How exactly did Bush's tax cuts work to only benefit the top 1%?
They didn't. The first one gave a pittance to the people in the bottom bracket (it actually created a new bracket, up to $6000 for a single person). Anyone in the new second bracket got exactly $300 less on their tax bill. For most people in the second bracket, they actually got a lower percentage tax cut than the people in the top bracket.
I'll repeat that - the people in the top bracket got a larger percentage tax cut than the people on the bottom.
The government's tables showing the old and new tax brackets and rates were intentionally deceptive - they were set up to imply that everyone got a larger tax cut than they really did.
Similarly, Bush also tried to get rid of all taxes on dividends, but had to settle for a 15% maximum tax on dividends - a tax break that was heavily aimed at the very rich. Few other people make any significant amount of money off of dividends, and the others usually have their dividends paid to 401k accounts which don't tax dividends anyway (until money is withdrawn).
Heh, very few people hold up Machiavelli as a standard for moral behavior. In fact, he himself said that the common man should not follow his advice on behavior, only people who are in charge of nations, and for the good of that nation.
You have exactly *ZERO* "obligatrion to your fellow man", perhaps even a negative sum...
This is where I assume you're being sarcastic, because having a negative obligation to your fellow man would mean that you are obligated to hurt them, for no other reason than your duty to do so.
the simple and obvious solution is to abolish the income tax and replace it with a sales tax of some sort.
Institute a national sales tax (especially the 25% sales tax they've been pushing) and watch the economy crumble. Two-thirds of the economy is supported by consumer spending. Raise prices and consumer spending will drop. Plus, the rich will simply make large purchases outside the country, avoiding the tax even easier than they avoid the income tax.
Student loans are not forgiven by bankrupcy. If they were, everybody would do as you suggest, since most college students come out of school with very little property and you can't exactly take their education as payment.
No they're not. they're screaming that they need to compete and the only way they can do that is to outsource (ie: lower salaries).
Wrong. That's the real reason, but that's not what they're telling the public. You seriously haven't read all the articles about CEOs saying American students just aren't skilled enough, and we need to improve our education system?
This idea is somehow even worse than communism. This is communism without even lip-service paid to the idea that it's about what's good for the workers.
I used one of those "Pterodactyl Nightmare" VR games once maybe ten years ago. For a while afterwards, I couldn't even stand due to a horrible headache.
My resume was critiqued by multiple career counselors and headhunters and I was even evaluated on my interview skills.
I remember when I was still in school, going to my university's career center. They were virtually worthless. The only thing they really cared about was altering the formatting of my resume - trying to get it down to one page, making certain sections bold, etc.
And how does that require a military that costs more than the next three largest spenders combined?
When was the last time any of the large European countries been invaded? They don't have nearly the size of military that we do.
Sorry, you must have missed Karl Rove's latest press release, where the definition of "lefty" has been changed to "anyone who disagrees with George Bush".
Slashdot Mirror
I'll repeat that - the people in the top bracket got a larger percentage tax cut than the people on the bottom.
The government's tables showing the old and new tax brackets and rates were intentionally deceptive - they were set up to imply that everyone got a larger tax cut than they really did.
Similarly, Bush also tried to get rid of all taxes on dividends, but had to settle for a 15% maximum tax on dividends - a tax break that was heavily aimed at the very rich. Few other people make any significant amount of money off of dividends, and the others usually have their dividends paid to 401k accounts which don't tax dividends anyway (until money is withdrawn).
This is where I assume you're being sarcastic, because having a negative obligation to your fellow man would mean that you are obligated to hurt them, for no other reason than your duty to do so.
Of course unlike Bill Gates, most of us don't have an inside contact into IBM, or parents with enough cash to send us to Harvard.
Student loans are not forgiven by bankrupcy. If they were, everybody would do as you suggest, since most college students come out of school with very little property and you can't exactly take their education as payment.
This idea is somehow even worse than communism. This is communism without even lip-service paid to the idea that it's about what's good for the workers.
Yes. Not all thieves work for the government.
Anyone who threatens to kill someone for simply exercising their right to free speech should be imprisoned.
I used one of those "Pterodactyl Nightmare" VR games once maybe ten years ago. For a while afterwards, I couldn't even stand due to a horrible headache.
Yes. This issue alone is enough to prevent me from donating anything to my school through the alumni association.
Indeed. There are a large number of things that companies and managers can do that would cost nothing/almost nothing, and take very little time.
The problem is that they would have to give up a little bit of control over their employees, so they refuse.
Even so, if the most talented engineers only know MS products, then the company won't have a lot of choice but to use MS products.
Yeah, the Democrats go around everywhere tearing down churches, forcing people to declare their atheism...
Oh, wait, they do no such thing. If they were really trying to rid the country of religion, they would be doing both of those things.
And how does that require a military that costs more than the next three largest spenders combined? When was the last time any of the large European countries been invaded? They don't have nearly the size of military that we do.
Sorry, you must have missed Karl Rove's latest press release, where the definition of "lefty" has been changed to "anyone who disagrees with George Bush".
Same can be said of the mob. Do we really care that they're just doing what they have to do to make money?
Nah, plenty know what it is and use it at every available opportunity... you communist.
Copyright violation is more like trespassing than theft, anyway.
So in other words, the minimum wage and tax systems are screwed up, so we should perpetuate them?