[Rhodes22-list] Taxes & Politics

[Rik Sandberg]

Bill,

What I'm trying to tell you here is that my income is not as big as the 
average income in the highest bracket of your table. Yet the taxes I pay 
amount to closer to 2 x the average taxes paid total in your highest table, 
give or take a couple bucks. I'm sorry if this shakes your faith in 
government statistics, but I don't care if God himself made that list, it's 
wrong. If folks really believe what's on that list, then it's no wonder 
they think the few ambitious folks left in this country don't pay enough.

You can add up the numbers however you want, the bottom line is still the 
bottom line. And the real bottom line here is, that table ain't even close.

Rik


At 09:30 PM 1/22/2003 -0500, you wrote:
>Response to Ric -
>
>The "nice little table" was not manufactured by me or the NY Times (that
>bastion of North Eastern Liberalism, largely owned and managed by the
>rich).  The Times was quoting numbers that were prepared by the US
>Government Department of Labor.
>
>Don't forget that there is a difference  between the marginal tax rate
>you pay - the rate on income over a certain level, and the actual tax
>rate you pay as a percentage of all income.
>
>Bill Berner
>191 South Broadway
>Hastings on Hudson, NY  10706
>
>v 914 478 2896
>f 914 478 3856
>e BBerner@optonline.net
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: rhodes22-list-bounces@rhodes22.org
>[mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces@rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Rik Sandberg
>Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2003 2:50 PM
>To: wwrhodes@rhodes22.com; The Rhodes 22 mail list
>Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Taxes & Politics
>
>Stan,
>
>Yep, that's a real nice little table that Bill B. put up for us. If only
>any
>of it were true, it would be great! I would absolutely love to pay that
>small an amount in fed income tax, let alone total taxes. My income is
>NOT
>high enough to make the average in the highest of the brackets in this
>table. But I'm here to tell you that my federal income tax (just income
>tax,
>mind you, not the total of ALL taxes) paid make the average tax paid
>(for
>all taxes) in the very highest level Bill listed, look pretty low.
>Somebody
>doesn't know what they're talking about here. Seems to be a common
>problem
>amongst (typically liberal) journalists these days.
>
>Another percentage that nobody has mentioned is: Just what percentage of
>their time have people spent earning their money. If you are willing to
>spend a lot of time being productive, rather than, generally screwing
>the
>pooch, you better be ready to pay for the privilege. These days, if you
>have
>any ambition at all, six people will see you working and decide that,
>since
>you are willing to work so hard, they shouldn't have to.
>__________________________________________
>"Re your wish for a flat tax, Bill B points out that in effect we
>already
>have that.  More tax cutting will make the low end pay even a higher
>percentage of their earning towards their total tax burden compared to
>the wealthy end.  Remember, you heard it here. Keep this up and it will
>eventually backfire.  That is why the knowledgeable rich are not in
>favor. You say you do not know any wealthy ones to ask.  Try Bill Gates
>father who has been outspoken against these cuts.  I know a lot of
>variables influence Wall Street but it does represent wealth and so far
>it is not applauding the tax cut."
>________________________________________________
>
>I don't know, maybe there are people in the higher brackets that are
>paying
>so little that it really does bring the average paid in down that low.
>It
>sure as heck isn't the case at my house though.
>
>Rik
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "General Boats" <wwrhodes@rhodes22.com>
>To: <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
>Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2003 12:28 PM
>Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Taxes & Politics
>
>
> >
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