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redstar2000
16th April 2005, 01:00
How rich get richer: all the rest pay more
IRS scrutinizes wage earners but takes investors at their word under separate, unequal system

Get a raise last year, or a bigger job, or make some extra money working overtime? You'll pay the tax man.

Too bad you did not get a job as a hedge fund manager. If you had, you would not owe any taxes come April 15 on your share of the hedge fund's profits.

Hedge funds are unregulated investment pools open only to rich individuals and big institutions. They operate offshore. And for their managers, some of whom earned a half-billion dollars last year, taxes are deferred as long as they keep the hedge fund open and the profits offshore, while you get taxes deducted from your paycheck. And, thanks to our government, their tax avoidance is perfectly legal.

The favored treatment afforded hedge fund managers, several of whom are in their 30s and have untaxed, multibillion-dollar fortunes, is just the tip of a very costly iceberg. Vast amounts of untaxed income, collecting unseen beneath the surface of the news, helps explain why the administration proposes less spending on education, health care, basic scientific research and veterans. Even as our government borrows more than $50 billion each month, it lets many of the richest Americans defer and sometimes completely avoid taxes.

What few of us realize is that the United States has two income tax systems, separate and unequal.

More...

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c...ING0UC4LLO1.DTL (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/04/10/ING0UC4LLO1.DTL)

http://www.websmileys.com/sm/cool/123.gif

LSD
16th April 2005, 01:09
hmm... that reminds me, I've got to file my taxes soon...

Unfortunately I make enough to pay taxes, but not enough to buy my way out of paying them. :lol:

Well... only two weeks to go...

Commie Girl
16th April 2005, 19:55
:( We have 2 more weeks to file here.....

JazzRemington
16th April 2005, 20:04
Might I suggest sending in Marxist/Anarchist literature along with your taxes?

bed_of_nails
17th April 2005, 00:46
Why dont we ever get any cappies in these threads? I am waiting for the people-hating bastards to sit around and say "Paying taxes is a truly American and beneficial thing to do. It lets us support our government, and help the poor Iraqi's that were under Saddams cruel, hateful rule. What did you say about WMD's and links to terrorism?"

JazzRemington
17th April 2005, 01:24
Apparently there was an invasion from Protest Warrior's forums, but I don't remember anything biblical, which I had originally imagined it to be.

Individual
18th April 2005, 09:59
Why all of this *****ing about taxation?

I thought all of you were communists? What is wrong with you people, you are starting to sound more and more conservative everyday!

Don't want to pay taxes? Taxes going to the wealthy?

You mean, you are just now realizing this?

And to think, all of you are up in arms about a socialist revolution. Have you forgotten your ideals?

Shame on you !

Taxing the poor? What a terrible thing.

But you sure did guess it, big government, big unions, anything to help the people of the state. Anything!

Including paying your taxes. All sales are non-refundable/deductable and are payable upon death. Death by enslavement that is.

And let's face it..

CapitalistLawyer didn't make over $200,000 last year, he didn't work overtime, he didn't save any money. He probably doesn't even have a job.

He is on this webforum simply because his life is boring. No different than the rest of you. Yet you eat it all up.

That is his mesely conservative argument, Bush saved him money yada yada..

He's got nothing else to say, get over it.

And for the rest of you, pay your taxes like good little socialists, the state will take good care of you.

Take sides in an argument? Me?

Oh no, Mama raised me right.

ÑóẊîöʼn
18th April 2005, 10:14
The reason we hate paying taxes is because it funds the very machine that we daily fight against. Is it that hard for your stunted raisin sized cappie brain to figure out? Obviously.

You fucking cappies have such fucking stunted vision it's incredible. Kind of like reading about those medieval lords that worried about 'masterless men'.

t_wolves_fan
18th April 2005, 14:57
Capitalism itself has little if nothing to do with Bush's tax cuts.

Many capitalists opposed Bush's tax cuts, myself among them.

"Capitalst = supporter of Bush's tax cuts" or even "Capitalist = supporter of our current tax system" are logical fallicies, which you folks are quite good at.

Capitalist Lawyer
18th April 2005, 17:59
Get a raise last year, or a bigger job, or make some extra money working overtime? You'll pay the tax man.

I got a raise last year, and made quite a bit from overtime. Thanks to the Bush tax cuts, I paid LESS to the tax man. How nice of him.

RedAnarchist
18th April 2005, 18:01
Well, err, thats why its called a tax cut <_<

GoaRedStar
18th April 2005, 18:43
Thanks to the Bush Tax cuts the nation is drowning in debt.

bed_of_nails
18th April 2005, 20:20
You are part of the upper class and vote for somebody who raises tax for the lower class while lowering taxes for the upper class. Yet you go out screaming freedom and love for Americans and America, but you are just out to get a little more money out of things. You are no American. When your goal in life is to get money from the poor, you are the only terrorist I see. I spit on you.

