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[onadesertedisland]

Hahahah! AHAHAHAHAH!!! Oh man, so these are average incomes? Man I must be doing it wrong.

Seriously, if the upper income earners think this way they can go eat some lead and play in traffic.

 

[poisonelf]

I read the wall street journal piece and I can't find where it said that the image in that insert applied to poor or average income people.

The article does talk a lot about how taxes will change for certain people, and goes into details as to how, which is also what that picture does. I think it even talks about how affluent people's taxes will go up, more than it does about anything dealing with the average or the poor.

I am not sure I understand the outrage at explaining how peoples taxation rates will change.

While they don't specifically say "this specific graph showcases average poor people", in the very first paragraphs of the article they claim:

While the top 1% of taxpayers will bear the biggest burden, many other families, affluent and poor, will pay more as well.

The most immediate change affects nearly all workers

Taking into account the distressed, haunted look of most of the people in the graph, I think it's obvious what they're saying.

The whole thing impressed me for how out of touch with reality they seem to be, I'm not judging on the specific tax legislation since I don't really have an idea of US economic realities.

This guy from reddit's comment section seems to know what he's talking about though, and it's pretty telling how off from the average they're trying to portray the are:

Single parent, 2 children (Woman shown) $260,000 Family Household, female householder, no husband present actual average: $33,637, off by 773%
In 2006 (before the economic crisis) only 1.93% of all households had annual incomes exceeding $250,000

Single Person (Woman shown) $230,000 Non Family Households: Female Householder actual average: $25,492 off by 902%
Even if we were being more generous and used the figure for "Women with earnings: full time, year-round workers," we'd still only be at $37,118.

Married couple, 4 children $650,000 Family Households, married couple, actual average: $74,130 off by 877%
Retired Couple $180,000 Age of Householder: 65+, actual average: $33,118 off by 544%
On average, the WSJ was off by 774%.

Sources:
2011 Census report: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States
Wikipedia: Household Income in the United States

 

[ShutEye]

Brad Delong's blog suggested there were may a few thousand single mothers with that level of income in the US based on survey data. I'd actually love to see who these people are and how they are defined.

Also, what would the other $130,000 in income be for the retired couple? Pension?

And why are they so sad? 0% federal tax change.

 

[Darklord]

These people...they aren't apart of reality anymore.

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

Someone's gotta look out for the rich people in this country. Fuck the haters.

 

[CHEEZMO™]

What's the median income for a 2-child single mother?

 

[commedieu]

But look at how sad they are.

lol... 260k, single, and sad?

please..

 

[BananaBomb]

ahahahahahahahaha

 

[commedieu]

Man, those rich retired negroes sure are living large at the expense of us lowly whites.

Time to take back the country.

they had to be brown right?

 

[Valnen]

I could probably raise a child on less than half the money they make and still be able to afford everything I want. What are these people blowing their money on that the increase in taxes is going to destroy their families?

Man, I want an office job that pays 600k. I'd have so much money I wouldn't know what to do with it all.

 

[krae_man]

Duke Phillips taught me that the average joe makes 300 grand a year.

 

[Dark Octave]

These people...they aren't apart of reality anymore.

Yes, very far removed.

Who was that basketball player from years ago who asked how he was going to feed his kids on his multi-million dollar salary that apparently wasn't enough?

 

[Ponn]

I would gladly pay those taxes for that wage. Shit, they are paying taxes for what the job i'm applying for pays annually.

 

[nib95]

Someone's gotta look out for the rich people in this country. Fuck the haters.

Lol joke post? The rich are taking plenty of care of themselves, largely off the backs of the poor I might add.

 

[kittens]

What's the median income for a 2-child single mother?

Probably under $20,000. That's a total guess.

 

[besada]

Why is someone with a household income of 200k not allowed to whine about a tax increase?

The same reason models aren't allowed to complain about being fat. 200k is more than three times the median household income in the U.S.

You can complain, but we're going to make fun of you when you do.

