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[whytemyke]

Boy, you people spend a lot of time worrying about these often anecdotal "lazy fucks".

Me, I'd rather see everyone have a good life on average -- lazy or otherwise -- at the expense of me having a vastly superior life while nine other folks have shit. I really don't value my perceived financial superiority at ALL.

Drinky with the win, yet again.

I've always said, give me enough money to live comfortably... a decent apartment, a nice tv, the money to go buy a video game or see a movie when I want to, and to take my significant other out for a nice night on the town maybe once or twice a month with a good dinner, and I'm happy as can be.

 

[callous]

I live in Denmark and I pay about 45% tax. People earning over a certain amount are taxed around 60% of the amount exceeding that limit.

We have free healthcare for all, free colleges/universities (we also get paid a monthly allowance of around US$ 650 to attend a college or university, within a maximum of 7 years) and there is no real poverty. There will always be people who aren't able to take care of themselves no matter what the government does, of course, but no amount of tax can save these poor souls.

I'm replying because I live in a place that almost fits exactly what the OP presents as an option.

So, do I like it? Yeah. I do. I can honestly say I'm getting my money's worth. Is it perfect? No. Our country has plenty of problems, but hey, at least no one needs to go through them starving or unnecessarily sick and uneducated.

 

[fortified_concept]

Boy, you people spend a lot of time worrying about these often anecdotal "lazy fucks".

Me, I'd rather see everyone have a good life on average -- lazy or otherwise -- at the expense of me having a vastly superior life while nine other folks have shit. I really don't value my perceived financial superiority at ALL.

You are a god amongst men.

 

[Triumph]

Left leaning people the world over don't believe in flat taxes.

Bingo. Therein lies the rub.

If we were all making the same amount of money, it would be fair to say "We'll all give up 50% of our income so no one has to be poor", but we'd be making the same amount already anyhow so it would pretty much come down to who is stupid with their money and who is not.

Since we are working with capitalism, it is not fair to ask those who are already destitute to pay more of what little they make to help out other poor people. That burden should be shouldered by the well to do, rich, mega-rich and corporations.

But yes, I would gladly pay more in taxes if it were going to help.

 

[teh_pwn]

if it means complete elimination of poverty in America? As well as free socialized healthcare for all citizens?

You can't elminate poverty.

If by healthcare you mean spending billions of dollars on drugs that mask people's piss poor health due to lack of effort in preventive medicine, FUCK NO.

How about paying little to nothing and getting extremely better results? Beats the hell out of throwing money at drug companies and ignoring the real problem.

The vast majority of the health problems we have today could be entirely avoided if they ate properly and took dietary supplements that actually work. Stuff like Centrum is made of cheap ass synthetic materials that can merely pass through your body unused.

At the very least, the government can ban the use of high fructose corn syrup and trans fats from food, and other additives that fuck up your body.

We could educate children in schools with true health education.

 

[gohepcat]

Question for right-leaning topic starters: Would you be willing to use more realistic numbers in your hypotheticals even if it meant making your implied point weaker by 60 percent?

Post of the year?

 

[Drensch]

Flat tax: Rich man's discount card. Here's why in an exaggerted example for clarity. Flat tax set at 20% of total income. Man who makes 10g loses 2k, and is out quite a significant amount of money, truly impacting his life. Man who makes 10 billion is out 2 billion and his life doesn't change once fucking bit. EOS.

 

[psycho_snake]

50%!!!! Im not american and I live in a country where you dont have to pay tax , but I used to live in Britain and tax is paid there and its a fucking nightmare. I honeytly dont believe that paying tax is fair at all, especially when you think that your money will go to making council houses for people who can't be arsed working. People work very hard for their money and the last thing anyone wants after a horrible year of work is to realise that your money is going to be taken away from you to pay for someone else roof. its bad enough as it is, we dont need half our fucking money to be taken away from us.

 

[xabre]

50%!!!! Im not american and I live in a country where you dont have to pay tax

Enjoy it while the oil still pumps.