[Vision2020] Who pays US income tax?

[Joe Campbell]

Shouldn't we wait until we're not at war or in debt before talking tax reform?



On Dec 28, 2010, at 9:46 AM, Jeff Harkins <jeffh at moscow.com> wrote:

>  OK, that works ........... now if we can keep the words alive, by 
> echoing and reflecting across the land, we might get some tax reform.
> 
> On 12/28/2010 9:35 AM, Tom Hansen wrote:
>> My apologies, Mr. Harkin -
>> 
>> I should have stated . . .
>> 
>> "Jeff Harkins echoes in the words of About.com:"
>> 
>> Tom Hansen
>> Moscow, Idaho
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Jeff Harkins [mailto:jeffh at moscow.com]
>> Sent: Tuesday, December 28, 2010 9:33 AM
>> To: Tom Hansen; vision2020 at moscow.com
>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Who pays US income tax?
>> 
>>   Well, Mr Hansen,
>> 
>> I am uncomfortable when someone attributes words to me that I did not
>> say. I did not "reflect" those words, simply posted them from the
>> About.com site - which was coincidentally based on data from the US
>> Treasury.
>> 
>> On 12/28/2010 5:30 AM, Tom Hansen wrote:
>>> Jeff Harkins reflects:
>>> 
>>> "The top 1 percent of taxpayers paid 33.7 percent of all individual income
>>> taxes in 2002. This group of taxpayers has paid more than 30 percent of
>>> individual income taxes since 1995. Moreover, since 1990 this group's tax
>>> share has grown faster than their income share."
>>> 
>>> Could it be because the top 1 percent earn a majority of the national
>> income?
>> Well, it could be, but the Treasury Dept. reports that the top 1% in
>> earnings paid 33.7% of income taxes in 2002. They also report that the
>> 1% income earners share of income taxation has grown faster that their
>> income share.
>> 
>> More to the point, Mr. Hansen, the Treasury Department reports that
>> "Taxpayers who rank in the top 50 percent of taxpayers by income pay
>> virtually all individual income taxes."
>> 
>> In all years since 1990, taxpayers in this group have paid over 94
>> percent of all individual income taxes. In 2000, 2001, and 2002, this
>> group paid over 96 percent of the total.
>> 
>> WOOF WOOF!
>> 
>> 
>>> That dog don't bark, Mr. Harkins.
>>> 
>>> That argument is similar to the old anti-marijuana claim that 95 percent
>>> of the people currently addicted to heroin got started on marijuana (let's
>>> not pay any attention to the 5 percent that started right away on heroin).
>>> 
>>> Scuttlebutt has it that shortly after Rep. Boehner assumes office as
>>> Speaker of the House, a couple of his Republican buddies are going to
>>> introduce a bill making the tax cuts permanent.  Shortly later it will be
>>> suggested that spending be reduced by TWENTY PERCENT.  One can hardly
>>> imagine where the budget cuts will originate.
>>> 
>>> There is even a nasty, vicious rumor that attempts will be made to
>>> privatize Tri-Care (healthcare for military retirees).  This has been
>>> "attempted" several times over the past decade.  Thank God for DAV
>>> (Disabled American Veterans) of which I am a lifetime member.
>>> 
>>> Tom Hansen
>>> Moscow, Idaho
>>> 
>>> "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
>>> and the Realist adjusts his sails."
>>> 
>>> - Unknown
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
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