The Angry Rich

[Bowfinger]

I didn't claim that the poor pay no taxes. But for a party who claims to represent the poor, the Democrats certainly spend a lot more time and effort trying to raise the top income tax rate on the rich than reducing taxes that hit the poor the hardest (payroll and sales). If I were a cynic I'd say it's as if they don't actually give a shit about the poor.

Two points. One, PJ did make that claim and it's a lie. Two, if you're suggesting the Democrats (in general) are a bunch of special interest whores (like the Republicans) who pander to the poor and middle class far more than they actually serve them ... you'll get no argument from me. I think both of our mainstream parties suck. I just think the modern-day GOP sucks worse.

 

[glenn1]

Two points. One, PJ did make that claim and it's a lie. Two, if you're suggesting the Democrats (in general) are a bunch of special interest whores (like the Republicans) who pander to the poor and middle class far more than they actually serve them ... you'll get no argument from me. I think both of our mainstream parties suck. I just think the modern-day GOP sucks worse.

Since the article is speaking about income taxes, and most of our posts have been about income taxes, I daresay from context that he was speaking of income taxes as well. Other taxes weren't even being discussed before you reminded of us about them, and I've probably been the only person in the thread so far to suggest those be reduced instead of just arguing over a couple percentage points change in the top rates in whichever direction. I'd think that reduced payroll while increasing top income a bit is a reasonable solution personally, but then again I don't have a hard-on to "stick it to the rich" like others seem to have.

I don't think the GOP sucks worse, they just suck in different ways - as a libertarian I'm used to that however.

 

[theeedude]

No, it's called being fair. Which isn't what's happening.

Life is so unfair to the top 1% of Americans.:'(

 

[drebo]

Bunch of bullshit. This guy hasn't a clue in the world.

I especially liked the part where he thinks that the rich wanting to keep their own money is "entitlement" thinking. That's almost as bad as the left claiming that tax cuts are "spending". (hint: they're not!)

 

[thegimp03]

I find it funny that some consider people making $500k a year "rich" when some of these "rich" put 30-40 years of 50+ hour weeks into their company. I don't really consider those people "rich"...they maybe are able to amass a few million dollars in a retirement account over their entire career and have a pension because they started to work for their company back in the 1970s when defined benefit pension plans were commonplace.

 

[DucatiMonster696]

What a funny article. The first person to actually draw a parallel between Obama and Hitler was a liberal politician. I also believe it was Ralph Nader who first made a racial remark about Obama when he said something to the effect of, "If he doesn't keep his promises then he is nothing more then a Uncle Tom."

 

[Zebo]

I'll grant you that in my experience it's the wanna-be rich who wail far more about taxes than those who are actually well to do.

Actually they have every reason to complain. What do you think taxes were on a middle class family back in 1965? Or cigarette taxes, sales, SS, property, utility, and other excise taxes? Way fucken lower and in many cases none is the answer.

 

[Zebo]

BTW why would they be angry? Rich people don't pay taxes that's for the little people...just ask Leona

Guys like John Kerry Heinz have the means to dock a Yacht in RI to avoid sales tax in MA and Nantucket where he uses it while poor saps like me with 2 crappy pontoon fishing boats and 1 bass boat have to pay full sales and registration tax on all of them.

 

[trenchfoot]

So I pay 35% of my 40K annual salary in taxes, and the billionaire pays .0000000000001% of his 5 Billion annual take to pay the same amount as me and that's what's considered fair? OK, now I get it. lol (I know, I had to oversimplify to make a point, but the point is, what it is).

 

[her209]

Bunch of bullshit. This guy hasn't a clue in the world.

I especially liked the part where he thinks that the rich wanting to keep their own money is "entitlement" thinking. That's almost as bad as the left claiming that tax cuts are "spending". (hint: they're not!)

So tax cuts don't add to the deficit?

 

[dmcowen674]

The Angry Richhttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/20/opinion/20krugman.html

Good, the pissed off the better especially the rich Republicans in here.

 

[Double Trouble]

Krugman is an idiot, and this article is just another in a series of such stupid and misguided articles.

True, this white-hot rage is a minority phenomenon, not something that characterizes most of our fellow citizens

Sorry Kruggie, but you are wrong on this one as well. This is not a "minority phenomenon" as you'd like to think. The majority of the country is angry about what's going on. They might not all be angry about the same thing(s), but the majority is certainly angry about the current state of affairs.

And among the undeniably rich, a belligerent sense of entitlement has taken hold: it’s their money, and they have the right to keep it. “Taxes are what we pay for civilized society,” said Oliver Wendell Holmes — but that was a long time ago.

Typical Krugman and liberal mentality, using a stupid strawman to boot. Nobody ever suggested that nobody should have to pay any taxes. Then follows the usual class warfare argument based on the liberal mentality that people exist to serve government, not themselves. "How dare those people believe they are entitled to the money they earned! They should be happy the benevolent government lets them have any of it!".

 

[Red Dawn]

In that case we should increase taxes on the poor since they are the only people in the country not paying anything at all.

Bullshit, they might not be paying income tax but they are paying taxes.

 

[Zebo]

I always wonder if it weren't for the socialist Land Grant Act of 1862 that gave us State Universities and Colleges, if we'd have the same communal intellect as Haiti? Why didn't Bill G start MS in Haiti?

