Over The Hill
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
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Due to basic differences in political ideology, I doubt Ms. Hill has anymore intention of ever watching a Michael Moore documentary than I have of ever reading anything written by Ayn Rand.
If one is to follow Ms. Hill's line of reasoning that government handouts and entitlements strips the individual from assuming responsibility for their own welfare, then I'm sure she would agree that Social Security and Medicare should be abolished. These individuals have had a lifetime to work hard and save for their future, knowing full well that everyone gets old and develops medical problems. If they haven't worked hard enough and saved enough then that's just to damn bad. As you said, "It may seem cruel, but it is fair and just."
I checked many sources to verify Ms. Hill's statement that the top 1 percent pays 95 percent of the taxes. Depending on the source, estimations range from 15 percent to 70 percent. One of the wealthiest men in America, Warren Buffet, pays 15 percent. Mr. Buffet readily admits this and has advocated for higher taxes on the ultra-wealthy. Mr. Buffet, as well as many others, receive their income from capital gains, which is taxed at 15 percent. Shrew tax attorneys, creative accountants and off-shore accounts are resources available to these people that the rest of us do not have to avoid the tax man.
This type of pie-in-the-sky mentality that each individual American has control and power over the conditions of their life is a lovely American fantasy. Access to decent, affordable health care is not a matter of individual effort. Neither is securing a living wage, a retirement plan, safe working conditions or job security. For the most part, the top 1 percent decides these things for us.
Janet Collins
Etna Green
Editor's Note: In 2006, according to the Internal Revenue Service, the highest-earning 1 percent of taxpayers - 1.4 million of them - paid 39.89 percent of all federal individual income taxes collected. The lowest 50 percent of earners - 68 million of them - paid 2.99 percent of all federal individual income taxes collected. An individual income of $31,987 or more put you in the top half of taxpayers. To make the top 1 percent, you had to earn $388,806.[[In-content Ad]]
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Due to basic differences in political ideology, I doubt Ms. Hill has anymore intention of ever watching a Michael Moore documentary than I have of ever reading anything written by Ayn Rand.
If one is to follow Ms. Hill's line of reasoning that government handouts and entitlements strips the individual from assuming responsibility for their own welfare, then I'm sure she would agree that Social Security and Medicare should be abolished. These individuals have had a lifetime to work hard and save for their future, knowing full well that everyone gets old and develops medical problems. If they haven't worked hard enough and saved enough then that's just to damn bad. As you said, "It may seem cruel, but it is fair and just."
I checked many sources to verify Ms. Hill's statement that the top 1 percent pays 95 percent of the taxes. Depending on the source, estimations range from 15 percent to 70 percent. One of the wealthiest men in America, Warren Buffet, pays 15 percent. Mr. Buffet readily admits this and has advocated for higher taxes on the ultra-wealthy. Mr. Buffet, as well as many others, receive their income from capital gains, which is taxed at 15 percent. Shrew tax attorneys, creative accountants and off-shore accounts are resources available to these people that the rest of us do not have to avoid the tax man.
This type of pie-in-the-sky mentality that each individual American has control and power over the conditions of their life is a lovely American fantasy. Access to decent, affordable health care is not a matter of individual effort. Neither is securing a living wage, a retirement plan, safe working conditions or job security. For the most part, the top 1 percent decides these things for us.
Janet Collins
Etna Green
Editor's Note: In 2006, according to the Internal Revenue Service, the highest-earning 1 percent of taxpayers - 1.4 million of them - paid 39.89 percent of all federal individual income taxes collected. The lowest 50 percent of earners - 68 million of them - paid 2.99 percent of all federal individual income taxes collected. An individual income of $31,987 or more put you in the top half of taxpayers. To make the top 1 percent, you had to earn $388,806.[[In-content Ad]]
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