Bill Kristol on Romney's taxes...

[Gravitymaster 0]

Exactly, that's what I would do. Nothing wrong or illegal about it.

[RonD1120 58]

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Exactly, that's what I would do. Nothing wrong or illegal about it.

+1

It is not illegal to avoid taxes.

The liberal/socialist faction wants all the poor welfare sucking groups to be pissed off at the successful. The anti-neocolonialist administration wants the welfare people to believe they are in that status because the success of others creates their failures.

If all the tax revenue went to welfare the problem would continue to flourish because, you can't fix stupid with free money.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[DanG 1]

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The liberal/socialist faction wants all the poor welfare sucking groups to be pissed off at the successful. The anti-neocolonialist administration wants the welfare people to believe they are in that status because the success of others creates their failures.

And the conservative/fascist faction wants every Joe Sixpack to believe he will one day be a multi-millionaire and the only thing holding him back is the progressive tax code and the goddam liberals. The neocons want people to believe this because they need people to vote against their own self-interest.

By the way, I don't actually believe that, but I thought I'd throw out an equally stupid argument to counter yours.

- Dan G

[kallend 1,679]

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Exactly, that's what I would do. Nothing wrong or illegal about it.

Nothing illegal about it under the current code designed to favor the very wealthy, but it IS wrong.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[RonD1120 58]

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The liberal/socialist faction wants all the poor welfare sucking groups to be pissed off at the successful. The anti-neocolonialist administration wants the welfare people to believe they are in that status because the success of others creates their failures.

And the conservative/fascist faction wants every Joe Sixpack to believe he will one day be a multi-millionaire and the only thing holding him back is the progressive tax code and the goddam liberals. The neocons want people to believe this because they need people to vote against their own self-interest.

By the way, I don't actually believe that, but I thought I'd throw out an equally stupid argument to counter yours.

I do not buy in to the fascist aspect but, the remainder of your statement is not far off. Joe Sixpack has the opportunity to become a multi-millionaire. The tax code doesn't hold him back. However, it discourages those who are a beer short of a six pack.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[Southern_Man 0]

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Exactly, that's what I would do. Nothing wrong or illegal about it.

Nothing illegal about it under the current code designed to favor the very wealthy, but it IS wrong.

I thought I'd seen you say many times on this board that right and wrong didn't make much sense in talking about taxes.

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[Gravitymaster 0]

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Exactly, that's what I would do. Nothing wrong or illegal about it.

Nothing illegal about it under the current code designed to favor the very wealthy, but it IS wrong.

No it's not.

[weekender 0]

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Any sane review of our budget and deficit makes it clear that we're going to have to give up some or most of the Bush era tax cuts from 2001 and 2003. So people will be paying more.

I even heard a Republican say that on NPR today.

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That Romney is paying less than even the capital gains rate should be bugging people.

As it should.

I doesnt bother as many people as you would like. Not everyone thinks the same way you do. You want him to pay more for a number of reasons but one ive heard you state, is fairness. it would be great if life was more fair but alot of people dont believe it is, nor ever will be so, it doesnt bother them so much.

i for one am not bothered by it one tiny bit. I'm guessing its cultural. your an academic and your thought process is different than mine. I am a production employee. paid a percentage of what revenues i produce. I've seen people with less skills than me do better. ive seen just the opposite too. I dont see life as fair. i only concern myself with doing the best for myself. I'm not so concerned with others because i dont beleive it really affects me. Raising his taxes would not impact me, i believe. I dont care if it might seem fair. fairness isnt a concern of mine. please dont confuse this with me being immoral.

i am not saying im right and your wrong, just the opposite. I'm saying we are very different and for many reasons things bother you that dont bother me. i do believe that by being less concerned with others you can be happier. i could be wrong but your post seem alot more angry than mine, hah.

"The point is, I'm weird, but I never felt weird."
John Frusciante

[kallend 1,679]

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Exactly, that's what I would do. Nothing wrong or illegal about it.

Nothing illegal about it under the current code designed to favor the very wealthy, but it IS wrong.

I thought I'd seen you say many times on this board that right and wrong didn't make much sense in talking about taxes.

