Because they own this place. Because we live under a dictatorship of the bourgeoisie.
CouchCorrespondent on
~~”Four legs good, two legs bad.”~~
Four legs good, two legs better.
No-Tomatillo3698 on
Neither did the kings of old. They are just the new monarchy in the US.
rvingthrulife on
Because thanks to Citizens United, it’s the billionaires who make the laws, now .
Mathematicus_Rex on
They can buy better congressmen.
ClassyWizardCheese on
It is a behavioral cycle we haven’t broken out of yet. “Absolute power corrupts”. As one moves up the ladder so to speak many people’s brain situates itself to “this is normal”. This leads to changes in behavior, who someone associates with. The circle of associations becomes smaller as you move up. People lose touch with foundational living. Their every request is granted. The brain slowly turns off considering others as this process continues.
ldsdrff76 on
Bacause THEY WOULD LEAVE THE COUNTRY, if they were to pay taxes.
(Who cares, by the way. Goddamned leeches)
Obvious_Chapter2082 on
They are
Cinco1971 on
Royalty never does.
TheHomersapien on
Americans have had 50+ years of solid data, evidence, and research to show them they are being ripped off, controlled, and manipulated by the uber-rich.
**They. Don’t. Care.**
My proof? 50+ years of Americans continuing to vote for Republicans while Democrats give us Clinton, Biden, then Harris.
Positive_Mastodon500 on
The IRS should just post a top 10 list of highest taxpayers so I can figure this out for myself.
Tight_Isopod6969 on
They’ve used propaganda and brain washing to diminish public support for increased taxation of the ultra wealthy.
The arguments against I usually hear are some combination of: 1) They’ll just dodge it if you tax them more, or some kind of Laffer curve bullshit. 2) I don’t like paying taxes, they must not like it, taxes are dishonest and taking their money is dishonest. 3) Some kind of ‘trickle down’ argument. 4) Increased taxes for them means increased taxes for everyone. 4) All taxation is bad. Life would be better without taxes.
The ultra rich have investigated an incredible amount into psychologically tapping into the public psyche. The thing is, most people don’t feel like they have much to offer the world. If you feed them disinformation and tell them they’re special for having this special counter-culture information, they’ll gobble it up.
rbrianj on
Citizens United.
Hoodrow-Thrillson on
California has one of the most progressive taxation systems in the country, the author of this article is intentionally lying to further their political agenda.
CA not only has a progressive state income tax, but unlike the federal government they treat capital gains like ordinary income so that the wealthy who live off their investments but make no income still pay a tax.
Why is the article claiming billionaires don’t pay taxes? Because CA doesn’t tax *anybody*, rich or poor, on their estimated net worth. You make money off an investment, then CA taxes it as income. Taxing unrealized gains is a nightmare which is why you might notice articles that advocate for it never seem to mention real world examples.
The people who actually run CA know this would financially ruin the state, the lawyer who wrote the OP doesn’t.
JayBeeGooner on
Because they’re rich, the politicians are rich and they hate us.
ohhhbooyy on
The top 0.1% pays 20% of all tax revenue the IRS collects. So not sure how this idea of the rich don’t pay their fair share.
On the flip side the bottom 50% paid just 3% of all tax revenue.
This argument just deflects from the real issue. It’s not a revenue problem it’s a spending and waste problem.
oneseason2000 on
Many new higher marginal tax brackets need to be added, and marginal rates for the $100M+ raised to near 100%, but (imo) tax collection / tax fairness are far less the reason than correcting decades of insanely huge wealth and power growth, much enabled by corruption, by oligarchs and their minions.
EchoingElysium on
If we tax billionaires
too much they won’t
be able to buy the
essentials they
need, like NFL
franchises, islands,
and taxdeductible
think tanks founded
exclusively to
legitimize fringe
beliefs about how
billionaires shouldn’t
have to pay taxes.
