Class Warfare or Welfare?
Editor's Note: This commentary written by guest contributor, Lisa Greer. Greer is the founder and Editor-In-Chief for SensibleLife.com.
How big government is wasting your money
The tax rebate issue before congress this week is typical of the type of socialistic behavior emanating from a Democrat dominated Congress toward those who have risen above the “average” income level. With just over a year in under this party’s control, the economy has slid faster than a California mudslide.
Directly proportional to the economy, the tax issue is continually perceived to be an eternal battle between the haves and the have-nots, but the reality is that there is no battle. Rather, it’s more a series of mandatory concessions imposed upon those in a higher income bracket in an attempt to appease those in the lower. The desire to eliminate the highs and lows of a free market economy in favor of an entitlement society has long been the battle cry of the majority currently in power.
While it makes sense that the more money you make, the more taxes you pay, what’s interesting is that the higher your income, the higher your rate of taxation. This makes perfect “sense,” right? Punish those who work effectively and invest in our economy by making them pay even more. The entitlement mentality, or Robin Hood Syndrome, is out of control.
One has to wonder how congress can make decisions on a tax rebate based on empty demographics. For example, families with an income level of $174,000 and above get no tax rebate. How does this make sense? Without tracking the individual situations, how can one assume that anyone, at or above this income level, wouldn’t need or use such a rebate. What if that above average income family had been hit with an enormous amount of medical expenses in 2007, such as cancer surgery and/or treatment? What if the wage earner(s) has a large family with multiple children in college?
Then, of course, there are those with such low incomes that they are tax exempt. Yet, they will desperately need this rebate. For those in this group working hard to make an honest living in an effort to help themselves, I’m excited. This rebate will mean a lot. Sure, they’ll put that money right back into commerce. But again, congress is making the decision on awarding them a tax rebate based on meaningless demographics and assumptions.
Finally, there are those who are intentionally living off public assistance and off the income of others. This is just one more method by which they will receive a benefit they didn’t even attempt to earn. Prime example: I know someone in the military who married a girl right out of basic training. He was to ship out to Korea for a year, and she demanded they get married, or she would not wait for him. (When a soldier comes out of basic training, they have been so cut off from family and friends that they are pretty vulnerable to such an ultimatum.) Unfortunately, the couple had not been dating long enough for the soldier to realize he was being scammed. After three years of her making promises to join him in Korea, (he signed up for an extra year based on her promise to join him there) and after a year of being back in the states with her throwing a tantrum every time he mentioned divorce, he finally filed. She is now disputing the divorce, demanding maintenance (similar to alimony). She did mention she “desperately” needs the money because the boyfriend she’s living with now isn’t working. She essentially wants the soldier to support her for the rest of her life, even though she spent just one night of married life with him 3 years ago. Had the soldier bothered to check into her family history prior to tying the knot, he would have found that this is a family who lives off public assistance and suing both people and businesses for personal injury, worker’s compensation, sexual harassment, etc. Of course, they do not pay taxes, but clearly they “need” this tax rebate. After all, who knows when their next settlement might be?
I could go on, but I think this is sufficient to illustrate a singular reality: The government could easily find enough money to give back to everyone, if they would stop wasting it. To find out more about how your tax dollars are being abused and wasted, check out Citizens Against Government Waste. This site is not for the faint of heart, so view with caution.
It seems to me that the price of fuel used by the average American is probably the biggest root among causes of our current economic difficulty. I know it is for me personally. Retooling Michigan (and the rest of the country) for a non-petroleum automotive market (one that would be nationally independent and less expensive to individuals) would do more for the economy than anything else. The other major thing is making the tax cuts permanent - until such time as a national consumption tax (fair tax or similar) can be employed.
I wish you people would just be honest, and set aside the “Free Market” crap, and admit you have some kind of disorder.
“You know someone?” Wow.
Did you know the government estimates we lose out on approximately $70 billion dollars a year in unpaid Corporate taxes?
Why no diatribe about that? Do you own Wal-Mart? Are you one of the haves?
My guess would be, no, er, and uh, no, to both questions.
These kind of rants are disingenuous, dishonest, and so much hogwash.
“Free Market?” Are you kidding me? We don’t live in a “Free Market.” This country is totally antagonistic to small business owners, and entrepreneurs, and it’s not because of “Socialism.” It’s because Corporations own the government, and shape how the laws are written. They don’t want competition, so, they make sure at the very least it’s limited, if not eliminated altogether.
