was never my point.

The OP says Repubs are happier than Dems - my point is true happiness is being associated with neither. Both parties take care of their "base" which doesn't include me.

 

[vols4sure]

I know lots of poor people that pay taxes.

I define most of those people as middle class. By defining someone just below 50% as poor makes me think that you feel they should not have to pay taxes.

 

[UT IE 95]

Yea, I just don't like this stereotype that one party does it to help the helpless. My ass.

Both parties are fundamentally self-serving hypocrites. I joined the ME party many years ago.

 

[MG1968]

I know lots of poor people that pay taxes.

and they should.

but, the US really needs to implement a consumption based tax system or, failing that, a flat tax that everybody pays.

 

[UT IE 95]

I define most of those people as middle class. By defining someone just below 50% as poor makes me think that you feel they should not have to pay taxes.

Bottom half = poor
Top 5% = rich
The rest = middle class

 

[UT IE 95]

and they should.

but, the US really needs to implement a consumption based tax system or, failing that, a flat tax that everybody pays.

You'll get no arguements from me.

 

[MG1968]

at what income level does middle class start? I don't consider myself poor by any stretch, but I don't think I'm in the upper 50% either.

oh, and thanks to Obama's fuzzy math regarding tax cuts and tax increases, it's the middle class that are going to get royally screwed by his domestic agenda.

 

[vols4sure]

Bottom half = poor
Top 5% = rich
The rest = middle class

Interesting. Personally, I would have more people being rich, less being poor, and a much bigger middle class (if only using 3 classifications were being used)

 

[UT IE 95]

at what income level does middle class start? I don't consider myself poor by any stretch, but I don't think I'm in the upper 50% either.

oh, and thanks to Obama's fuzzy math regarding tax cuts and tax increases, it's the middle class that are going to get royally screwed by his domestic agenda.

Not considering factors like location, a safe number to use is $50K. If you make more than that, welcome to the upper 50%.

 

[UT IE 95]

Interesting. Personally, I would have more people being rich, less being poor, and a much bigger middle class (if only using 3 classifications were being used)

It's really semantics.

 

[droski]

Bottom half = poor
Top 5% = rich
The rest = middle class

doesn't that depend on where you live? i'd argue that someone with median income living in rural alabama probably has a similar standard of living than many in NYC in the top-5%.

 

[KingNick865]

doesn't that depend on where you live? i'd argue that someone with median income living in rural alabama probably has a similar standard of living than many in NYC in the top-5%.

Actually, I think you're right. A house in Knoxville costs much less than a home in New York than in LA.

 

[T-TownVol]

Not sure if you used them but welfare, public assistance programs, free health clinics, food stamps, etc.

Ah, wrong end of your % scale there Skippy. But, I beleive you knew that and avoided answering the question.

 

[T-TownVol]

I know lots of poor people that pay taxes.

And that benefits the top 5%, how?

 

[rjd970]

Interesting. Personally, I would have more people being rich, less being poor, and a much bigger middle class (if only using 3 classifications were being used)

It depends on where you live too. $50K in New York city is poor by any standard....but $50K in somewhere like Mississippi would be ok.

EDIT: Droski beat me to it.

 

[KingNick865]

It depends on where you live too. $50K in New York city is poor by any standard....but $50K in somewhere like Mississippi would be ok.

$50,000 a year anywhere in the south is actually a nice chunk of change.

 

[T-TownVol]

$50,000 a year anywhere in the south is actually a nice chunk of change.

At a boy.....aim high!

 

[UT IE 95]

doesn't that depend on where you live? i'd argue that someone with median income living in rural alabama probably has a similar standard of living than many in NYC in the top-5%.

It depends on where you live too. $50K in New York city is poor by any standard....but $50K in somewhere like Mississippi would be ok.

EDIT: Droski beat me to it.

Speaking in general terms, thus my exclusion of location considerations in post 64.

 

[vols4sure]

It depends on where you live too. $50K in New York city is poor by any standard....but $50K in somewhere like Mississippi would be ok.

EDIT: Droski beat me to it.

Obviously. I am just talking in very general terms.

Or you can even take it state by state. I would not call the bottom 50% in Tennessee poor. Likewise, I would not call the bottom 50% in California poor. If someone is making the mean salary in Cali (during generally normal economic times) and they feel like they are poor, they should move or shut up.

 

[UT IE 95]

Obviously. I am just talking in very general terms.

Or you can even take it state by state. I would not call the bottom 50% in Tennessee poor. Likewise, I would not call the bottom 50% in California poor. If someone is making the mean salary in Cali (during generally normal economic times) and they feel like they are poor, they should move or shut up.

And you really can't look at just income either. The nuts and bolts come out with disposable income. You must consider cost of living - someone making $90K but spending $80K a year on food/shelter is poor as hell.

I was absolutely flying at 30K feet drawing the poor line at $50k.