% of Americans who Understand Basic Gun Laws

[TTSX]

OP..... your % is about = to the collective IQ of current Americans.

Sometimes even here.

In an almost non-satiric way, I believe you're right. The amount of mouth breathers that just blankly stare or get mad at simple couplings is incredible.

 

[Hueco]

Uninterested since most of their readers don't get past a headline. I'm smart enough to understand the difference between income tax, capital gains tax, and how the system is set up. Which is why so many people get upset when media talks about this stuff, because they don't.

Here's a good tidbit from the article that addresses my point:

"Bezos' wealth increased by $127 billion, according to Forbes, but he reported a total of $6.5 billion in income," the article says. "The $1.4 billion he paid in personal federal taxes is a massive number — yet it amounts to a 1.1% true tax rate on the rise in his fortune."

The slant here is so obvious and yet it fools so many idiots. The guy paid 1.4 billion in personal income taxes despite using all the legal methods he could to minimize his tax burden. If his wealth is significantly tied to Amazon stock (which I assume it is), well, of course he doesn't pay taxes on that because unless he sells the stock, there is no tax, and even if he did sell his stock, it would be capital gains tax, not personal income tax.

The understanding of the wording is what tricks the ignorant and it is how the media pushes a story that misleads the public to believe the "rich don't pay taxes" - even in their own article they admit he paid a boatload of taxes, $1.4 billion, which when you look at his personal claimed income of 6.5 billion that's equivalent to about 21.5%

Then when you factor in all the various methods you can reduce your tax burden with charitable contributions, other methods, which I'm sure he employs people whose entire job is to reduce his personal tax liability, it's not surprising that they would do the best they could to achieve that (legally).

Bit of a side note: The term "pay their fair share" is also a favored claim among the economically illiterate and the political leeches. First of all, if this is all my income, my fair share is 100% of it, because it is mine. The government and the poor don't see it that way though, because according to them, since they exist, and someone else has more than they do, they should get some to be "fair." It boggles the mind. Welfare in this country already places 100% of Americans well above the international standard of abject poverty, and yet they want to be paid more simple because they have less than other Americans. This is the type of loser mentality that topples nations because the idiotic masses who are a net financial loss on society try to take what they want believing in some misguided sense of fairness until the people who actually produce just stop producing and then what was affluence shared unequally in abundance then turns to next to nothing / crumbs of what used to be, shared equally.

The other issue we must address is how this guy is getting wealthy. He is providing business services that others voluntarily pay for to receive. He is also the holder of stock in a company that people are trading for voluntarily that has les the stock price to go over $3000.

Where people should really be angry is at politicians. These spineless leaches on society produce nothing except for grief for the American people and they are a major financial loss/expense on the American taxpayer, both in their salary/benefits, but also in their security, and their legislative decisions that are devoid of any economic responsibility.

Poor and ignorant love blaming the rich for their problems when really it is the mirror and the government they should be looking it. I have no issues with a guy who became extremely wealthy through shrewd business endeavors, like Bezos. I have nothing but loathing contempt for politicians who became wealthy at the public trough and by selling out American interests for personal financial gain.

I agree with a good bit of what you wrote, but some things have been left untouched. From where I'm sitting, the "hate the rich" comes down to those who use their power and influence to taint the game. For example, I'm fine with Bezos bringing Amazon from a struggling 90's era dot com to a world super-power in products and logistics...What I'm not okay with is his company's team up with Twitter and the sucker punch they laid to Parlor at one of Parlor's most promising hours.

When companies use a system to grow large and then change that system to cement their own hegemony - that's where I draw the line...And in those cases, there is no tax high enough for Bezos to pay to make up for his strangling off of competition. In short, he's not paying his fair share.

 

[American123]

I agree with a good bit of what you wrote, but some things have been left untouched. From where I'm sitting, the "hate the rich" comes down to those who use their power and influence to taint the game. For example, I'm fine with Bezos bringing Amazon from a struggling 90's era dot com to a world super-power in products and logistics...What I'm not okay with is his company's team up with Twitter and the sucker punch they laid to Parlor at one of Parlor's most promising hours.

When companies use a system to grow large and then change that system to cement their own hegemony - that's where I draw the line...And in those cases, there is no tax high enough for Bezos to pay to make up for his strangling off of competition. In short, he's not paying his fair share.

That's entirely separate from the tax issue, but yes, collusions/corruption isn't good and I don't appreciate it either, and I also don't appreciate companies that donate money to groups and people that endeavor to stifle my civil rights, but again, different from the very pointed issue of taxes.

