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No One Goes There Anymore

noonegoesthereanymore.blogspot.com

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Re: No One Goes There Anymore

#71

Post by drpgq »

NikolaNovak wrote: post #63
ccktlmazeltov wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If half your paycheck is going to taxes you must have a bunch of $$$, I personally make around 300k/year and I feel like I'm not paying that much taxes. I could be paying much more and still live pretty comfortable, it's pretty outrageous.

* (Edit: Leaving original for traceability, but note my math was incorrect as per subsequent comment:) * Depends on where and depends how you're counting it. In Ontario, Canada, and I'm not an accountant so very approximately based on GoC website: At ~~$150k CAD you are at 29% federal + 12 % Provincial tax. On anything you buy though you get another 13% VAT So now we are at 54%, plus CPP and EI. Plus any other taxes…

As an Ontarian it is frustrating how the marginal tax rate has risen over 50% over the last decade, but ignorant people think things are the same as in the US. Of course capital gains on primary residences is taxed at 0% so it isn't really surprising that real estate and its financialization is Ontario's main industry.

Re: No One Goes There Anymore

#72

Post by rayiner »

malwarebytess wrote: post #58
ciupicri wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can donate money to the US Government if you feel that you're not giving it enough. See https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/public/gifts-to-government.h...

Ah yes, the obligate vacant comment about donating to the Federal Government when there's talk of taxes being too low on the wealthy. Get a new line. The problems in this country, including the mess that is the tax system, cannot be solved by snarky comments like "donate your money if you think taxes are too low." They require a longitudinal and deep response.

The problems in this country also cannot be solved by empty rhetoric about “taxes being too low on the wealthy.” Taxes on the wealthy in the US aren’t dramatically lower than in Europe. The top tax bracket in Germany is 45%, versus 37% + state. So if you live in any of the 9 states with a top state bracket of 8% or higher, including New York and California, the top income tax bracket is actually lower in Germany. Capital gains taxes in Germany are also similar accounting for state capital gains taxes.

So how does Germany pay for its expansive welfare state? It has a 42% bracket that kicks in at 57,000 euro. In California, the marginal dollar income tax at that level is just 26% (federal plus state). It also has a 20% VAT. In both Germany and the US, the vast majority of income is earned by the bottom 99%. In the US, we don’t tax those people enough.

(Or we tax them what they want to be taxed. I can’t help but notice that while half the country wants European-style social services, nobody is proposing European-style taxes on people making under six figures, or a VAT. Even Sanders promised not to raise taxes on people making below $250,000. The math just doesn’t work. Americans—the bottom 99% that makes 80% of all income—have chosen to be taxed less than Europe in return for less social services than Europe.)

Re: No One Goes There Anymore

#73

Post by klenwell »

magicalhippo wrote: post #30

When I see about half my paycheck going to taxes it feels a bit rough. But then I think of stories like this, and how easily it could have been me with an illness requiring expensive medical treatment and possibly preventing me from working regular jobs. And so I pay my tax with pleasure, knowing that if something were to happen to me or my fellow citizen, at least there wouldn't be millions of dollars in hospital bi…

I think the actual quote is a little different, but I like this version:

I like to pay taxes. With them, I buy civilization.

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/17105-i-like-to-pay-taxes-w...

Re: No One Goes There Anymore

#74

Post by NikolaNovak »

drpgq wrote: post #71
NikolaNovak wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

* (Edit: Leaving original for traceability, but note my math was incorrect as per subsequent comment:) * Depends on where and depends how you're counting it. In Ontario, Canada, and I'm not an accountant so very approximately based on GoC website: At ~~$150k CAD you are at 29% federal + 12 % Provincial tax. On anything you buy though you get another 13% VAT So now we are at 54%, plus CPP and EI. Plus any other taxes…

As an Ontarian it is frustrating how the marginal tax rate has risen over 50% over the last decade, but ignorant people think things are the same as in the US. Of course capital gains on primary residences is taxed at 0% so it isn't really surprising that real estate and its financialization is Ontario's main industry.

