Is the Purpose of Taxes to Raise Revenue or Punish the Rich?

From what I can tell, the typical liberal doesn't think the purpose of taxes is to raise revenue for the government.

The typical liberal wants to raise taxes to punish rich people.

So if you tell the typical liberal that raising tax rates might actually cripple the economy and reduce government revenues, that liberal doesn't care.

The typical liberal isn't very practical and simply wants to punish rich people.

 

The true purpose of taxes is to provide for the most basic of services...all else is simply politics and greed.

 

So why did you post this again? I mean you already answer the question...

 

Interesting. You admit what I say is true?

 

The reason liberals want to punish very rich people is that they are in fact gaining in real wealth while the rest of us tread financial water. The real wealth gap in America has been widening for the last 3 decades between the top 17% and the rest of us, and between the top 0.5% and the other 16.5% of the rich. This is data produced by reputable sources and commented on by such noted liberals like Greenspon and Warren Buffett.

I don't consider myself a liberal and I don't want to punish rich people. I want them to pay at the same rate as the rest of us so the real wealth gap doesn't widen anymore. Right now these people whining about the liberal attack on the rich are like people complaining Robin Hood is being unfair to Prince John by stealing back some of the excessive monies he'd squeezed out of the regular folk around Sherwood Forest. Way to go Sheriff of Nottingham!

 

No, I'm saying you answer the question. It doesn't mean it's correct.

 

From what I can tell, the typical conservative doesn't think the purpose of government is to secure the equal rights of all to life, liberty, and property in the products of their labor.

The typical conservative wants government to rob the productive for the unearned profit of the rich and privileged.

So if you tell the typical conservative that raising government expenditures might actually improve the economy and increase government revenues, that conservative doesn't care.

The typical conservative isn't very practical and simply wants to serve rich, greedy, privileged parasites.

 

Since when are taxes punishment? This false and frankly absurd idea that they will all suddenly close their business' leave the country and fire all their employees just because their taxes went up 2 or 3% is just stupid. Try some new talking points.

 

That's the opposite of how I see it. It seems to me that a lot of people (I won't call them conservatives although they probably call themselves that) just want to punish the poor. They don't care about raising revenue, paying for national bills, or what will actually work for the economy. They just want the poor to suffer.

It's like some social engineering program. They want the poor to stay as busy as possible all the time, so they have to be kept in constant poverty and desperation so that they're willing to work for the lowest wage possible so as to maximize the profits for the wealthy.

 

Buddy, if I build a factory that has all robots and only needs a couple minimum wage employees to sweep the floor. Of course the gap in our wealth is going to grow.

The Janitor isn't gaining skills or making their product(labor) more valuable.

The robots on the other hand, are. What are people going to say when you need a 2 year certificate of some kind just to work at McDonalds? Dumb people need high paying jobs too?

 

SO basically its ok for employers make money off the backs of everyone else while paying them like (*)(*)(*)(*). Your kind is a small minority here. Its pretty sad how much of corporate slave you are.

 

I don't know where you are getting that liberals want to raise taxes to punish rich people. Liberals want to raise taxes to pay for what the government does so it doesn't go bankrupt. If we want a strong military, we better pay for it. If we want good infrastructure, we better pay for it. Police, fire the list goes on. It all costs money.

 

Well thats where the **********s and other extremists coming. Simply privatize everything! that way the government spends the bare minimum and everything else is all about those profits!

 

I shutter to think about what kind of health care my uncle would receive if he were thrown to a private market that had no government regulation when he is over 70 and has a failing heart and kidneys and currently has to live in a nursing home because his levels get so out of whack all the time and he has to be constantly monitored. It would be a tragic situation without Medicare.

 

Well... here is a thought experiment to prove it. Ask someone who believes that taxing the rich is the good and proper thing to do, if you showed them (mathmatically) that even if you took everything they had it would not really fix the debt problem at all would they change their minds about it?

If they say:

1. Wow... so even if I bankrupted the the top 5% it would not make a significant different? Hmm... might want to try something else then.

Then they probably really thought it was a good idea, and ACTUALLY wanted to do good for the country.... However, if you hear:

2. Who cares!!! They have to much anyway... it is a good place to start!!!!

Then they really do not care about the outcome, it just makes them feel better that someone with more than they do would suddenly have less....

 

I think your faith in the govt to save you is misguided.

 

Perhaps...but the insurance companies and hospitals aren't going to either!

 

Just a question.... why do those workers not go off and start companies of their own? If it is so much better to be a business owner than a worker, then why do more people not do that? Is there a law stopping them, are their current employers making death threats to anyone that wants to quit to form their own company? Oh wait.... now I remember.... the employees actually have no idea how to start their own companies... or run a business... or maintain a payroll. That is sort of why they find themselves in the position that they are. So in reality what you are really saying is....

"Why is it fair that people who are smarter, and willing to take more financial risks, allowed to make more money than people with less ability and less willingness to take risks like starting their own businesses?"

Do you really believe that an automechanic at Ford could be sat down at the CEO's desk and do a great job there? Or that the guy who chooses to live paycheck to paycheck (because they choose to spend rather than save any of their money) would have the self control or financial saavy to plan a business strategy that could takes years to accomplish? I suppose that there are some that really CAN do those things.... and they go off and start their own companies.....

The last time I checked... there is no such thing as slavery in the US. If you do not like your job.... find another. If working for someone else does not suit you.... start your own company... and work for yourself. It is not other peoples job to make your life easy for you. The outcome of your life is up to you. If you continue to believe that the reason for your failure resides in other peoples decisions... then you have made YOURSELF a slave. No one has done it to you.....

 

Dont want to get paid s h ! t? Maybe you should have gotten an education instead of jerking off for the past 8 years. That includes high school and college.

I feel no sympathy for people that never put in the effort and get stuck in a low wage job. People like you expect everyone to make a 6 figure salary with no skills or education whatsoever. Got some really bad news for ya, it's not going to happen EVER!

 

They also act as if starting or running a business is not a significant risk that requires more hard work and stress than the average employee of said business is likely to experience. If you’re not willing to take the risk and endure the stress and work required to start a business or get the education required to run one on another parties behalf then your only option is to be an employee. I have no problem with those who take the easier and safer path but there is absolutely no justification for them to demonise those who chose to take the hard path.

 

Ya know, you people constantly say how America is run by corporations, owned by corporations, corrupted by corporations.

I say "Maybe that's true, but if that's the case, I want to be on the side of the winners."

Labor is a losing proposition.

 

Yeah because that wealth will have to trickle down sometime!

 

Well from what the Liberals here tell me, I am far from a Liberal. I am also comfortably in the range that would pay a bit more if Obama gets his way. So although I have no love or trust of the government handling my money, I would not object to a couple points on everything over $250K.

 

For President Obama he has said it's to punish the rich. When it was pointed out during his campaign that raising capital gains taxes would reduce revenue to the government he said he would do it anyway because it was "fair".

President Obama, left-wing wackos are consumed with jealousy and greed. They have to have scapegoats. "If it wasn't for rich folks, I coulda been a contender."

 

Capital gains rates are now 15%, dropped down from 20% under Bush, and yet it did NOTHING to create jobs and improve the economy for us now.

With tax break gravy trains like this, the suggestion the wealthy are being "punished" is absurd!

So why should the wealthy's income streams be taxed less than workers' income streams?