One_Disaster_5995 on
Because they (or their accountants) know how to use the loopholes.
giraffevomitfacts on
Rich people do pay taxes. Also, the implicit comparison in the headline is income taxes but the article goes on to propose a one-time wealth tax.
Seattleman1955 on
This topic always demonstrates that the biggest problem facing our country is the average persons inability to think critically.
There is nothing logical or economic about most of the points in the article or in most of these posts.
The attempt is to make an economic argument but quickly turning the tables and making it a moral argument, a petty argument, a misinformed argument, or just typing to tie too concepts together that aren’t related etc.
pocketIent on
There is legislation in the house and senate sponsored by the patriotic millionaire group:
The “Cost of Living” Tax Cut Act: This proposal aims to eliminate federal income tax on the first $45,000 earned by individuals, shifting the tax burden to those earning over $1 million.
I look forward to dems and republicans not supporting this type of work getting absolutely rocked during midterms
metalyger on
It’s so frustrating to look back at how much the media and establishment tried to call Bernie Sanders a crazy old fool for his very centrist ideas like making rich people pay taxes so we can have health care like every rich country that isn’t America. Of course the narrative becomes “give Trump a chance” and sit back while he does the biggest wealth redistribution in our history, robbing the poor and giving to the rich who don’t need any of it. Late stage capitalism is a disease.
HowardBunnyColvin on
Because they’re rich enough to use loopholes in their businesses to avoid paying taxes or like the USPS “write off” anything damaged, like boomboxes.
Appropriate_Value122 on
Bernie Sanders has been telling The Hill why for decades. It’s no secret. Billionaires own the politicians and the politicians, in return, give the billionaires whatever they want, including a regressive tax system that benefits the billionaires at everyone else’s expense.
deezynr on
Everyone even billionaires pay taxes on income. They just minimize their income and grow assets. Most people wouldnt understand bc they dont know how money works.
Hot_Poetry_6475 on
Exactly!
outphase84 on
They do. Name a billionaire and I can show you a 9 figure taxable event.
DiracFourier on
Billionaires are living in mansions without paying property tax? Buying yachts without paying sales tax? Doubt it.
plumberfun on
I wonder how many of these billionaires would be in prison if thr same laws that put Al Capone in prison weren’t taken away by Congress?
kendogg on
Idk, Elon personally is the largest taxpayer in US history. Like him or hate him, billionaires are paying taxes. At least some of them.
SookHe on
Oh oh I know this one 🖐️
Because they pay the politicians not to make laws to tax them
Electrical-Refuse941 on
Washington is a club, and we are not members!
girlnamedJane on
Economists are not our friends. They are the animal farms accountants
Dragull on
Because if in monarchism, monarchs ruled, in feudalism, feudal lords ruled, who the fuck you think rules in Capitalism?
whydontyousuckmyball on
If i can give 1/4 of my pay for taxes, so can they. How is it the people holding the least wealth are the ones paying the higher tax.
Ugh-screen-name on
They are special.
Just ask one of them.
NEOK53 on
It’s the role of the peasantry to support the aristocracy. Come on, basic human history there.
Minimum_Name9115 on
Because their Government will simply give it right back. Here’s the truth.
SimmonsJK on
Yeah…I’m paying $5k this year
rounder55 on
Cause we have a society that votes based on “vibes” and not policies because that’s what big tech and corporate media tell them to do instead of focusing on policies that benefit the majority of Americans
GuitarGeezer on
My brother in Christ, where were you when I spent decades lobbying against legalized bribery and coercion in campaign finance and hyperpartisan networks? The congress staffs made it clear almost nobody cared at all. This is a necessary outcome of our system being degraded. Only voters had a motivation to oppose it and they virtually all flunked the test every time it came up.
There isn’t any other reason to legalize bribery than to rig the tax code in the favor of the ultrawealthy. Nonwealthy lobbyists arent even allowed to be called back by congress staffs made anymore. Not for over a decade.