I'm actually with the OP - taxes as such don't offend me; I'm more concerned to get value out of them / their efficiency and purpose, rather than what they are in absolute terms. But wanted to point out that 50% is not unheard of and doesn't have to be in "millionaire" category of income.

Re: No One Goes There Anymore

#76

Post by romwell »

It was surprising to see that it might still be difficult for you to get the word out.

As far as I'm concerned, you're Doreen from Hackernews, Internet famous.

Hope that you do get the word out. Hope things improve. And sorry for the condition that makes it all that much more difficult.

Your perspective is valuable, and hope to read more from you.

Re: No One Goes There Anymore

#77

Post by newacct583 »

rayiner wrote: post #72
malwarebytess wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah yes, the obligate vacant comment about donating to the Federal Government when there's talk of taxes being too low on the wealthy. Get a new line. The problems in this country, including the mess that is the tax system, cannot be solved by snarky comments like "donate your money if you think taxes are too low." They require a longitudinal and deep response.

The problems in this country also cannot be solved by empty rhetoric about “taxes being too low on the wealthy.” Taxes on the wealthy in the US aren’t dramatically lower than in Europe. The top tax bracket in Germany is 45%, versus 37% + state. So if you live in any of the 9 states with a top state bracket of 8% or higher, including New York and California, the top income tax bracket is actually lower in Germany. Cap…

You're quoting nominal rates and not effective taxation. The very wealthy don't pay their "marginal dollar" in "income tax" at a 37% federal bracket (plus state), they pay it in capital gains tax at 20%. If they pay it at all, given that in fact much income at these levels is sheltered from tax entirely via international tricks.

There's plenty of analysis out there showing how the very wealthy in the US pay less effective tax than middle class families. That's not "empty rhetoric". It's a genuine problem and something we should be trying to solve.

Re: No One Goes There Anymore

#78

Post by zolpidem_dream »

ardy42 wrote: post #67
exabrial wrote: post #66

> While homeless, my sons and I routinely tried to find out-of-the-way public tables. Food at restaurants is marked up thousands of percent to cover costs of buildings, rent, power, human capital. The raw materials to make your food are pennies and are available to the average consumer. This is straight BS. There -are- people that truly have issues that lead them to a homeless condition, but this person is not one of…

>> While homeless, my sons and I routinely tried to find out-of-the-way public tables. > Food at restaurants is marked up thousands of percent to cover costs of buildings, rent, power, human capital. The raw materials to make your food are pennies and are available to the average consumer. If you're homeless that's not an option, since you probably lack equipment to cook from scratch.

What about cold cuts, sliced cheese, a loaf of whole grain bread?

Re: No One Goes There Anymore

#79

Post by shoo »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #44
code_duck wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone else with serious medical problems which have been paid for by public health systems, the financial difficulties of which are compounded by losing your ability to pay once ill, thanks! I would note though, for the purposes of fairness, it's a small percentage of your taxes that go to paying for such programs versus things like the military and interest on debt.

US government healthcare spend is huge, it is not tiny compared to military. $1.1T according to this source in fiscal year 2018: https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/how-much-does-... This website states in 2018, the federal government spent $582B on Medicare, and $389B on Medicaid, plus all the tax exemption for employer sponsored health insurance and ACA subsidies to individual buyers, etc. https://www.the…

To add contrast, australia spends 32b on defence, 36b on education, 82b on health, 180b on social security & welfare, out of ~500b total government spend.

https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-03/federal-budget-201...

Re: No One Goes There Anymore

#80

Post by treeman79 »

Spent 3 years desperately trying to avoid going homeless due a chronic illness.

Turns out disability insurance is a joke.

I still work from home to hide how sick I am most days. But I can function well enough that people don’t notice to much.

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