Forum Post: 49.5% of Americans Don’t Pay Income Taxes
Posted 12 years ago on Feb. 22, 2012, 7:38 p.m. EST by Jflynn1964
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From the Heritage Foundation:
This year’s Index of Dependence on Government [2] presented startling findings about the sharp increase of Americans who rely on the federal government for housing, food, income, student aid or other assistance. (See last week’s chart [3].)
Another eye-popping number was the percentage of Americans who don’t pay income taxes, which now accounts for nearly half of the U.S. population. Meanwhile, most of that population receives generous federal benefits.
“One of the most worrying trends in the Index is the coinciding growth in the non-taxpaying public,” wrote Heritage authors Bill Beach and Patrick Tyrrell. “The percentage of people who do not pay federal income taxes, and who are not claimed as dependents by someone who does pay them, jumped from 14.8 percent in 1984 to 49.5 percent in 2009.”
That means 151.7 million Americans paid nothing in 2009. By comparison, 34.8 million tax filers paid no taxes in 1984.
The rapid growth of Americans who don’t pay income taxes is particularly alarming for the fate of the American form of government, Beach and Tyrrell warned. Coupled with higher spending on government programs, it is already proving to be a major fiscal challenge.
“This trend should concern everyone who supports America’s republican form of government,” Beach and Tyrrell wrote. “If the citizens’ representatives are elected by an increasing percentage of voters who pay no income tax, how long will it be before these representatives respond more to demands for yet more entitlements and subsidies from non-payers than to the pleas of taxpayers to exercise greater spending prudence?”
That's because they're dirt poor you stupid f@#k.
Dirt poor........really now? You really believe that? Or is it just propaganda?
The latest Census report shows that nearly 50% of Americans are living at, below or near the poverty line. I think that qualifies.
40 million Americans on food stamps is not propaganda. It's a fact. God you Republicans have no sense of anything.
Okay. Listen very carefully filth: you are saying they are all "dirt poor". What is dirt poor? When I was a kid my family was on food stamps for a time. Looking back on that I would not say we were dirt poor. We needed help and I'd glad it was available. Oh, and I'm not a republican you stupid cunt. Nor am I a democrat. We have both been on this site long enough for a reasonably intelligent person to see that. Guess you aren't reasonably intelligent.
What I believe is there are rich corporations that pay zero income taxes. I'm not going to concentrate my attention on the 49.5% poorest Americans. That's just stupid BS. Have we really been on this site about the same amount of time? Sorry about your paltry 150 points.
This supports your claim -
REVEALED: The 30 American Companies That Paid Less Than $0 In Income Tax Over The Last 3 Years
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/these-are-the-30-american-companies-that-paid-less-than-zero-income-tax-from-2008-2010-2011-11#ixzz1nGWQljxK
Thanks for the link!
Yes there are corporations that don't pay taxes. And that is wrong. But neither party is going to change that.
lets not call each other names- it just puts people on the defensive and makes them even more entrenched in their views, regardless of validity.
From the Heritage Foundation - That should tell you all you need to know.
Paying low or no income taxes stems from shitty pay from a job that operates similar to a pyramid scheme.
If anyone wants to pay low income taxes, try making 18 grand a year and see how awesome it is. They'd gladly pay more taxes, they just need to be given a raise in pay at work first. .
You are talking income tax there, but poor people pay a much larger percent of their income in total taxes then the rich do. Sales tax, car registration fees, property taxes, social security, etc. all add up to a big whopping percentage of their pay.
LoL, Youre talking about 1984 right? Guess what was the top tax rate then?
50%. Thats right, income above $162400 was taxed at 50%. Not 35%. But dont take my word for it.
http://www.taxfoundation.org/files/federalindividualratehistory-20080107.pdf
Enjoy.
That's because 49.4% of Americans are too poor, the other .1% are too rich!
Isn't this what the Heritage Foundation really wants.
http://occupywallst.org/forum/why-dont-we-turn-america-into-a-corporation/
heh, how many food stamps can you buy for the price of one bomb?
... and how many people were so excited to buy that cheap Chinese crap, until it was their boss was the one breaking the news about layoffs...
Its not the welfare state that is the problem, although it is a problem, but the bigger problem is having better spending priorities, and intelligent long term planning.
