News Occupy Wall Street protest in New-York

[daveb]

I think the pledge specifies no "new" taxes - not adjustments to current rates?

Nope. From the site (my bold):

In the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, candidates and incumbents solemnly bind themselves to oppose any and all tax increases.

 

[WhoWee]

Are you saying that this is the actual number, or just using it as a 'for instance'?

Afaik, the top 10% households control something closer to 75% of the wealth, and the top 25% between 85% and 90% of the wealth. If this is true, and I don't know that it is, then the taxes paid by the wealthiest Americans aren't even close to being commensurate with the wealth they control.

I'd guess that between 30% and 35% have no net wealth. Again, the actual percentage might be lower. But it seems to be increasing.

I don't think this a healthy state of affairs for the US. But I could be wrong about that.

We do have to keep in mind that even though a significant portion of the US population controls a rather tiny portion of the total wealth, it's still a fact that the bottom, say, 25% in the US have it better than most of the people in the rest of the world.

But is this how we should be looking at it? Or, can (should) the state of affairs in America be improved?

There's a big difference between wealth and income. A young trader may have assets of less than $1 million and income of $10 million (an amount more than assets) - whether it's because they spend it, gamble it away, or park it off shore.

 

[WhoWee]

Nope. From the site (my bold):

From your link: my bold

"Politicians often run for office saying they won't raise taxes, but then quickly turn their backs on the taxpayer. The idea of the Pledge is simple enough: Make them put their no-new-taxes rhetoric in writing. "

 

[Char. Limit]

This thread is no longer about Occupy Wall Street anymore, it's devolved into what every thread in P&WA devolves into: an argument about taxes.

 

[WhoWee]

This thread is no longer about Occupy Wall Street anymore, it's devolved into what every thread in P&WA devolves into: an argument about taxes.

That's probably because the Occupiers never really organized their platform - did they?

 

[Char. Limit]

That's probably because the Occupiers never really organized their platform - did they?

So therefore, every post here is off-topic! Wonderful conclusion.

Except, yanno, I made a post a couple of pages back that actually was about Occupy Wall Street's policies. Seemed to have been ignored, though. Maybe it wasn't enough about taxes.

 

[WhoWee]

So therefore, every post here is off-topic! Wonderful conclusion.

Except, yanno, I made a post a couple of pages back that actually was about Occupy Wall Street's policies. Seemed to have been ignored, though. Maybe it wasn't enough about taxes.

Their policies(?) - care to re-post?

 

[daveb]

From your link: my bold

"Politicians often run for office saying they won't raise taxes, but then quickly turn their backs on the taxpayer. The idea of the Pledge is simple enough: Make them put their no-new-taxes rhetoric in writing. "

Ok, that's a bit disingenuous there WhoWee. It's much more restrictive to oppose any and all tax increases than just new taxes (which is also a tax increase).

 

[Char. Limit]

I promised myself I'd never post in this thread again, but I just had to report this:



http://feministing.com/2011/10/04/guest-post-my-hope-for-occupy-wall-street/

Do not want movement anymore, if it's going to be racially and gender discriminating.

Reposted! Occupy Wall Street's policies on who gets to speak first!

 

[WhoWee]

Ok, that's a bit disingenuous there WhoWee. It's much more restrictive to oppose any and all tax increases than just new taxes (which is also a tax increase).

Disingenuous(?) - you stated very clearly:my bold

"The fact that governmnetal conservatives absolutely refuse to raise a single tax but are only interested in spending cuts adds fuel to that perception."

I don't think you've provided adequate support for your statement.

 

[D H]

From your link: my bold

"Politicians often run for office saying they won't raise taxes, but then quickly turn their backs on the taxpayer. The idea of the Pledge is simple enough: Make them put their no-new-taxes rhetoric in writing. "

Follow the link a bit more and you will find the pledge. Here is the pledge for US representatives:

I, _______________, pledge to the taxpayers of the _____ district of the state of__________, and to the American people that I will:
ONE, oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses; and
TWO, oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.​

The pledge for senators is similar; at the state level the pledge is to oppose any and all efforts to increase taxes. Creating a new tax is not an out.

 

[Evo]

This thread is no longer about Occupy Wall Street anymore, it's devolved into what every thread in P&WA devolves into: an argument about taxes.

This thread has been going nowhere for 40 pages.