Topic: GOP Presidential debate

[Govtcheez]

You can avoid buying gasoline or cigarettes too but that doesn't mean that there's not a tax as part of the purchase price.  The price of a lottery ticket just happens to be almost all tax.

[Steve]

Is gas really optional?

I'm not debating the taxes on those things, I have no problem with that. But how is the lottery a tax on poor people?

[Govtcheez]

In theory, of course gas is optional

[micah]

In theory, of course gas is optional

just like health insurance, right?   

[charlie]

Who cares? It's just a simile. It's like a tax.

Of course, I've been hearing about inflation fears from libertarians for a while now (I have political discussions with hard core libertarians on another site), but still nothing serious has happened. I'm curious whether you really believe inflation will be an issue within months, incognito.

[Steve]

In theory, of course gas is optional

Not in the sense of the lottery. Your comparison of the two as optional seems like a pretty big stretch.

[Jake]

> High taxes, etc

God I'm sick of hearing this.  Tax rates are lower right now than they have been for a very long time.

I agree that our income taxes are LOW at this point in time, however your graph does not show sales taxes, property taxes, etc etc. Although, none of those are federal taxes, but they all bear weight and have been on the rise. As income tax goes down, almost all other taxes go up...

[Govtcheez]

In theory, of course gas is optional

just like health insurance, right?   

Yep, just like health insurance, the army, and anything else I don't use

Steve: If I wanted to, I wouldn't have to buy any gas at all.  I could easily walk or bike to work or shopping in my area.  As it is, I only buy gas once a month or so

[Govtcheez]

> High taxes, etc

God I'm sick of hearing this.  Tax rates are lower right now than they have been for a very long time.

I agree that our income taxes are LOW at this point in time, however your graph does not show sales taxes, property taxes, etc etc. Although, none of those are federal taxes, but they all bear weight and have been on the rise. As income tax goes down, almost all other taxes go up...

Nothing in this conversation is in regard to local or state taxes (besides the lottery, which isn't national).

[Steve]

In theory, of course gas is optional

just like health insurance, right?   

Yep, just like health insurance, the army, and anything else I don't use

Steve: If I wanted to, I wouldn't have to buy any gas at all.  I could easily walk or bike to work or shopping in my area.  As it is, I only buy gas once a month or so

what about in an emergency?

I realize that works for you, but imagine the country part of America. Out here you can't hardly bike anywhere let alone walk, and so much of our equipment relies on gas and diesel to run.

[Govtcheez]

> what about in an emergency?

Then I'd call an ambulance? 

> I realize that works for you, but imagine the country part of America.

I'm totally aware of that.  The point is that for some people gasoline (and the taxes on it) is an optional thing.  The fact that you're buying something optional that has a tax on it doesn't make it any less of a tax.

[incognito]

> High taxes, etc

God I'm sick of hearing this.  Tax rates are lower right now than they have been for a very long time.

I agree that our income taxes are LOW at this point in time, however your graph does not show sales taxes, property taxes, etc etc. Although, none of those are federal taxes, but they all bear weight and have been on the rise. As income tax goes down, almost all other taxes go up...

Nothing in this conversation is in regard to local or state taxes (besides the lottery, which isn't national).

I did reference state/municipal taxes government and taxes .

[incognito]

Who cares? It's just a simile. It's like a tax.

Of course, I've been hearing about inflation fears from libertarians for a while now (I have political discussions with hard core libertarians on another site), but still nothing serious has happened. I'm curious whether you really believe inflation will be an issue within months, incognito.

It's hard to say; but there's a good possibility. It's a very delicate balance between deflation and inflation that Bernanke is trying but we'll see.

History tells us that printing money left and right is a very risky business. We may not get into hyperinflation (i sure hope not), but i think we will feel inflation at some point.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperinflation

If we keep bailing out Europe and Europe defaults we'll end up with a lot of bad debt in our hands. Again the Fed made this decision and it wasn't approved by the people.

 

[kermi3]

Perhaps your taxes are too high incognito cause taxes on The highest are lower than they have been since the depression....hmmmmm....

[charlie]

> High taxes, etc

God I'm sick of hearing this.  Tax rates are lower right now than they have been for a very long time.

I agree that our income taxes are LOW at this point in time, however your graph does not show sales taxes, property taxes, etc etc. Although, none of those are federal taxes, but they all bear weight and have been on the rise. As income tax goes down, almost all other taxes go up...

http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/taxes/2011-05-05-tax-cut-record-low_n.htm

Americans are paying the smallest share of their income for taxes since 1958, a reflection of tax cuts and a weak economy, a USA TODAY analysis finds.

The total tax burden — for all federal, state and local taxes — dropped to 23.6% of income in the first quarter, according to Bureau of Economic Analysis data.

...