 

[Mumei]

LOL WOW. These people are completely out of touch with reality. $650,000 is rich, and $180,000 is poor? I'd like to move to that neighborhood. I'll gladly accept a very very poor menial job that pays $100,000.

No, no.

$650,000 is also poor. Can't you see the pain on their faces? They have children they need to feed.

 

[PastorOfMuppets]

Yes, very far removed.

Who was that basketball player from years ago who asked how he was going to feed his kids on his multi-million dollar salary that apparently wasn't enough?

Latrell Sprewell. He turned down a 3 year $30 million dollar contract because he had to feed his family.

His exact quote:

''Why would I want to help them win a title? They're not doing anything for me. I'm at risk. I have a lot of risk here. I got my family to feed.''

 

[entremet]

I could probably raise a child on less than half the money they make and still be able to afford everything I want. What are these people blowing their money on that the increase in taxes is going to destroy their families?

Man, I want an office job that pays 600k. I'd have so much money I wouldn't know what to do with it all.

Lawyer, C-Level exec, or business owner.

 

[Ponn]

No, no.

$650,000 is also poor. Can't you see the pain on their faces? They have children they need to feed.

Cake isn't cake without gold shaved on it.

 

[Dion Blaster]

 

[Fantasmo]

No, no.

$650,000 is also poor. Can't you see the pain on their faces? They have children they need to feed.

It's like they don't realize their employees make 5 or 10 times less.

 

[The Elite]

I don't have any fucks to give for these people.

Sorry.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

not a single fuck was fucking given.

well said.

 

[CrankyJay]

No, no.

$650,000 is also poor. Can't you see the pain on their faces? They have children they need to feed.

If you aren't feeding your children beluga caviar, you're a bad parent.

 

[Hawkian]

lol... 260k, single, and sad?

please..

That was the one that really got me, too. That chick is in pretty good position.

 

[jay]

Lol joke post? The rich are taking plenty of care of themselves, largely off the backs of the poor I might add.

He may always be wrong, but he's grown on me and is a good sport.

 

[zephervack]

How do some of these people get to make so much money, I know a lot of people that have busted their asses studying and working who cant even aspire to ever make that much money, damn, they make it look easy.

 

[Bit-Bit]

That single mother with two kids needs a stay at home husband. I can provide that for her.

 

[Van Owen]

People that make more money than me should have to pay more taxes than me even though they already pay more taxes than me and much of the country doesn't pay taxes at all. I'm not entitled.

 

[Guileless]

This criticism is ridiculous. The article is explaining the new tax rates (on high earners only) and how the limitations on deductions (on high earners only) will apply. The only way to illustrate that is to apply it to someone that it will affect (i.e. high earners). Nowhere does it say these people are average. Am I missing something here? What is there to be pissed about?

 

[Valnen]

That single mother with two kids needs a stay at home husband. I can provide that for her.

I hear you. I'm willing to accept the sacrifice of living in such a household.

 

[CrankyJay]

This criticism is ridiculous. The article is explaining the new tax rates (on high earners only) and how the limitations on deductions (on high earners only) will apply. The only way to illustrate that is to apply it to someone that it will affect (i.e. high earners). Nowhere does it say these people are average. Am I missing something here? What is there to be pissed about?

Yeah, that extra $21k out of $650k is really going to take food out of their mouths.

 

[iammeiam]

This criticism is ridiculous. The article is explaining the new tax rates (on high earners only) and how the limitations on deductions (on high earners only) will apply. The only way to illustrate that is to apply it to someone that it will affect (i.e. high earners). Nowhere does it say these people are average. Am I missing something here? What is there to be pissed about?

The pictures are a large part of the problem--they belong on people getting horrific news. They illustrated the tax increases with pictures of people who look like they've just been told they all have cancer. Even the kids look bummed!

 

[Dreams-Visions]

Yeah, that extra $21k out of $650k is really going to take food out of their mouths.