 

[Diamondback]

Re "fair share"... if Warren Buffett thinks it's so "unfair" that his secretary pays more in taxes than he does because she doesn't have access to the same loopholes and tax accountants as he does...

1. He could very easily make "tax accounting services" part of Berkshire Hathaway's benefits package. This is the kind of thing he would do if he actually gave a crap about his people as much as he says, rather than them being peons and pawns to fatten his wallet and be props in his political kabuki theater.

2. He could just as easily write the US Treasury a check for what he feels is the amount he's being undercharged.

Dear Warren, until you've done one or the other of these, kindly SHUT YOUR F--KPIPE!

 

[Alexx1401]

I think most folks don't even know what laws are being pushed through! Then you have OryGun who has perfected the "emergency action" fiat to push things through with out voter consent!

YEP!!! WA does the same thing. Media here covers for the law makers and the wana be king so its easy when so many just pay no attention. A LOT of gun owners are still "just finding out" that when they go to buy a new .22 like the old standby Ruger that it is now an assault weapon and they have to jump through hoops to buy it. Then they get mad at the people in the shop, the NRA (who they never joined), and a host of other people who should have "done something".
The king just extended the big middle finger to property owners who have renters refusing to pay for another few months. Of course he does not stop the taxes due to him. I have to hope most of the property owners who are getting it in the shorts at least voted for him. So they can enjoy what they voted for.

 

[03A3Sporter]

Got me-- if I knew I wouldn't be paying any income tax either, I suppose-- Are you saying that all those non-tax paying super richers donate money to others?

I keep reading how the wealthy pay less taxes than other Americans . That is simply not true, over the course of my life I will not pay in more taxes than Warren Buffet has paid in a single year. Percentages are a misleading things and are a tool that communists use to mislead an ignorant and uneducated public with the fair share lie.

I am not saying there is anyone here who is not affluent to do so, but its my bet that 99.9% of the membership here is not required to use the AMT it only affects the very wealthy . The reason many very wealthy people less income tax as a percentage of income is because most very wealthy people pay Capital Gains taxes at a lower tax rate . I am still willing to bet they pay more money in actual dollars on the capital gains than most here will ever see if they live three lifetimes.

 

[03A3Sporter]

Re "fair share"... if Warren Buffett thinks it's so "unfair" that his secretary pays more in taxes than he does because she doesn't have access to the same loopholes and tax accountants as he does...

1. He could very easily make "tax accounting services" part of Berkshire Hathaway's benefits package. This is the kind of thing he would do if he actually gave a crap about his people as much as he says, rather than them being peons and pawns to fatten his wallet and be props in his political kabuki theater.

2. He could just as easily write the US Treasury a check for what he feels is the amount he's being undercharged.

Dear Warren, until you've done one or the other of these, kindly SHUT YOUR F--KPIPE!

Warren buffet is paying mostly Capital Gains and since he is an old liberal he knows hes also lying and playing the percentages game. Trust me on this when a man with his wealth is talking about increasing taxes it isn't going to hurt him nor will it help you. In fact his and other liberals arguments to increase the "fair share " of taxes serves to only hurt most Americans .

 

[Mikej]

Percentages are a misleading things and are a tool that communists use to mislead an ignorant and uneducated with the fair share lie.

I try not to be ignorant. But everyone is ignorant in areas. Non-gun owners/enthusiasts are mostly, totally ignorant when it comes to firearms. They don't have to be? It would seem they WANT to remain ignorant! I, am uneducated. Barely got a high school diploma. It's something else other than ignorance and lack of education that keeps people eating up those articles of the uber wealthy paying no "Income" tax. Lack of "Intelligence perhaps? This is the kind of thing that makes me want to . People that hear/read these things and take it as completely accurate and truthful.

 

[Diamondback]

Warren buffet is paying mostly Capital Gains and since he is an old liberal he knows hes also lying and playing the percentages game. Trust me on this when a man with his wealth is talking about increasing taxes it isn't going to hurt him nor will it help you. In fact his and other liberals arguments to increase the "fair share " of taxes serves to only hurt most Americans .

Like Cardinal Richelieu said, "All for one... more for ME."

