@roaminglion so discriminate against someone who is successful. How about a flat sales tax I read an article says between 21 and 25% would cover all todays taxes. That way everyone pays the same percentage. The top money makers will still pay more because they will buy more expensive items.
Ummm no, that is not discrimination at all. We have a progressive tax system, meaning everyone pays the same rates per amount. Someone making 1 million dollars still pays the same tax rate on their first $100,000 as the person who only makes $100000 total. They both still get to take exemptions and deductions, which were put in place to help poor people.
Now you are arguing that because someone making a million dollars can't take an exemption or deduction on the money taxed above a certain amount, it's somehow "discrimination". Using that same logic, we are discriminating against rich people because they aren't allowed to have food stamps. I mean, complete BS logic.
Everyone could still take advantage of all tax breaks currently allowed. But at a certain point, it's ridiculous to allow someone to use benefits which were put in place for people at the poverty line. FFS
First off the FICA tax (Social Security Tax) should be taxed up to the first million dollars you make...Right now I believe it is $142,800 this year...That one thing would make Social Security solvent...As far as taxes are concerned and "penalizing" the successful...I consider myself a fairly successful person...I exceed the FICA tax exemption by a pretty wide margin every year...I am going to ask all of you a very simple question...Who is better off? The person making $50k a year paying 12% taxes, the guy making 100k a year and paying 15% or the Billionaire paying the top tax rate of 37% which he widdles down to nothing because of all the loopholes? Lets say you wanna tax that billionaire a flat 60% and the poor bastard ONLY makes $400 million...Seriously lets be real here...Choose from the 3 of these scenarios and which one are you going to choose? Oh the poor rich guy getting punished...If you believe in free enterprise and capitalism then there should be no protectionism for these big conglomerates that get in trouble...Too big to fail is a bunch of B.S...They need to break down all of these super corporations and bring competition back...If you don't want to open a business then don't worry somebody else will...That is what capitalism is...The problem is our system today is designed to protect the ultra wealthy and big business...You build an economy from the bottom up and not from the top down...
One last note...You all know I have a funeral business...Do you think it is fair for me to pressure the zoning boards and local lenders to keep out competition? More or less that is what these big outfits do...They either buy up anybody who might become competition to them...That is what is happening today in agriculture and the meat packing industry...You have 3 or 4 outfits producing 90% of meat and poultry you consume...Same with the farms...It's not good...This country needs to break up all these mega corporations and big ag...The system is totally rigged against the little guy and that isn't what capitalism is all about...
I know one thing, I really don't want to follow the lead of these countries:
Abkhazia, Armenia, Artsakh, Belarus, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, East Timor, Estonia, Georgia, Greenland, Guernsey, Hungary, Jersey, Kazakhstan, Kurdistan, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Moldova, Mongolia, Nauru, North Macedonia, Romania, South Ossetia, Transnistria, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
That's pretty much every country who uses a flat tax. Not exactly a who's who of democracy or relevance. You want to mimic that list, leave me out if it.
I agree with that roam.Some of this stuff is way over my head I’ll admit that I just don’t like punishing people that’s been successful and don’t care how much money you make your ass is going to pay taxes I don’t believe in freebies. I don’t want anybody depending on government to live unless you’re retired or disabled I definitely believe in taking care of them. You don’t work, you don’t eat!
@southern-psu-fan Better not rely on the government to live on for retirement. SS is only a supplement to your retirement, not your sole source of funds.
Hey man, this navylion thread went on for 6 pages. I think that’s probably a record. I just read through all of ‘em again which was pretty fun because I was laughing my butt off a few time and my friends we need some dang football 😂
One last note...You all know I have a funeral business...Do you think it is fair for me to pressure the zoning boards and local lenders to keep out competition? More or less that is what these big outfits do...They either buy up anybody who might become competition to them...That is what is happening today in agriculture and the meat packing industry...You have 3 or 4 outfits producing 90% of meat and poultry you consume...Same with the farms...It's not good...This country needs to break up all these mega corporations and big ag...The system is totally rigged against the little guy and that isn't what capitalism is all about...