Elect Marx
18th April 2005, 21:40
Originally posted by [email protected] 18 2005, 07:57 AM
Capitalism itself has little if nothing to do with Bush&#39;s tax cuts.

Many capitalists opposed Bush&#39;s tax cuts, myself among them.

"Capitalst = supporter of Bush&#39;s tax cuts" or even "Capitalist = supporter of our current tax system" are logical fallicies, which you folks are quite good at.
Yeah, that&#39;s nice... you know, if the pursuit of communism had brought us to this point, you would blame communists (as people somehow do anyway<_<) but really those among the left have been the ones bringing about civil rights, social justice and other causes to advance quality of life and intellectual development of humanity in general.

What have those calling for capitalism brought us? They have brought us governments that become corrupt by the same systems they have advocated. You may attack commies for their "failures" but they do not advocate the systems that have corrupted their movement, though cappies shoot themselves in the foot time and time again (plus everyone else gets fucked for it).

Elect Marx
18th April 2005, 21:48
Originally posted by Capitalist [email protected] 18 2005, 10:59 AM

Get a raise last year, or a bigger job, or make some extra money working overtime? You&#39;ll pay the tax man.

I got a raise last year, and made quite a bit from overtime. Thanks to the Bush tax cuts, I paid LESS to the tax man. How nice of him.
Way to go Mr. capitalist; I&#39;m glad you could make a couple of bucks while millions, probably billions of people are slowly dyeing... as long as your bottom line is looking good.
I am only wondering though; you do know that some people are making millions of times the money you are right? What kind of shitty businessman are you? Don’t you want a piece of the pie?

You obviously aren&#39;t very good at this because these people are so much better than you. Perhaps you are just lazy and not willing to take the initiative to get in there to show how much you can deprive others, I mean come on, is taking the food out of children&#39;s mouths really that hard? You can rob people at gunpoint can&#39;t you? You should be doing much better because the people that make the most money really don&#39;t have to work overtime, they can delegate work to others but you should know this all already.

Oh well, maybe you deserve to spend your life groveling at the feet of the real profiteers.

synthesis
18th April 2005, 21:49
You are part of the upper class and vote for somebody who raises tax for the lower class while lowering taxes for the upper class.


you go out screaming freedom and love for Americans and America


your goal in life is to get money from the poor





You are no American.

Au contraire.

bed_of_nails
19th April 2005, 00:15
Originally posted by [email protected] 18 2005, 08:49 PM

You are part of the upper class and vote for somebody who raises tax for the lower class while lowering taxes for the upper class.


you go out screaming freedom and love for Americans and America


your goal in life is to get money from the poor





You are no American.

Au contraire.
I am sorry I didnt make it clear to my Comrades my intentions. I was attacking the American mindset, with how they believe they are being so generous and amazing. Americans usually think that they are out to save the world, and everybody who is sane loves America. I was trying to attack that mindset...

t_wolves_fan
19th April 2005, 13:37
Yeah, that&#39;s nice... you know, if the pursuit of communism had brought us to this point, you would blame communists (as people somehow do anyway<_<)

That&#39;s a hypothetical, which is tough to debate. It&#39;s also the case that "communism" is both a political and an economic system; our situation today has been brought about by the political system acting within or upon the capitalist economic system. Capitalism certainly is not perfect, but then we can&#39;t let perfection be the enemy of the good.


but really those among the left have been the ones bringing about civil rights, social justice and other causes to advance quality of life and intellectual development of humanity in general.

True, but fortunately those on the right have tempered those causes and helped shield us from the inevitable unintended consequences of the left&#39;s good intentions. That&#39;s why both sides are necessary in any truly free society. If the fringe on either the left or the right were allowed to pursue their agendas without compromise, we&#39;d be truly fucked.


What have those calling for capitalism brought us? They have brought us governments that become corrupt by the same systems they have advocated. You may attack commies for their "failures" but they do not advocate the systems that have corrupted their movement, though cappies shoot themselves in the foot time and time again (plus everyone else gets fucked for it).

Again capitalism is not perfect, and never will be. No system will ever be perfect. From what I have seen on this board, capitalism is a far cry better than any system people like you would implement.

Have you applied for those food stamps yet?