 

[American123]

YEP!!! WA dose the same thing. Media here covers for the law makers and the wana be king so its easy when so many just pay no attention. A LOT of gun owners are still "just finding out" that when they go to buy a new .22 like the old standby Ruger that it is now an assault weapon and they have to jump through hoops to buy it. Then they get mad at the people in the shop, the NRA (who they never joined), and a host of other people who should have "done something".
The king just extended the big middle finger to property owners who have renters refusing to pay for another few months. Of course he does not stop the taxes due to him. I have to hope most of the property owners who are getting it in the shorts at least voted for him. So they can enjoy what they voted for.

Those liberal voters seemingly never learn. My family has observed Seattle continue this path of decay for 100 years.

 

[billdeserthills]

I keep reading how the wealthy pay less taxes than other Americans . That is simply not true, over the course of my life I will not pay in more taxes than Warren Buffet has paid in a single year. Percentages are a misleading things and are a tool that communists use to mislead an ignorant and uneducated public with the fair share lie.

I am not saying there is anyone here who is not affluent to do so, but its my bet that 99.9% of the membership here is not required to use the AMT it only affects the very wealthy . The reason many very wealthy people less income tax as a percentage of income is because most very wealthy people pay Capital Gains taxes at a lower tax rate . I am still willing to bet they pay more money in actual dollars on the capital gains than most here will ever see if they live three lifetimes.

That's a nice thought but I don't buy it

Ever read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair?

The Jungle - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Upton was a socialist however the things he outlined in his book are all 100% true. The super rich exist to get richer.

I personally believe they have a mental disease that causes them to hoard valuables & they will die, cheat & steal to find ways to keep ever larger piles of valuables

 

[Camelfilter]

…I personally believe they have a mental disease that causes them to hoard valuables & they will die, cheat & steal to find ways to keep ever larger piles of valuables

That's OK in my book. It's theirs to do as they wish. Not mine, nor anyone else's…

 

[billdeserthills]

That's OK in my book. It's theirs to do as they wish. Not mine, nor anyone else's…

When progressives are busy flushing gobs of my tax money& all future members of my family's taxes down the toilet I can't agree-- Everybody should be paying their fair share or screw the whole damn thing

 

[The Heretic]

I don't consider using the tax code features as "cheating" or stealing. I would and do use every tax exception/deduction/exemption that I can.

 

[Alexx1401]

I don't consider using the tax code features as "cheating" or stealing. I would and do use every tax exception/deduction/exemption that I can.

When people in power, like law makers wave their hands and scream Tax loopholes, and such they NEVER mention a couple things. One big one is they are the ones who make these laws. The other is as soon as they have been in power any time they start making HUGE money and the first thing they do is take advantage of these same laws for their money. Its someone else who is supposed to pay "their fair share" not them of course. Others peoples money anyone?

 

[billdeserthills]

Speaking of greedy rich people

How Peter Thiel Used Loophole to Amass $5B in His Roth IRA

It amounts to 'Bermuda-style tax haven right here in the US'

www.newser.com

 

[The Heretic]

Speaking of greedy rich people

How Peter Thiel Used Loophole to Amass $5B in His Roth IRA

It amounts to 'Bermuda-style tax haven right here in the US'

www.newser.com

If I could do it, I would do it. I find nothing unethical about taking advantage of an opportunity, especially when it involves not paying taxes on my earnings.

E.G., when I sell my property I will basically have lived here for free, and still make a profit on it. I could only do that because I was able to put about $100K as a down payment including other costs/etc. - not everybody can do that. I then sold about $100K in timber a couple years ago, paid only capital gains on that. I will still make a profit on the property. I am neither greedy nor "rich" either, but I stumbled into this and did well.

 

[American123]

Speaking of greedy rich people

How Peter Thiel Used Loophole to Amass $5B in His Roth IRA

It amounts to 'Bermuda-style tax haven right here in the US'

www.newser.com

So he followed the rules as the government has decreed and legally did what he did according to the rules of this country….

It's funny how anything Americans do that legally avoid what path the government wants the peasants to take, they refer to as a "loophole."

 

[Mikej]

When people in power, like law makers wave their hands and scream Tax loopholes, and such they NEVER mention a couple things. One big one is they are the ones who make these laws. The other is as soon as they have been in power any time they start making HUGE money and the first thing they do is take advantage of these same laws for their money. Its someone else who is supposed to pay "their fair share" not them of course. Others peoples money anyone?

This is like one party using a feature of our government like the filibuster for a lot of what they want to stifle for years, and then want to do away with the filibuster when it seems to go against what they want?

 

[The Heretic]

This is like one party using a feature of our government like the filibuster for a lot of what they want to stifle for years, and then want to do away with the filibuster when it seems to go against what they want?

Politicians of any party are hypocrites.