Taxes On The Rich Near 30-Year High: Tax Policy Center

Quote from roughnready : By all means please respond to the original phrasing if that helps.

I already did...the chart doesn't illustrate the trend that you proposed it did. It's that simple. That's why you attempted to shift the goalposts, because you realized that the implication you drew from that chart was not correct or even reasonable.

Quote from JeniC : Warped? LOL its called REALITY.

Your experience driving around your neighborhoods is hardly "reality."

Quote from jonsmith74 : I already did...the chart doesn't illustrate the trend that you proposed it did. It's that simple.

Let's try this one more time. The chart shows income that is increasingly being directed toward the 1% at the top (as mentioned) by a large margin. This means that income is going to the middle class and the other 99% at a much lower rate. Should this trend continue, income (and likely wealth) will be overwhelmingly vested in fewer people, leaving less for everyone else. Just like Russia.

Quote from roughnready : Let's try this one more time. The chart shows income that is increasingly being directed toward the 1% at the top (as mentioned) by a large margin. This means that income is going to the middle class and the other 99% at a much lower rate. Should this trend continue, income (and likely wealth) will be overwhelmingly vested in fewer people, leaving less for everyone else. Just like Russia.

Hey, heres a little secret: the income pie size is almost always growing. Just because somebody did something to receive a bigger piece does not mean that somebody else got less.

Unless you somehow want to make the ridiculous assumption that all workers work and advance equally?

Quote from roughnready : Let's try this one more time. The chart shows income that is increasingly being directed toward the 1% at the top (as mentioned) by a large margin.

No, it shows growth in after-tax income is greater for the rich.

I'm not sure why you use the word, "directed." What? Is there some unknown man behind the curtain giving handouts?

Quote : This means that income is going to the middle class and the other 99% at a much lower rate.

Again, not sure what "going to" is supposed to represent.

Quote : Should this trend continue, income (and likely wealth) will be overwhelmingly vested in fewer people, leaving less for everyone else. Just like Russia.

Ah, back to the erroneous conclusion...the supposed disappearance of the middle class that we've been hearing about for decades, but has never actually materialized.

Ok...lol.

Quote from MISHNAH : Hey, heres a little secret: the income pie size is almost always growing. Just because somebody did something to receive a bigger piece does not mean that somebody else got less. Unless you somehow want to make the ridiculous assumption that all workers work and advance equally?

Well, that's what he wants, right? Or at least he wants the government to direct income based on something...

Let's tax them rich celebrity in Hollywood, Bon Jovi pretending to be a farmer to write off taxes...tax them 20$millions movie actor or actress having Krystal for lunch

Quote from JeniC : Sorry you lack the ability to understand on your own without data. But just for you because you aren't using common sense of thinking I googled it for you. Five reasons gas goes up: 1. Demand: Think of a seesaw. The recession depressed oil demand, which depressed gas prices. As the global recovery takes hold, more people are working — and driving. Perhaps somebody should explain this to Speaker Boehner. This phenomenon isn’t reflected so much in U.S. statistics — because we’ve seen a steady decline in vehicle miles traveled — but as an international trend, it’s a big factor. “Rising Demand for Oil Spells More Price Pain,” reports the Wall Street Journal. The story adds, “Analysts warn that oil could become even more expensive in the second half of the year as supplies struggle to catch up with rising demand.” As a concerned citizen, the best thing you can do about this is drive less and buy a fuel-efficient or electric car. http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/tra...rices-rise As it states demand is a factor.

Notice, though, that your argument was never about demand most generally. You were claiming that because the rich use more (based only on your observations), then they are increasing demand and therefore causing higher prices (again, no data, only perception).

Quote : More deamand due to gas guzzlers and more private jets = more usage. More usage = higher price.

Yeah, ok...however, you went fruther than merely explaining the impact of supply and demand on prices. You blamed a group of people known only as the "rich" for some unknown level of "impact" on something that causes harm to the "poor."

Try again.

