Sunday, April 18, 2010

Releasing that April 15th Anger

There are a lot of angry people out there and that's no surprise, given the state of the economy.  One of the biggest complaints, according to what I've seen in the media, is that we pay too much taxes.  As I consider myself a pro when it comes to rationalizing to make myself feel better, these are my thoughts on the subject:

Before I say anything further, promise me you won't stop reading until you get to the end.  Give yourself a chance and you might feel better at the end, who knows?  Anything that takes some anger/stress away is certainly worth a couple of minutes.

One thing people say regarding taxes is, "I work hard for my money and why should I give so much to the government who then gives it to lazy freeloaders?!  Let them work for the money!!"  That's an ideal that we are getting farther and farther away from because of technology.  If you embrace the advances of technology then I'm sorry to say that there will probably be more and more "freeloaders" who are left jobless.  I think it's hypocritical to buy iPads and flat screen TV's and yet expect a factory to operate using "ancient" 20th century machinery where 100 factory workers are needed rather than 21st century automation and 20 workers.  What do we seriously expect the unemployed to do?  The employed and the wealthy, IMHO, may have to get used to the idea that they have to carry their less fortunate brothers and sisters if they can't find "busy work" for them.

Not only are jobs disappearing because of technological advances, but because of outsourcing, which I have mixed feelings about.  While I like to fantasize about global well-being and beautiful chiffon blouses for $7.99, another part of me wants outsourcing to be illegal so that Americans do have more jobs.  Of course making outsourcing illegal will make corporations unhappy.  Those wealthy executives would have to sell their private jets and shareholders--who have something in common with the unemployed because they get money by doing pretty much nothing--will not stick around if their dividends shrink.

If you're feeling resentful because your hard-earned income is being wasted on "lazy drug addicts," or "women who keep having babies," try asking yourself if you'd change places with them.  Do you honestly feel they've got it better than we do?  There might be that rare case of welfare fraud where yes, they do have it better, but these criminals often get caught.  I believe there are probably many more crooked "employed" people.  After all, supposedly the employed people are much more intelligent as a whole than the unemployed.  I won't name names, I'm sure you've heard of the shenanigans going on in the banking industry, corporate world, politics, etc.

We like to think that America is the land of opportunity where a person can go from rags to riches, but realistically the majority of the poor stay poor.  It's easy to say "I studied hard in school, went to college, work hard in my career, so why can't everyone do the same?"  The reality is not everyone has the same spirit, brains, environment, and opportunity.  Jordan, for instance, is one of those "freeloaders" who is unable to work. I wonder if anyone would to change places with her?  She wishes she had a job, but jobs for the abled are scarce, much less for the disabled.

There is a lot of waste in our government at every level, I agree.  There are bureaucrats with pure intentions who want to do the right thing, but "the right thing" is subjective.  Taxes are spent by people some of whose intentions are good and others whose intentions are selfish.  That, coupled with the reality that some from each group don't know what the hell they're doing (ever tried reading some of those bills?) yields an imperfect system.  Just thinking of this makes some people not want to vote...or pay taxes.
 
Paying taxes should make us grateful we have income and are able to give, rather than having to live day to day at the mercy of angry complaining taxpayers and politicians who are trying to figure out exactly whom to please in order to keep their jobs.

This attitude may seem simplistic and too passive, but I do admire those who get involved trying to make positive changes.  In the short term, I just find it least stressful to rationalize and accept.

I'd like to think those sign-wielding ladies in the photo above agree with me because they sure look happy rather than angry.  It's probably because deep inside they know they are fortunate to have an income to pay tax from.  *Ducking for cover*

P.S.  If the above did nothing for you, check out the tax rates internationally and maybe you won't feel as bad.

9 comments:

  1. Wow you mean to say because others are taxing more, we should also tax more?
    America has been at the front of innovation, not just because innovation is cool, but also because technology generates more jobs.
    The problem here is the politicians. Why don't we ask them to cut their monthly salaries by say 20% and their benefits by 50%?
    Just see how many of them agree.
    You seem to be a intelligent person, but I am sorry to say, you are not using your own logic.
    High tax rates, but more jobless will yield less tax money for the government.
    Low tax rates and less jobless will yield more tax money.
    See this grid
    Population 100
    jobless 60
    tax rate 50%
    average income 50000/annum

    There fore tax money collected will be 1000000

    Population 100
    jobless 20
    tax rate 35%
    average income 45000/annum

    Tax money collected will be 1260000

    To make it easy for you to understand even with less average income.
    If the tax rates goes down, more people spend for themselves, this increases the need for more goods and that is what generates more jobs.
    Please buddy, use your intelligence to make sense.
    You are being led by selfish politicians.
    That is where you are wrong.
    I hail your good intentions, but the logic is faulty.
    By thinking this way you are harming the same people you are think you are helping.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for commenting, but I wish you weren't anonymous.

    First of all I'm not saying we need higher taxes. (Please read the post again). I'm saying taxes are necessary. I don't like most politicians, but who puts them in office? And didn't they start out as being just people? *LOL* Why are businessmen who make millions any better?

    I think the whole problem stems from selfishness and greed. The minute people quit being so freakin greedy and "do the right thing", we don't need government. Yeh right that'll happen.

    To say lower tax rates make people spend more and creates enough jobs is too simplistic. You can spout numbers, but they are meaningless because you assume there will be jobs with lower tax rates. Not guaranteed...especially since everyone is in the "we must SAVE" mode in this recession. The problem is that the gap between rich and poor is widening every year. It confounds me that there are working class people who vote Republican just because they consider themselves "conservative" or "religious". Talk about simplistic thinking. Then again, I don't assume a Democratic politician is necessarily going to be better either.