But Latrell Sprewell said

 

[CHEEZMO™]

People that make more money than me should have to pay more taxes than me even though they already pay more taxes than me and much of the country doesn't pay taxes at all. I'm not entitled.

How much of the US doesn't pay taxes? I'd be delighted to know.

 

[User 100115]

People that make more money than me should have to pay more taxes than me even though they already pay more taxes than me and much of the country doesn't pay taxes at all. I'm not entitled.

No no, it's this:

People who make almost six times what 99% of the rest of the population make are allowed to whine about being poor because of tax increase, but everyone is going to laugh, be disgusted, and call them out of touch with reality.

 

[jay]

People that make more money than me should have to pay more taxes than me even though they already pay more taxes than me and much of the country doesn't pay taxes at all. I'm not entitled.

Generic more and less talk reminds me of McCain insisting that the current x% taxrate was American but x+1% taxrate was communist redistribution of wealth.

 

[NaughtyCalibur]

I'd love to be as poverty stricken as these people.

 

[The Technomancer]

Why is someone with a household income of 200k not allowed to whine about a tax increase?

An increase of a few thousand dollars on a 200k income cannot in any way be construed as potentially endangering their way of life. These people look like someone killed their dog.

 

[Dynamic3]

This criticism is ridiculous. The article is explaining the new tax rates (on high earners only) and how the limitations on deductions (on high earners only) will apply. The only way to illustrate that is to apply it to someone that it will affect (i.e. high earners). Nowhere does it say these people are average. Am I missing something here? What is there to be pissed about?

It seems everyone is responding to the op's first sentence summary. Which is unfortunate given that op apparently can't read.

 

[radios shipping overview]

It seems everyone is responding to the op's first sentence summary. Which is unfortunate given that op apparently can't read.

If the WSJ intended to paint a fair picture of the situation, they wouldn't use an infographic portraying the top 3% of earners as a wide cross-section of taxpayers as the main image for an article titled "How much will your taxes jump?".

Also, black people.

 

[timetokill]

These guys are making more in investment income, a little number they throw in parentheses, than I do on my salary a year.

Yay.

 

[KingGondo]

This criticism is ridiculous. The article is explaining the new tax rates (on high earners only) and how the limitations on deductions (on high earners only) will apply. The only way to illustrate that is to apply it to someone that it will affect (i.e. high earners). Nowhere does it say these people are average. Am I missing something here? What is there to be pissed about?

It implies they're average. The intended affect is "look, Obama's raising taxes on single mothers" when in reality there are very, very few single mothers out there making that kind of money.

That, plus the expressions on the peoples' faces (that would fit in an ad pleading for relief from a natural disaster) are ridiculous when we're talking about a tax increase of a few thousand dollars on a (very) comfortable income.

 

[blame space]

how do you even spend $260,000

 

[CyclopsRock]

That's a very long article and they posted that image alongside the passage...

""Many affluent people in exactly the same financial position as last year will see a substantial tax increase," says David Kautter, a director of the Kogod Tax Center at American University."

I don't think the WSJ is under any allusions that these people are poor. It's not claiming they represent a cross section of society, either. It's demonstrating that, well, "Many affluent people in exactly the same financial position as last year will see a substantial tax increase,"

 

[radios shipping overview]

how do you even spend $260,000

Keeping up with the other three-percenters.

 

[phosphor112]

Single parent, 2 kids. 260k.

Ok. Someone still thinks the American Dream still exists.

 

[The Technomancer]

That's a very long article and they posted that image alongside the passage...

""Many affluent people in exactly the same financial position as last year will see a substantial tax increase," says David Kautter, a director of the Kogod Tax Center at American University."

I don't think the WSJ is under any allusions that these people are poor. It's not claiming they represent a cross section of society, either. It's demonstrating that, well, "Many affluent people in exactly the same financial position as last year will see a substantial tax increase,"

Then they are clueless for not predicting the reaction that basically everyone I know who has seen the picture would have.

 

[GK86]

Those poor bastards will now have to go on welfare. Thanks Obama!