Raven_Photography on
Because they’re billionaires and the game has always been rigged for them.
Fortestingporpoises on
Because the ultra rich has convinced the working class that the ultrapoor are taking advantage of the system while the rich worked for and deserves everything they got.
sloowshooter on
Because the general pop didn’t pay attention and the rich goosed the system to grow their riches further. Now our politicians are bought and paid for like livestock.
Worse, when people noticed something was amiss, the GOP told them that the reason their wages didn’t grow was that poor people and whoever else could be defined as an “other” were an unaffordable burden.
45 Comments
Because they own this place. Because we live under a dictatorship of the bourgeoisie.
~~”Four legs good, two legs bad.”~~
Four legs good, two legs better.
Neither did the kings of old. They are just the new monarchy in the US.
Because thanks to Citizens United, it’s the billionaires who make the laws, now .
They can buy better congressmen.
It is a behavioral cycle we haven’t broken out of yet. “Absolute power corrupts”. As one moves up the ladder so to speak many people’s brain situates itself to “this is normal”. This leads to changes in behavior, who someone associates with. The circle of associations becomes smaller as you move up. People lose touch with foundational living. Their every request is granted. The brain slowly turns off considering others as this process continues.
Bacause THEY WOULD LEAVE THE COUNTRY, if they were to pay taxes.
(Who cares, by the way. Goddamned leeches)
They are
Royalty never does.
Americans have had 50+ years of solid data, evidence, and research to show them they are being ripped off, controlled, and manipulated by the uber-rich.
**They. Don’t. Care.**
My proof? 50+ years of Americans continuing to vote for Republicans while Democrats give us Clinton, Biden, then Harris.
The IRS should just post a top 10 list of highest taxpayers so I can figure this out for myself.
They’ve used propaganda and brain washing to diminish public support for increased taxation of the ultra wealthy.
The arguments against I usually hear are some combination of: 1) They’ll just dodge it if you tax them more, or some kind of Laffer curve bullshit. 2) I don’t like paying taxes, they must not like it, taxes are dishonest and taking their money is dishonest. 3) Some kind of ‘trickle down’ argument. 4) Increased taxes for them means increased taxes for everyone. 4) All taxation is bad. Life would be better without taxes.
The ultra rich have investigated an incredible amount into psychologically tapping into the public psyche. The thing is, most people don’t feel like they have much to offer the world. If you feed them disinformation and tell them they’re special for having this special counter-culture information, they’ll gobble it up.
Citizens United.
California has one of the most progressive taxation systems in the country, the author of this article is intentionally lying to further their political agenda.
CA not only has a progressive state income tax, but unlike the federal government they treat capital gains like ordinary income so that the wealthy who live off their investments but make no income still pay a tax.
Why is the article claiming billionaires don’t pay taxes? Because CA doesn’t tax *anybody*, rich or poor, on their estimated net worth. You make money off an investment, then CA taxes it as income. Taxing unrealized gains is a nightmare which is why you might notice articles that advocate for it never seem to mention real world examples.
The people who actually run CA know this would financially ruin the state, the lawyer who wrote the OP doesn’t.
Because they’re rich, the politicians are rich and they hate us.
The top 0.1% pays 20% of all tax revenue the IRS collects. So not sure how this idea of the rich don’t pay their fair share.
On the flip side the bottom 50% paid just 3% of all tax revenue.
This argument just deflects from the real issue. It’s not a revenue problem it’s a spending and waste problem.
Many new higher marginal tax brackets need to be added, and marginal rates for the $100M+ raised to near 100%, but (imo) tax collection / tax fairness are far less the reason than correcting decades of insanely huge wealth and power growth, much enabled by corruption, by oligarchs and their minions.
If we tax billionaires
too much they won’t
be able to buy the
essentials they
need, like NFL
franchises, islands,
and taxdeductible
think tanks founded
exclusively to
legitimize fringe
beliefs about how
billionaires shouldn’t
have to pay taxes.
