Do you pay at least one of these federal taxes?

[krispos42]

Poll question: Do you pay at least one of these federal taxes?

The RWers have started some dumbass "53%ers" group. Cuz, yanno, only 53% of people pay taxes. The productive, job-creating free-marketers, of course. Or whatever.

Anyway, let's shove this talking point back up the Koch brother's asses.

Here's the list:

• Federal income tax
  
• Federal gasoline or diesel tax
  
• FICA tax (Social Security and Medicaid)
  
• Telephone tax
  
• Tobacco tax
  
• Alcohol tax
  
• Airport security tax
  
• Firearm
  
• Ammunition

[Saving Hawaii]

1. Lemme see...

• Federal income tax: Yeah, I pay it. Not too high of a rate but I definitely make enough that I'm paying.
  
• Federal gasoline or diesel tax: I get owned on gas taxes. State of California gas tax is pretty high too.
  
• FICA tax (Social Security and Medicaid): I pay Medicare. I don't actually pay into Social Security. My job has a good pension system and we're exempt from paying in, but I also don't get to collect it someday.
  
• Telephone tax: Does it tax cell phones?
  
• Tobacco tax: I wish I didn't.
  
• Alcohol tax: I pay far too much here.
  
• Airport security tax: Quite a bit actually. Gotta visit the family.
  
• Firearm: Nope.
  
• Ammunition: Yep. Didn't even know this was taxed actually.
  

[RaleighNCDUer]

2. Unfortunately, you'll find more than a few on DU who parrot the

same meme.

[Pacifist Patriot]

12. Indeed. I've taken to just sharing this link and hoping they sort it out for themselves.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/14/business/economy/14leonhardt.html

[Blue_In_AK]

3. They're grasping at straws.

[bluestateguy]

4. FICA taxes end up being regressive

First because of the $106,000 cap on taxable income, but second because everybody has to pay those taxes to fund Social Security for today's retirees. Guess who is more likely to live well into their 80's and 90's? That's right, the wealthy. So in short, you have a program like Social Security that is paid for by everybody, but that wealthy retirees live longer to collect more benefits from it.

[Saving Hawaii]

5. Interesting thing to point out

A lot of poor people are incredibly reliant on Social Security and Medicare, but dollarwise the biggest beneficiaries are richer people (though they usually don't need it nearly as much). They get bigger payments and they get them for much longer due to life expectancy differences. Interesting how that works.

I'd never really thought about that before.

[iris27]

6. Almost every one.

Federal income tax - yes
Federal gasoline or diesel tax - yes
FICA tax (Social Security and Medicaid) - yes
Telephone tax - yes
Tobacco tax - no
Alcohol tax - on occasion
Airport security tax - is this a surcharge on plane tickets? if so, then no.
Firearm - no, have four guns all inherited from husband's family members, but have never purchased any
Ammunition - yep

[Historic NY]

7. Federal Excise Taxes..........they hit a lots of stuff..........

http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Federal_Excise_Taxes

[krispos42]

8. 44 to zero

By my math, that's more than 53%! :rofl:


:hi:

[meow2u3]

9. The Federal taxes I pay

Federal income tax--no. I'm on SSDI
Federal gasoline or diesel tax- yes. I drive. I put gas in my car. I pay taxes.
FICA tax (Social Security and Medicaid)--no, but I used to when I worked.
Telephone tax--yes. I have a cell phone subscription and the taxes show up on my bill.
Tobacco tax--yes. You smoke, you pay taxes.
Alcohol tax--yes, but intermittently. I'm a light drinker, so when I buy my wine, I contribute to the Federal government.
Airport security tax--no. I don't fly on airplanes, but that's because I'm too poor to travel.
Firearm-- no. I don't--and can't--own a gun.
Ammunition-- ditto.

The GOP (Gang of Predators) wants you to think that the only taxpayers that matter are those who pay Federal income taxes and other Federal taxes that target wealth, such as capital gains taxes, taxes on interest and dividends, and luxury taxes (repealed under Bush II). FICA tax and Federal excise taxes don't count as paying taxes as far as they're concerned.

[krispos42]

10. So, when do the 53%ers rename themselves the 99%ers?

:rofl:


God, they are lame!

[unhappycamper]

11. FYI, your telephone bill still pays $$$ for the Spanish-American war.

That war occurred in 1898.

[krispos42]

13. They had credit cards back then?

Must have been a pain in the ass telegraphing the information in for approval...