Or Veterans Readjustment Act of 1944 which it allowed the poor folks to get a college education paid by the Feds if we'd be like Chad.

Or without the Transcontinental Railroad Act of 1862: and Federal Highway Act of 1954 and Interstate Highway Act of 1956: Building of the largest road infrastructure on the planet which allowed billions to be made in agriculture, tourism, auto, etc if we'd look more like Bolivia?

People require investment for success. The cream always rises to the top no worries it's just a matter of who pays.

The rich know this...why you think they send their kids to $45,000 primary schools like Andover? Only idiots think they are Robinson Crusoe.

 

[Red Dawn]

The majority of the country is angry about what's going on. They might not all be angry about the same thing(s), but the majority is certainly angry about the current state of affairs.

True, every time the economy is in the dumper people are pissed. If the economy was sailing along smoothly there wouldn't be all this anger.

 

[Zebo]

Bullshit, they might not be paying income tax but they are paying taxes.

This lots of them. You flush a toilet, buy anything, drive anywhere you pay taxes and at a higher rate the lower your income is.

 

[ayabe]

This lots of them. You flush a toilet, buy anything, drive anywhere you pay taxes and at a higher rate the lower your income is.

Right and the sum of that is undoubtedly way more than they would pay on their meager income.

But let's keep it simple for the kids, the working poor don't pay taxes....rawwrrgghh!!!!

 

[Moonbeam]

Suppose we turn a large number of pigs out into a virgin pasture. They will eat all the plants and roots they can. They will wallow in the stream and turn everything into mud and eventually turn on each other. The weakest will be trampled under and the piglets all eaten. Every pig will focus on what he can get and not a wit on what he can give. The King of Pigs will eventually die quite lonely, his tails of piggish glory but echos in the wind.

Competition is what makes humans pigs. Competition is hate. Ours is a world in which the best at hating others win, for a while yet as the planet turns to mud. Humanity was given a banquet on which to feed and turned it into a race to see how much you could eat. And as the sated sleep the hungry eat their lunch.

The hole in the soul created by self hate can never ever be filled with all the money in the world. He is rich only who can give away his ego.

 

[drebo]

So tax cuts don't add to the deficit?

They do only if the people who define the budget are fiscally irresponsible.

(Hint: there shouldn't be a deficit.)

 

[Fear No Evil]

Suppose we turn a large number of pigs out into a virgin pasture. They will eat all the plants and roots they can. They will wallow in the stream and turn everything into mud and eventually turn on each other. The weakest will be trampled under and the piglets all eaten. Every pig will focus on what he can get and not a wit on what he can give. The King of Pigs will eventually die quite lonely, his tails of piggish glory but echos in the wind.

Competition is what makes humans pigs. Competition is hate. Ours is a world in which the best at hating others win, for a while yet as the planet turns to mud. Humanity was given a banquet on which to feed and turned it into a race to see how much you could eat. And as the sated sleep the hungry eat their lunch.

The hole in the soul created by self hate can never ever be filled with all the money in the world. He is rich only who can give away his ego.

Will anything ever fill that void between your ears?

 

[StageLeft]

I have a really hard time caring, to be honest. The rich have enjoyed accelerated growth of their wealth while the middle and lower have been stagnant, for years now.

 

[Red Dawn]

Speaking of Angry Rich, rumor has it that Paris Hilton's parents want her to change her name to Motel 6

 

[CycloWizard]

Way to go- clip the context! Forget the part where he quotes Oliver Wendell Holmes in the same breath- "Taxes are what we pay for civilized society."

Apparently, America's wealthiest resent paying any taxes at all, claiming the modern version of the divine right of Kings, where commoners paid taxes to the aristocracy. If they can avoid paying taxes while lending the govt money, they'll get their wish as debt maintenance overwhelms the treasury...

There was a time when America's wealthiest realized that it was a privilege to pay big taxes on big money...

If you really want to use Holmes' quote to take more from the people already footing the bill, then presumably you'd have to apply it to the nearly 50% of US adults who paid $0 in federal taxes last year. I oppose tax hikes on the wealthy because this is equivalent to sending them someone else's bills in the mail, then arresting them if they refuse to pay it. Except instead of sending them one person's bill, you're spamming them with millions of them.

 

[Moonbeam]

Will anything ever fill that void between your ears?

Why would I want that?

You were hurt by being called stupid so you want to hurt me that way. But I already feel profoundly stupid. You can't add now to my pain. All you can do is remind me of it if I try to pretend I do not suffer. So what I have suffered I am free of. You tell me my head is empty, but if it is, it is also empty of the pain you have yet to feel. So shove that anger up your ass and get well.

May you know the divine blessing of have nothing between your ears.

 

[Moonbeam]

I oppose tax hikes on the wealthy because this is equivalent to sending them someone else's bills in the mail, then arresting them if they refuse to pay it. Except instead of sending them one person's bill, you're spamming them with millions of them.

Huh? So you want to tax folk who have so little now they are called the poor. You want to tax their lunch money, dinner money, child care money, etc. You want to take from those who already haven't enough to live a decent live? You aren't worried about this but you are worried about the rich? Oh but that's right. All these poor people are poor because the lack ambition and want to leach. How wonderful it must be to have an excuse for that kind of thinking. You'd really look like a piece of shit if you didn't have it.