Quote from JeniC : Guess you were sick the day they were teaching supply and demand. All you need to do is use a little common sense along with that. Whether it be electricity or gas when people use more that means there is less of it. So if some people are using MUCH more then others it drives the costs up on the item. All those private jets either corporate or privately owned use a thing called GAS. They use a LOT of it. So all these jet setters are driving up costs. Don't worry we can still be friends even if you lack the capacity to understand.

Corporate jets, nor any jets, use gas.

I hardly believe 100 rich people driving SUVs are driving up gas more than 10,000 soccer moms.

Please provide data to show how the wealthy are driving up costs.

Aside from commodities trading which I would tend to agree.

Quote from jonsmith74 : No, it shows growth in after-tax income is greater for the rich. I'm not sure why you use the word, "directed." What? Is there some unknown man behind the curtain giving handouts? Again, not sure what "going to" is supposed to represent. Ah, back to the erroneous conclusion...the supposed disappearance of the middle class that we've been hearing about for decades, but has never actually materialized. Ok...lol.

Picking some insignificant thing out of each post instead of addressing anything substantive doesn't really add to the discussion.

Quote from roughnready : Picking some insignificant thing out of each post instead of addressing anything substantive doesn't really add to the discussion.

Oh? That's how you want to play this...

The chart does not suggest that the middle class is going to disappear. Period and end of story. I have said that twice now.

I'm sorry that you're offended that your conclusions and assumptions are being questioned.

Quote from MISHNAH : Hey, heres a little secret: the income pie size is almost always growing. Just because somebody did something to receive a bigger piece does not mean that somebody else got less.

When you're measuring income (in)equality you have to look at the pie pieces relative to one another.

Quote from Dumpsterdiver : Corporate jets, nor any jets, use gas.

Fuel is gas. No not the same you put in your car but made from oil.

More oil for jet fuel = more demand for oil
More demand for oil = higher prices for oil
Higher prices for oil = higher prices for all fuels made with oil

Smack my head!

Quote from Dumpsterdiver : I hardly believe 100 rich people driving SUVs are driving up gas more than 10,000 soccer moms.

100 Rich people??? LOL there are much more then 100 rich people. Cadillac Escalade 8cy AWD 14 MPH. My car gets double.

Less usage = lower demand
Lower demand = lower price

Gas dropped to less then $2 a gallon just before and at the start of Obama's first term due to??? Lower demand here and a economic slow down in China.

Quote from WilliamH2509 : i easily understood what she is saying. not sure why your not able to but she made easily valid points

Well, if she limited her comment simply to acknowledging that the law of supply and demand affect prices, then you'd have a point. Oh, and I understood what she was attempting to say. This is not an issue of me not understanding. It is an issue of me properly recognizing the silliness of her comments.

Instead, she first tried to argue that the rich pay much less in taxes and claimed that was common sense. We see how that turned out.

So she moved the goalpost to try to argue, well, if they don't pay less than her, then they surely must increase costs for her because, well, she sees "them" driving around while she is driving in/around "their" neighborhoods. Citing no data whatsoever, she continues to contend that "they" hurt her somehow.

I find it funny to consider her point just in the context of air travel...just think about it. Consider for a moment the number of air miles that the "rich" fly each year compared to the rest of us. Now consider the amount of fuel required to support that travel.

Now, expand that to travel by car, consumption of goods and services, etc.

You do realize that the "they" she is talking about is vastly outnumbered by the rest of us, right? Right?

People making above $200,000 per year constitute only about 3% of all taxpayers.

So the ultra-rich is a smaller number.

Yet, according to her, and it seems you, too, this limited number of people have macro-level economic impact by flying their planes and driving their cars. Bwahahahhahahaaaaa!!

Quote from jonsmith74 : This one just has to be called out, again... Here we have a poster comparing the use of jets by the rich to the millions of ordinary Americans flying in airliners and suggesting that it is the rich driving up costs...seriously. The rich are driving up the costs of fuel in her scenario...this is simply foolish.

And who builds and maintains those jets and the associated parts and works in the supply chain?

Didn't we learn the last time how this works with the "Luxury Tax" and the effects that had on the boating industry? Great for me at the time since I was able to buy a nice one at a fire sale price. Not so great for the people who worked at the boat dealership up the street where I got it that went out of business as a result or for many of the manufacturers and suppliers and their employees.