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In reply to the discussion: Stephen King: Tax Me, for F@%&’s Sake! [View all]liberalmike27
(2,479 posts)Fairness is not achieved by what percentage of one tax they cut, but more accurately measured by what remains after paying all taxes. It's striking to add up the tax burden of someone who makes 20,000 to $40,000 a year. Nine percent sales tax, about a ten percent gas tax depending on where you are, utility taxes, federal taxes, 15% on every cent of your income paid by you and your employer as part of your salary in payroll taxes. We're all paying 30 plus percent when you add every type of taxes up, and those taxes are nearly inconsequential, or not paid at all (SS FICA) when you get paid by gambling in the stock market.
We need some democrats that will reframe the argument in this way. We also need to connect globalization to the tremendous loss of taxes we've incurred--imagine 25-30 million jobs, still working in the U.S., all paying federal, state, city, county, sales, gas, property, toll, fees, cigarette, and alcohol taxes. Imagine the multiplier effect of all those jobs, in creating more jobs.
We'd have near zero unemployment, and another trillion or more in taxes we were collecting. In a way, this is just another problem created by the rich we can lay at their feet, just more justification for them paying more. The only problem is paying three of four more percent is entirely inadequate. It's going to have to be a much larger number now.