Some of us dream of a better world one where people aren't so ready to give up - that there is something to press on for... I don't think anyone really wants to be on welfare - I think that most people have a sense of pride and dignity and want to be seen as good and smart and hardworking. I think that corporations want 50 percent of Americans to give up and collect a government check because then they don't have to pay them and yet 50 percent people will still be able to purchase goods while the rest of us keep plugging along for something that doesn't exist and making them ever more profitable with legislated cash (or EBT) - the American dream is a bygone dream one that only exists for 1% of the population. Who is more stupid the people who keep plugging away for tricklings or those that give up and can actually eat and live life a little bit? Also are studies including the elderly or seriously disabled because HELL if I'm going to ridicule someone who can't even walk or see for getting help - I'll reach into my wallet quite willingly.
not too mention nooo jobs being offered the new standard is part-time temporary no benefits low low wages so you can work and maybe pay some bills but get very skinny and sickly and depressed in the process and force positivism so you can show your allegiance. I work for a good company - one of the few left and for what I do paid decent but i make the same wage as I did 12 years ago and it's not keeping up everyday I wonder if something is going to sink me from left or right - a new fee /a new fine a new supreme court ruling that takes away more of my rights. It's not the government that seeks to control you that's the illusion - the government has been taken over - it's the corporations running things now. One percent ruling the rest of us. Don't be fooled by political dogma - mostly that is all for show.
that cause the greedy corporations shipped all the jobs overseas.. what did they expect would happen? and now it can only increase as the number of jobs shrink every month and those falling off the unemployment roles have to get on welfare. but * i wouldnt call the benefits "generous'.. lets see you live on 250 bucks and some food stamps
What has happen to the after tax income of the bottom 49.5% it must have gone way up, and the after tax income on the top 1% must have gone way down, did they include those numbers? What about social sercurity tax? They don't mind if we apply it first dollar to last all forms of income since it doesn't even count.
Another meat puppet brought to you by the "conservatives".
If you don't have money then you can't pay taxes. Maybe the rich people might like to try creating jobs in the USA and then more people would pay taxes.
I've deleted a post I made in this thread that was inappropriate and disrespectful toward the thread's author Jflynn1964, and all who participated in this thread. To those people and all who participate in this forum I apologize for my lapse of judgement and the poor taste I exhibited here.
I appreciate that, thank you.
Thanks for your gracious and kind acceptance of my apology.
Dirt-poor definition.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dirt-poor
Everyone pays Taxes -- Income Taxes are not the only Taxes -- and all the other Taxes are completely Regressive !!!
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Did the article mention that the people who don't pay income taxes are just not getting a refund come tax day and/or don't owe additional taxes? Everyone who is an employee has income taxes withdrawn from their paycheck. So employees do pay income taxes during the year.
that is not how it's factored.......it is on actual taxes "paid", not on withholding......
Many at the bottom receive "refunds" that exceed their withholding due to tax credits........
the weekly withholding is not "paying taxes"......taxes aren't "paid" until returns are filed and refunds are issued......
and.....most of the "bottom" is comprised of children, retired persons, working spouses, students, part time workers, and those living on interest and pensions and is not reflective of "the family".
those who live in households supported by others, and/or who are retired and live on pensions/interest but have "paid off" homes can get along with much less and still live comfortable lives.....
Here is one of the articles on the subject from heritage, read for yourself....
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2010/10/the-2010-index-of-dependence-on-government
I can understand why they don't pay any taxes - they are on the government dole.
Now the reason for this is this.
I have been looking for a company to help me get my invention off the ground. I need a electronic device that I found off the shelf to be modified to fit my invention.
I searched the internet for about 3 hours looking for an American manufacturing company here in America that could provide me with what I needed.
You know what - there aren't any manufacturing plants here in the United States. All electronics are being manufactured in China, Tiwan and some in Japan.
I looked for a company that could make a grip handle for my invention out of molded plastic.
You know what, there aren't any here in the United States.
There are a lot of companies here who claim to have a office here in the United States but their plants are in other companies.
There used to be manufacturing companies here but the times they have changed.
What is really interesting about this whole scenero is that the prices for these goods (when you buy in bulk - 1000 or more) are cheap. There is no way they could be manufacturered here in this country for the price they quoted.
I am disgusted with whats going in this country and the government is part of the problem. The main problem is people in this country who whine about not having a job but could care less about being loyal to this country.
As a result they continue to buy chinese made products and I have yet to see anyone boycotting the big box stores like wally world or feet on the ground in Washington DC to claim back America.
So, unless the mindset of this country changes when it comes to buying goods manufacturered in this country, it's not going to change.
And I don't want to hear that there are no American made products in this country. There are lots of products being made here but they are not electonic devices and don't have the Apple logo on them.
So OWS what are you going to do about that - blame wall street like you always have - It is you who is the problem and until you throw down all those cheap chinese made products including all those Apple devices you own, and demand from Washington DC along with anyone else who sells chinese made products in this country to start investing in this country, it isn't going to change.
All those college degrees won't mean crap as they are right now. .
What has happen to the after tax income of the bottom 49.5% it must have gone way up, and the after tax income on the top 1% must have gone way down, did they include those numbers?
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If 49.5% don't pay taxes then we're almost half way there. Now lets get the other 50.5% not paying taxes and then we can get something good.
Be ready to be ridiculed and insulted. The leftists won't believe this. I know it's true, but the Marxist garbage here only believe their own "facts".
i think every one believes it.. its you that wont believe the reasons for it.