Nope. The comments you refer to were about "fair".

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Southern_Man 0]

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Exactly, that's what I would do. Nothing wrong or illegal about it.

Nothing illegal about it under the current code designed to favor the very wealthy, but it IS wrong.

I thought I'd seen you say many times on this board that right and wrong didn't make much sense in talking about taxes.

Nope. The comments you refer to were about "fair".

OK, I largely agree with you on that stance. I'm not sure how right and wrong are not somehow connected to a sense of fair, but I have no desire to get into a semantics argument with you. I've seen how those go.

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[Bertt 0]

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Raising his taxes would not impact me, i believe.

Would treating interest income, dividend income, and capital gains the same as income from wages and salaries impact you positively, negatively, or not at all ?

You don't have to outrun the bear.

[weekender 0]

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Raising his taxes would not impact me, i believe.

Would treating interest income, dividend income, and capital gains the same as income from wages and salaries impact you positively, negatively, or not at all ?

Well to be honest i suppose it would most likely negatively impact me. not a ton though, since im not wealthy. I do have a portfolio and am taxed according to the current law on it. not unlike all US tax payers. But all tax changes would be a rounding error on my return. also, my work income is derived greatly from hedgefunds, so anything that affects them, affects me. I cannot predict how much but im sure it would matter some. again though, not a ton since my income is not really that impressive anymore.

you might assume that you have a gotcha moment here. not really though. the impact on me personally would be very minor. i dont think about tax laws and what others pay that much. i sort of just go with the flow. that was point of my previous post. that it doesnt bother me as much as it does others. i dont think about it much and when i do i am not that bothered either way. So when i said it doesnt affect me much i really meant emotionally but since you got me thinking. i guess, in all honestly, it does effect me. just not enough to really care.

"The point is, I'm weird, but I never felt weird."
John Frusciante

[rehmwa 2]

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Would treating interest income, dividend income, and capital gains the same as income from wages and salaries impact you positively, negatively, or not at all ?

I wonder if it's that big a deal for those in that 50K - 200K realm when a complicated tax return costs hundreds of dollars to prepare, it sure would be nice to just add up everything, multiply it by a single tax rate, and then send in a check.

subsidies, tax breaks, penalties, special rates, etc etc etc are just social twiddling

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[kallend 1,679]

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Would treating interest income, dividend income, and capital gains the same as income from wages and salaries impact you positively, negatively, or not at all ?

I wonder if it's that big a deal for those in that 50K - 200K realm when a complicated tax return costs hundreds of dollars to prepare, it sure would be nice to just add up everything, multiply it by a single tax rate, and then send in a check.

subsidies, tax breaks, penalties, special rates, etc etc etc are just social twiddling

Yep. If Romney's income had been taxed at the same rate as MY income last year, the additional revenue could have paid for college scholarships for 150 poor kids.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Lefty 0]

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Yep. If Romney's income had been taxed at the same rate as MY income last year, the additional revenue could have paid for college scholarships for 150 poor kids.

Because that's a great use of taxpayer money.

Provoking a reaction isn't the same thing as saying something meaningful.
-Calvin

[SkyDekker 1,153]

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Because that's a great use of taxpayer money.

I would rate it as a better use of tax payer money than using it for some more collateral damage in Iraq or Afghanistan.

[Lefty 0]

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Because that's a great use of taxpayer money.

I would rate it as a better use of tax payer money than using it for some more collateral damage in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Woah, random.

Provoking a reaction isn't the same thing as saying something meaningful.
-Calvin

[jgoose71 0]

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Any sane review of our budget and deficit makes it clear that we're going to have to give up some or most of the Bush era tax cuts from 2001 and 2003. So people will be paying more.

I even heard a Republican say that on NPR today.

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That Romney is paying less than even the capital gains rate should be bugging people.

As it should.

Just to be clear, if all of your income came from investments, and then you took a part of that and invested it into Roth IRA's, college savings plans, etc... You could get your tax rate below 10%. All legal and legit.

This is just mud sling to distract from the economy. No one has came up with anything legitimate yet.

The left would rather spread lies about his record at Bane Capitol than examine there own record for the last 3 years.