    Check out this article: http://tinyurl.com/254bff8

    Again, I only cited the higher tax rates in other countries because it should make us feel we're fortunate. Never assume...

    ReplyDelete
  3. I came to your site from the same url. with due respect to gene lyon, he is the stupidest writer I have read.

    Coming back to your article.

    Nobody, not even the tea party people or the republicans or us poor say that taxes are not necessary. It is you who assume that we say taxes are not necessary because we ask for less taxes. We are asking for Less taxes. I repeat Less Taxes, not no taxes.

    And the Gap between rich and poor is not widening because of the rich. It is happening because of the government, who taxes and regulates so much that a person who wants to start a new business has to first think about money to pay taxes and then about money required to run the business. Not everybody is talented to write good reports to facilitate banks and VC's to finance them. There are a lot of people who save to start a small business. Then the government comes in and robs them.
    Do you really know what this cap and trade is about? It is about restricting competition from small businesses for these big corporations.
    Do the math. Only the big corporations have the money to buy the cap and trade credits. Any new business would first like to focus on its workers and raw material required to generate goods. Then it will focus on marketing and transportation. Then comes customer service and repairs.
    By putting this costly credits in the middle, the government is forcing the small businesses to cut costs in quality , customer service and most importantly cut jobs just to be in business.
    Do you really think it is helping the environment? No, because by selling the credits the government is making money. By buying the credits and passing on the cost to the public (in the form of increased prices) the big businesses are making money. It is the small businesses who firstly cannot afford the credits, secondly cannot afford the decrease in sales (because of increase in price) that suffer.
    This in turn reduces competition for the big businesses who go on to make more profit and get bigger.
    And even if we keep that aside, The businessmen who make millions are better because they give us jobs and help us feed our families. They keep hard working people busy and help keep the crime rate in the society down. Yes you read it correctly. If people have work and earnings they do not have the time to think about crime. The businessmen make it happen.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What has gene lyon actually contributed to the society except for stupid articles and biased diatribe?
    His articles have done nothing but misguide intelligent and thinking but lazy people like you.
    Yes, if you did your own research rather than just follow somebody like lyon, I know you are an intelligent person.
    The first step, question everything that is told to you. Once you start doing it, you will learn about more things than you ever expected to know.

    If you are an engineer or a designer or artist or somebody who really works to get something done, you will realize that making complex things simple is what makes it possible to create big complex structures.

    You think it is simplistic, but you fail to see how it kept the US out of recession for 8 years since 2001.

    I am not assuming, I have seen more jobs with less tax rates in the last 10 years.
    If you read a little bit of economics, you will find that the US is in recession since 2001. The dotcom bust and 9/11 combined to hit the US economy hard. It was the war spending and lower tax rates that kept it going till 2007, during which time we had ample opportunity to reign in the housing market and the other economic issues. We didnt.


    Check this out.
    Link 1
    http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_house_hearings&docid=f:92231.wais

    Link 2
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs

    ReplyDelete
  5. As I said stop following others. Do your own research.

    And yes people are never going to stop being selfish and greedy, but hey that is what is keeping our economy healthy. And lady you are wrong about people being in saving mode. Check out the housing sales rate before April 2010 and after that. The government was giving $8000 tax credit that is what made so many people buy houses.
    So dont tell me you have done all your research. The fact is you just want to be lazy and do not want to see the obvious all around you.
    I do not mean to be rude by calling you lazy, but the fact is you are not reading the right statistics. They are not mere numbers or it is not petty number crunching, it is the fact. But intelligent people who think others have done the hard work for you, do not want to read them themselves. Your problem is you trust others too easily.
    Again do not misunderstand, not trusting does not mean not respecting. Not trusting only means verifying the facts for yourself. Asking more questions to get the right information. You are not doing it.

    And lastlly I did not assume anything. I correctly interpreted what you wanted to say. You are just playing politics now, by trying to manipulate your own words.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ok you win, more wars and lower taxes for all!
    (But where did that $8000 come from and I wonder if our spending creates more jobs here or in China.)

    P.S. Insulting people and acting like a "know-it-all" will probably not win people over.

    If you have more to say, email me directly at colleenimmg@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I hope you realize it is not about winning or losing. It is about being factual.
    I know I am not know it all. but at the same time I know I do not depend on others to verify my facts. Whatever little I know, I know it to be the truth.
    And I seriously did not wish to insult or anything of that sort. I just did not have the most appropriate and polite word than lazy to describe people who do not verify facts.

    I hope you at least read the links I provided.

    :) you do not know about the $8000 credit?? are you sure.
    Any way check this out. http://niftyprediction.blogspot.com/2009/02/8000-home-buyer-tax-credit-explained.html

    http://rismedia.com/2010-06-28/home-buyers-who-missed-8000-dollar-tax-credit-coming-out-ahead-2/

    Another thing funny in your comment was "I wonder if our spending creates more jobs here or in China."
    Even if our spending creates jobs in china, the first requirement is we spending. And for that to happen, we have to have a job, so we better start focusing on the jobs market. isn't it true? Or are we again ignoring the obvious?

    I would love to write directly to you, but I prefer to hide my identity. If you are okay with discussing directly with a pseudo name let me know. Or I think I have no issues discussing here.
    Please let me know.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Could you help me find the promises of year 2008 anywhere??

    http://finance.yahoo.com/taxes/article/110005/how-the-expiring-bush-tax-cuts-affect-you?mod=taxes-advice_strategy

    ReplyDelete
  9. http://blog.cleangovernmentnow.org/2009/04/03/do-you-want-our-country-and-obama-to-succeed-2.aspx

    Please do verify. I do not want you to trust me without knowing what you are doing.

    ReplyDelete

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