As for your, “The haves pay for everything,” again, hogwash.
Loopholes in the tax code. Check’em out sometime. I know my family has personally benefited from them. For example, “I know someone” (My grandfather) who was worth millions of dollars. You know how much in “Death Taxes” we paid after he died?
Zip, zilch, zero, nada, nothing, not one damn penny. Why? Because there are LOOPHOLES in the Estate Tax Code, but that doesn’t stop Average Joe/Jane “Conservative” from ranting on, and on about how unfair the “Death Tax” is, despite the fact you’ll never pay a cent of “Death Tax,” even if you live to be 250.
Here’s what I’d love to know. Why do Wingnuts, who live paycheck to paycheck, worship the rich?
Is it because you believe that “One Day Over the Rainbow,” you’ll be rich as well?
I wait on baited breath for a response from the “Collective” whose networth is a hill sans the beans.
Tell me how “It really is.”
Hey man, thanks for visiting. I haven’t seen you in here for quite a while and it’s good to have you back, even if you are being your old crotchety self.
I’m referring to your “disorder” comment. That really goes a long way toward fomenting a fruitful discussion…lol. You, basically, tarred the writer and every wingnut on planet earth (that would include me) with the same brush. We all must be lunatics because we disagree with you or because we use a case scenario involving someone we “know” to buttress our argument(s). Of course, I noticed you didn’t have any problem using someone YOU know to buttress yours. In this case, it was grandpa. As I’ve said so many times before, (not trying to be annoying and push your buttons, holmes; just pointing out an inconsistency) if you don’t believe in it, then by all means don’t do it.
Let me see if I can clarify some stuff, here.
First, why do you assume that because a “wingnut” points out this inequality that they worship the rich? That’s asinine. Do you worship the poor because you think the tax inequality should exist?
Second, I couldn’t agree with you more on the subject of free markets. But I didn’t see that as part of the subject of the post, so I’m not really sure of your point in reference to the post, unless it’s to underscore the view that corporations should compensate the have-nots for their (corporations) corruption and exploitation of the so-called free market.
Third, this post had nothing to do with the death tax. It could be that the writer agrees with you on this point (I don’t). But the death tax issue is a subject of constitutionality and fairness NOT, as so many libs have argued, how much money the STATE is losing because the income is no longer being sucked from the pockets of the wealthy to support people like you and me.
“The death tax was originally instituted as a temporary emergency measure designed to raise funds for war-related events. For instance, the first federal estate tax was enacted in 1797 in order to fund the nation’s emerging Navy. Having met this goal, the tax was repealed in 1802.
Congress revived the estate tax for national emergencies, such as the Civil War and the Spanish-American War, but later repealed the tax when the crises ended. In 1916, the estate tax became a permanent feature of our tax code.” To which I say, “Imagine that.”
I hope that helps, but I’m sure it won’t. That’s okay; I know you and I are still pals even if we do disagree and even if we do sometimes think the other has some kind of mental disorder. Also, I hope you’ll start hanging around again, provided you can be cool with my contributors. If you feel the need to lash out irrationally…LOL:) you know you can always use me as your whipping boy.
Having said all that, the fact that the subjects you raised weren’t included in the post in NO WAY constitutes some kind of tacit agreement. It just means that the topic wasn’t part of the writer’s subject. Those issues may be taken up at another time. If you’re so inclined, I would welcome a piece from you which takes up the topics you mentioned.
Have good one.
I’m just trying to stir up poop.
You know I’m no “Welfare State” lover. I just want consistency, from both sides.
I get tired of “Stalin was horrible, but Hitler, well…he’s alright.”
NO!!!
The Estate Tax was also an attempt to prevent the Uber-wealthy from establishing an Aristocracy by passing on great fortunes without ever paying taxes on them.
I’m fairly certain several families, still around today, were engaged in such a scheme.
You have to admit the line about the “Hill sans the beans” was pretty damn good.
Oh, I’d love to add something one day, but right now I’m fixated on painting.
Maybe I can become the next Basquiat, sans the fatal heroin addiction.
You ol’ poop stirrer, you.
And yeah, that line was witty, for sure. Hey when am I gonna get to see some of that artwork? How ’bout sendin’ me some. Just take a pic and email to me.