Because they (or their accountants) know how to use the loopholes.
Rich people do pay taxes. Also, the implicit comparison in the headline is income taxes but the article goes on to propose a one-time wealth tax.
This topic always demonstrates that the biggest problem facing our country is the average persons inability to think critically.
There is nothing logical or economic about most of the points in the article or in most of these posts.
The attempt is to make an economic argument but quickly turning the tables and making it a moral argument, a petty argument, a misinformed argument, or just typing to tie too concepts together that aren’t related etc.
There is legislation in the house and senate sponsored by the patriotic millionaire group:
The “Cost of Living” Tax Cut Act: This proposal aims to eliminate federal income tax on the first $45,000 earned by individuals, shifting the tax burden to those earning over $1 million.
I look forward to dems and republicans not supporting this type of work getting absolutely rocked during midterms
It’s so frustrating to look back at how much the media and establishment tried to call Bernie Sanders a crazy old fool for his very centrist ideas like making rich people pay taxes so we can have health care like every rich country that isn’t America. Of course the narrative becomes “give Trump a chance” and sit back while he does the biggest wealth redistribution in our history, robbing the poor and giving to the rich who don’t need any of it. Late stage capitalism is a disease.
Because they’re rich enough to use loopholes in their businesses to avoid paying taxes or like the USPS “write off” anything damaged, like boomboxes.
Bernie Sanders has been telling The Hill why for decades. It’s no secret. Billionaires own the politicians and the politicians, in return, give the billionaires whatever they want, including a regressive tax system that benefits the billionaires at everyone else’s expense.
Everyone even billionaires pay taxes on income. They just minimize their income and grow assets. Most people wouldnt understand bc they dont know how money works.
Exactly!
They do. Name a billionaire and I can show you a 9 figure taxable event.
Billionaires are living in mansions without paying property tax? Buying yachts without paying sales tax? Doubt it.
I wonder how many of these billionaires would be in prison if thr same laws that put Al Capone in prison weren’t taken away by Congress?
Idk, Elon personally is the largest taxpayer in US history. Like him or hate him, billionaires are paying taxes. At least some of them.
Oh oh I know this one 🖐️
Because they pay the politicians not to make laws to tax them
Washington is a club, and we are not members!
Economists are not our friends. They are the animal farms accountants
Because if in monarchism, monarchs ruled, in feudalism, feudal lords ruled, who the fuck you think rules in Capitalism?
If i can give 1/4 of my pay for taxes, so can they. How is it the people holding the least wealth are the ones paying the higher tax.
They are special.
Just ask one of them.
It’s the role of the peasantry to support the aristocracy. Come on, basic human history there.
Because their Government will simply give it right back. Here’s the truth.
Yeah…I’m paying $5k this year
Cause we have a society that votes based on “vibes” and not policies because that’s what big tech and corporate media tell them to do instead of focusing on policies that benefit the majority of Americans
My brother in Christ, where were you when I spent decades lobbying against legalized bribery and coercion in campaign finance and hyperpartisan networks? The congress staffs made it clear almost nobody cared at all. This is a necessary outcome of our system being degraded. Only voters had a motivation to oppose it and they virtually all flunked the test every time it came up.
There isn’t any other reason to legalize bribery than to rig the tax code in the favor of the ultrawealthy. Nonwealthy lobbyists arent even allowed to be called back by congress staffs made anymore. Not for over a decade.
Because they’re billionaires and the game has always been rigged for them.
Because the ultra rich has convinced the working class that the ultrapoor are taking advantage of the system while the rich worked for and deserves everything they got.
Because the general pop didn’t pay attention and the rich goosed the system to grow their riches further. Now our politicians are bought and paid for like livestock.
Worse, when people noticed something was amiss, the GOP told them that the reason their wages didn’t grow was that poor people and whoever else could be defined as an “other” were an unaffordable burden.
We all own that failure and own it entirely.