"There is an art, it says, or, rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."
Life, the Universe, and Everything

[Gravitymaster 0]

+1

Now that the latest polls show the Presidential race tightening, be prepared for more shit slinging.

[rehmwa 2]

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This is just mud sling to distract from the economy.

no, this is mud slinging to try to make one candidate look bad for following the law


but it does highlight a real problem - the tax code sucks. It's too complicated, the government is trying to pick winners and losers. We need a single tax rate for all, and all income gets taxed at that tax rate. No special rates, no deductions, no exemptions, no penalties, no programs,....no freakin' artificial interference by the government. Simple, simple, simple. they just need to stop it - well intentioned maybe, but these all are long term losers.

Yes, I'll lose many of my precious deductions and exemptions. I bet I make more in the end just by not hiring an accountant, though.

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[billvon 2,473]

>Now that the latest polls show the Presidential race tightening, be prepared for more
>shit slinging.

Agreed. The Birthers are out in force now. A judge in Texas wants to raise taxes, and he is telling people this is because they need troops to defend Texas against Obama's UN invasion. Palin is claiming that Obama will put children "in chains" (which, ironically, is terminology she crucified Biden for using.) Some other good shit slings:

"In a closed door House GOP meeting Thursday, Indiana congressman and gubernatorial candidate Mike Pence likened the Supreme Court's ruling upholding the Democratic health care law to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks"

Breitbart editor: "This is the greatest destruction of individual liberty since Dred Scott. This is the end of America as we know it. No exaggeration."

After the lack of a VP-pick bounce, the right wing is going to get increasingly desperate, and is going to throw all the shit they can hoping something sticks.

[jgoose71 0]

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After the lack of a VP-pick bounce, the right wing is going to get increasingly desperate, and is going to throw all the shit they can hoping something sticks.

I know, pretty soon they will be calling Obama a tax cheat, a felon, and a murderer.....

"There is an art, it says, or, rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."
Life, the Universe, and Everything

[kallend 1,679]

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A little off the subject, but the Democrats are not doing themselves any favors by continuing to worry about Romney's taxes. This line of attack just makes white people in Kansas think Obama doesn't like rich people.

Any sane review of our budget and deficit makes it clear that we're going to have to give up some or most of the Bush era tax cuts from 2001 and 2003. So people will be paying more. That Romney is paying less than even the capital gains rate should be bugging people.

Not if all his income is derived by capital gains.

Well, it appears that a common strategy of private equity companies (including Bain) is to "convert" fees to investments, because income from investments is taxed at a far lower rate than earned fees.

Seems pretty dodgy to me.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[billvon 2,473]

>I know, pretty soon they will be calling Obama a tax cheat, a felon, and a murderer....

They already are.

"There are inconsistencies in the total compensation received as an Illinois State Senator. . . . . If all the numbers check out, and this turns out to be true, the IRS can bring charges of fraud under 26 USC 7206(1) for “fraud or false statements” made to on the U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. This can be prosecuted as a Class E felony, with maximum fines of $100,000 and imprisonment of up to 3 years. Karma is a real bitch.:"

"It has been reported that Barack Hussein Obama has used various social security numbers. These have been derived from national databases. Most of the ones reported are most likely erroneous information. However, there is one that stands out. It is the number 042-68-4425 that was issued out of the state of Connecticut. It is this number that he has fraudulently used ( and possibly still using ) and is thus guilty of multiple felonies."

"Barack Obama is a Murderer . . . . He is covered in Brian Terry’s blood.

Brian Terry was a border patrol agent.

Barack Obama’s Administration - while Obama was serving as President - started Operation Fast and Furious. An American fire arms dealer, working with the Obama Administration, sold a fire arm to a Mexican gun runner who took the gun into Mexico to use in the ongoing drug/civil war.

That gun came back across the border in the hands of someone who used it to kill Brian Terry."

But will you cry crocodile tears over these? Something tells me you'll try to justify them somehow.

[kallend 1,679]

Interesting article describing how Mitt's IRA seems to defy gravity.

www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/24/us-usa-campaign-romney-ira-idUSTRE80N04E20120124

Yet another example of how certain privileged individuals get special treatment from the tax laws.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.