4/02/2007

America's Love Affair With Deadbeats

I still have a bit of a financial-disgust hangover from Casey Serin's weekend beg-a-thon. Of course, in this frame of mind, it was probably not the right day for a friend to send me an email about the latest tax numbers.

The Tax Founation has released its latest special report, Who Pays America's Tax Burden, and Who Gets the Most Government Spending? The report finds that,

"Overall, we find that America's lowest-earning one-fifth of households received roughly $8.21 in government spending for each dollar of taxes paid in 2004. Households with middle-incomes received $1.30 per tax dollar, and America's highest-earning households received $0.41. Government spending targeted at the lowest-earning 60 percent of U.S. households is larger than what they paid in federal, state and local taxes. In 2004, between $1.03 trillion and $1.53 trillion was redistributed downward from the two highest income quintiles to the three lowest income quintiles through government taxes and spending policy."

While I questioned the rise of America's bottom-feeding class this past weekend, who knew that my Inbox would unearth even more of Casey Serin and his ilk. Maybe this is the "richness" in the lethargic class's "get rich quick" idea. After all, here in America, you can contribute the least and take the most, with few if any consequences.

As if that weren't bad enough, the Tax Foundation points out that "'Americans will work longer to pay for government (120 days) than they will for food, clothing and housing combined (105 days)," said Hodge. "Since 1986 taxes have cost more than these basic necessities. In fact, Americans will work longer to afford federal taxes alone (79 days) than they will to afford housing (62 days).'

In 2007 Americans will work another 41 days to afford their state and local taxes. That makes taxation a bigger financial burden than housing and household operation (62 days), health and medical care (52 days), food (30 days), transportation (30 days), recreation (22 days), or clothing and accessories (13 days)."


A rabid Libertarian friend has been advocating "No Representation Without Taxation" for years. In his mind, this means that, for example, the unemployed should not be able to vote on issues such as welfare spending or reforms.

After all, how many of us make an 800% return on our investments in one year? Far from it, most of us will spend the first 120 working days of 2007 to not only contribute to our communities' infrastructure, but to support the underachievers around us.

Have at it.....

7 comments:

Aspeth said...

Hi John...as for the pestilence, there's always this. I think the Casey Serins of the world are too lazy for the revolution aspect.

Akubi said...

Personally, I think too much of the tax burden is placed on the “middle-class” and those making 1 million or more per year should pay a higher percentage. What the hell do all of these overpaid CEO’s do with over 10 million a year? Also, the middle-class isn’t so much in the middle any longer and in fact are a lot closer to the to the lower class than the upper class. Just look at the widening gap between the CEO of a company and the average worker.
In addition, the cost of the “bottom feeders” is really a drop in the bucket compared to the war in Iraq that fucktards G W admin, Halliburton, ExxonMobil, et al. have dumped on us for no rational reason other than their profits and egos.
Anyway, I can completely relate to the Serin induced “financial-disgust hangover.” Sometimes he annoys/disgusts me so much I swear he’s giving me an aneurism (like the other previously mentioned fucktards).

Akubi said...

Oh, one more thing - there a plenty of lazy ass rich people who provide absolutely no benefit to society - Paris Hilton being a choice example. If we were to have a revolution as John mentions above, I think she would be the Marie Antoinette.

Aspeth said...

Hi Akubi...Great. Now I'm going to be carrying around a visual of PH with that damnable hamster-dog of hers in some sort of 'let them eat cake' moment.

Although I do think the villagers would all rally for the beheading.

Dimes said...

Meh, if you can't beat them, join them! Our little family would have come out ahead tax-wise in 2005, 2006, and 2007 if I'd have stopped working and pumped out babies instead. Perhaps it will be our strategy for 2008?

(No. He'll be making too much for us to qualify for deadbeat tax credits or WIC, unless we have sextuplets.)

Akubi said...

Aspeth,
Speaking of disturbing visuals, I came across this in a blog this AM:
http://peakenergy.blogspot.com/2007/04/era-of-jellyfish-ascendancy.html

“...the slaughter of the oceanic megafauna and their slow replacement with jellyfish. Sounds like a metaphor for our political systems…”

Aspeth said...

@Dimes...Methinks you read this post waaaaay too early in the morning!

@Akubi...I'm in "political avoidance" mode.