Hey FD, I have to say something about this as I might be a little sensitive..... but I won't say you are wrong. I'm 5 years retired from the world's biggest agribusiness company...edible oil production, animal harvesting, salt, chocolate, processed eggs just to name a few. Trust me when I say there is plenty of competition keeping markets at bay. You might be right but there is an arguable viewpoint. Further processing of food stuffs is more effecient with scale and can be argued better suited as an oligopoly much like utilities (I use this as comparison because in Econ 101, utilities were always held up as an example). Whether you would believe this or not, our food is safer than its ever been with innovative, multiple (and expensive) interventions during process. And whether you would believe this or not, margins in this business are still very low and thats why so many smaller companies have either gone out or sold to larger companies. As for farms, nobody wants to do it anymore. Land is more valuable for other purposes. Taking up the slack for the family farm are corporate farms that are more efficient, providing more harvest on less acreage than ever before. There are niche agribusiness' getting a foothold such as grass fed beef, free range chicken, non-crated pork, organic grown grain/vegetables/fruit but frankly not enough to feed the world. Anyway, I'm sure you understand my highly skewed view particularly on my company, we aren't the bad guys people think.
I don't believe you asked me that questlon but no I was not but did work with them quite a bit. I worked in Marketing and Sales Management.
CRS is indeed a sad condition but if used effectively, can get you out of a jam with your wife.
One last note...You all know I have a funeral business...Do you think it is fair for me to pressure the zoning boards and local lenders to keep out competition? More or less that is what these big outfits do...They either buy up anybody who might become competition to them...That is what is happening today in agriculture and the meat packing industry...You have 3 or 4 outfits producing 90% of meat and poultry you consume...Same with the farms...It's not good...This country needs to break up all these mega corporations and big ag...The system is totally rigged against the little guy and that isn't what capitalism is all about...
Hey FD, I have to say something about this as I might be a little sensitive..... but I won't say you are wrong. I'm 5 years retired from the world's biggest agribusiness company...edible oil production, animal harvesting, salt, chocolate, processed eggs just to name a few. Trust me when I say there is plenty of competition keeping markets at bay. You might be right but there is an arguable viewpoint. Further processing of food stuffs is more effecient with scale and can be argued better suited as an oligopoly much like utilities (I use this as comparison because in Econ 101, utilities were always held up as an example). Whether you would believe this or not, our food is safer than its ever been with innovative, multiple (and expensive) interventions during process. And whether you would believe this or not, margins in this business are still very low and thats why so many smaller companies have either gone out or sold to larger companies. As for farms, nobody wants to do it anymore. Land is more valuable for other purposes. Taking up the slack for the family farm are corporate farms that are more efficient, providing more harvest on less acreage than ever before. There are niche agribusiness' getting a foothold such as grass fed beef, free range chicken, non-crated pork, organic grown grain/vegetables/fruit but frankly not enough to feed the world. Anyway, I'm sure you understand my highly skewed view particularly on my company, we aren't the bad guys people think.
Show of hands......how many people had to google oligopoly to learn what it meant?? I did!!!!
There are quite a few dairy farms up in this neck of the woods that are selling out because the local distributor canceled all their contracts. I'm guessing there's a milk surplus somewhere?? Anyway, most of them have sold off their herds and are turning their farms into solar panel farms. Nothing more scenic than seeing 150 acre swaths of solar panels in your travels.
How is the agriculture world any different than the retail world?? The big box stores are squeezing the Mom and Pop stores out of business. The small stores that have found a niche seem to be thriving in spite of it all. I guess we call that natural progression or manifest destiny, We still dont have to like it!! I moved to Maine to escape the crowds and all the bullshit that they bring with them. Like it or not, it seems to be the way of the world these days. Don Henley said it best.......
Yes, 1 of 10 things i remembered from college despite all the drinking.
I did read that where many dairy farms in Maine lost their contract with their producer. Everything eventually consoladates. For that matter, I've seen that with funeral homes while in Florida. Go figure, Funeral Home chains. My kids will probably get the Kirkland brand burial for me.
