Psychology of money and taxation

[fj1200]

Nope, it's called Trusts and offshore accounts along with an army of "Tax Lawyers" and politicians in their pockets.

If you think Millionaires are "rich" you're a few decades behind, Millionaires are "Middle Class".

The IRS data would disagree with you. Not that I have any love for the existing tax structure and its disincentives.

[fj1200]

Not that the current economic troubles have anything to do with progressive taxation, but sure.

Point 1: It's well known that the middle and working classes spend a much higher percentage of their incomes on consumable goods and services than the wealthiest households do.

Some people, including Adam Smith, say that this is reason enough for a progressive tax:

So do you accept everything Adam Smith says or do you like to cherry pick for agreement? But either way, one doesn't follow the other.

Point 2: The "Reaganomic" argument that the rich will invest their windfall from a flatter tax assumes that all this extra investing power will be used to create new wealth.

Point 3: In practice, we've seen most of this money go into stocks and bonds in the last couple of decades. That doesn't create new wealth; it simply reallocates existing wealth.

Well, point 3 is really just your "evidence" for point 2 so you lose three interwebs for that. Either way, the argument is that private enterprise will better spend/invest those dollars than government will; evidence abounds for that, little for yours.

Point 4: More money for people buying consumables increases demand AND causes money to change hands more often (increasing the tax base). That increased demand is one of the strongest forces behind creating new wealth.

You haven't even done an acceptable job of explaining Demand side Keynesianism let alone realize that we're living through the failure of that right now.

[Pagan]

The IRS data would disagree with you. Not that I have any love for the existing tax structure and its disincentives.

What they IRS data is reporting is what they're reporting as "taxable", like I said. Offshore accounts, trusts along with an army of Tax Attorney's do wonders.

[fj1200]

What they IRS data is reporting is what they're reporting as "taxable", like I said. Offshore accounts, trusts along with an army of Tax Attorney's do wonders.

No doubt, but doesn't disprove the IRS data that the "rich" are the ones paying the income taxes.

[Palin Rider]

In for the proof to this one.

Dear FJ,

It has come to my attention - through your obvious patterns of posts - that you've been stalking me for quite some time.

Understandable, of course, as lots of people around here are clearly obsessed with me. Even so, stalking someone online, let alone in a bizarre place like this one, is a sure sign that you need help.

Fortunately, I know just how to help you. Until you can discover a more productive habit to provide an outlet for the frustrations brought on by your enormous inferiority complex, I'm going to place you on ignore.

Tough love, I know, but you'll thank me for it one day. Good luck.

[Gaffer]

Dear FJ,

It has come to my attention - through your obvious patterns of posts - that you've been stalking me for quite some time.

Understandable, of course, as lots of people around here are clearly obsessed with me. Even so, stalking someone online, let alone in a bizarre place like this one, is a sure sign that you need help.

Fortunately, I know just how to help you. Until you can discover a more productive habit to provide an outlet for the frustrations brought on by your enormous inferiority complex, I'm going to place you on ignore.

Tough love, I know, but you'll thank me for it one day. Good luck.

You can't beat him so ignore him.

[fj1200]

Dear FJ,

It has come to my attention - through your obvious patterns of posts - that you've been stalking me for quite some time.

Understandable, of course, as lots of people around here are clearly obsessed with me. Even so, stalking someone online, let alone in a bizarre place like this one, is a sure sign that you need help.

Fortunately, I know just how to help you. Until you can discover a more productive habit to provide an outlet for the frustrations brought on by your enormous inferiority complex, I'm going to place you on ignore.

Tough love, I know, but you'll thank me for it one day. Good luck.

Wow, people actually use ignore?

[fj1200]

You can't beat him so ignore him.

Careful now, that might buy you a week's worth of ignore.

[Palin Rider]

You can't beat him so ignore him.

You're just jealous because no one ever stalked you. (Hardly a surprise.)

[Kathianne]

You're just jealous because no one ever stalked you. (Hardly a surprise.)

You post, he responds, that's not stalking. He's not doing anything but responding. But feel free to put someone on ignore, because you can't answer their response.

[Palin Rider]

You post, he responds, that's not stalking. He's not doing anything but responding. But feel free to put someone on ignore, because you can't answer their response.

Did it ever occur to you that he might be responding on threads that he had no interest in until I showed up?

On top of that, the majority of those responses aren't responsive at all. Answering all of those is just not worth my time. Unlike FJ, I have a livelihood and an offline life.

[fj1200]

You post, he responds, that's not stalking. He's not doing anything but responding. But feel free to put someone on ignore, because you can't answer their response.

Hmmm, by posting in a forum that exists for little other reason than to post opinion, etc. I'm stalking. I'll have to contact Merriam-Webster and add that one to the dictionary.

[NightTrain]

Did it ever occur to you that he might be responding on threads that he had no interest in until I showed up?

On top of that, the majority of those responses aren't responsive at all. Answering all of those is just not worth my time. Unlike FJ, I have a livelihood and an offline life.

Get over yourself.

You've been a laughingstock since you first landed here, been soundly trounced and have nothing left to do but threaten to put people that have whipped your ass on ignore.

Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out, Slick.

[Palin Rider]

Get over yourself.

You've been a laughingstock since you first landed here, been soundly trounced and have nothing left to do but threaten to put people that have whipped your ass on ignore.

Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out, Slick.

You're still not getting anywhere with your pronouncements, Skippy.

[Kathianne]

Hmmm, by posting in a forum that exists for little other reason than to post opinion, etc. I'm stalking. I'll have to contact Merriam-Webster and add that one to the dictionary.

You did realize I was agreeing with you? Or rather disagreeing with Palin?