Elect Marx
19th April 2005, 23:56
Originally posted by [email protected] 19 2005, 06:37 AM

Yeah, that&#39;s nice... you know, if the pursuit of communism had brought us to this point, you would blame communists (as people somehow do anyway<_<)

That&#39;s a hypothetical, which is tough to debate. It&#39;s also the case that "communism" is both a political and an economic system; our situation today has been brought about by the political system acting within or upon the capitalist economic system. Capitalism certainly is not perfect, but then we can&#39;t let perfection be the enemy of the good.
Err, right; that is why capitalism must go, economic systems are political and this is one of the main oversights I see on the right-leftwing span. Capitalism is exploitive, so it must go but this part of discussion is going nowhere...



but really those among the left have been the ones bringing about civil rights, social justice and other causes to advance quality of life and intellectual development of humanity in general.

True, but fortunately those on the right have tempered those causes and helped shield us from the inevitable unintended consequences of the left&#39;s good intentions.

Which would be? Opposition to ruling bodies? A cry for freedom? Yeah, thanks for the help.


That&#39;s why both sides are necessary in any truly free society. If the fringe on either the left or the right were allowed to pursue their agendas without compromise, we&#39;d be truly fucked.

So you would maintain that the far right powers in control should be removed from power?



What have those calling for capitalism brought us? They have brought us governments that become corrupt by the same systems they have advocated. You may attack commies for their "failures" but they do not advocate the systems that have corrupted their movement, though cappies shoot themselves in the foot time and time again (plus everyone else gets fucked for it).

Again capitalism is not perfect, and never will be. No system will ever be perfect. From what I have seen on this board, capitalism is a far cry better than any system people like you would implement.

Yeah, serial killers aren&#39;t perfect either; I suppose we will just have to allow them to roam around freely. People like me huh? Like who? Who is like me? What do I stand for? Why don&#39;t you explain, uh, anything?


Have you applied for those food stamps yet?

:lol: Did you think that up yourself?

Wolnosc-Solidarnosc
20th April 2005, 04:16
Originally posted by 313C7 [email protected] 19 2005, 10:56 PM
Err, right; that is why capitalism must go, economic systems are political and this is one of the main oversights I see on the right-leftwing span. Capitalism is exploitive, so it must go but this part of discussion is going nowhere...


I think you missed wolves&#39; point. Economics are political, no doubt, hence the term "political economy." But what I think wolves was saying was that the economic system does not determine the political system. A country may be capitalist but it may also be authoritarian, it may be oligarchic, it may be a dictatorship or it may be democratic. The political systems may vary with capitalism and that will have a significant impact on how the economy performs. This variation of political systems does not appear with communism.

Elect Marx
20th April 2005, 09:04
Originally posted by Wolnosc&#045;Solidarnosc+Apr 19 2005, 09:16 PM--> (Wolnosc-Solidarnosc @ Apr 19 2005, 09:16 PM)
313C7 [email protected] 19 2005, 10:56 PM
Err, right; that is why capitalism must go, economic systems are political and this is one of the main oversights I see on the right-leftwing span. Capitalism is exploitive, so it must go but this part of discussion is going nowhere...


I think you missed wolves&#39; point. [/b]
I am not so sure but I will address the ones you bring up and hopefully that will advance the discussion.


But what I think wolves was saying was that the economic system does not determine the political system. A country may be capitalist but it may also be authoritarian, it may be oligarchic, it may be a dictatorship or it may be democratic.

Maybe you are right but that point is a given; capitalism may have different characteristics at different points but must be authoritarian and oligarchic to a point because of the control mechanisms in the system. Though I do not really see how a capitalist system can be democratic unless it is at an early stage where power/wealth are distributed to the point where half the population is relatively supplied (this being hypothetical) but due to the unstable authoritarian elements, the control mechanisms could never keep such a balance (unless you consider delusional and brainwashed people capable of acting democratically).


The political systems may vary with capitalism and that will have a significant impact on how the economy performs. This variation of political systems does not appear with communism.

Right; because communism means classes are abolished and so "political systems" are affectively abolished as well. The control mechanisms are no more and so industry is autonomously in the hands of individuals working to better society.

t_wolves_fan
20th April 2005, 15:50
Originally posted by [email protected] 19 2005, 06:37 AM

True, but fortunately those on the right have tempered those causes and helped shield us from the inevitable unintended consequences of the left&#39;s good intentions.

Which would be? Opposition to ruling bodies? A cry for freedom? Yeah, thanks for the help.

The left has plenty of ideas that could have led to disastrous unintended consequences. Your side of the spectrum doesn&#39;t have the monopoly on great or even "right" ideas - neither side does.




So you would maintain that the far right powers in control should be removed from power?

Through the democratic process, yes.

I&#39;d rather we have what we have now than have a revolution led by the hard-left that you personify. It&#39;s my firm belief that the hard-left would be without question more tyrannical than the hard right could ever be.




Again capitalism is not perfect, and never will be. No system will ever be perfect. From what I have seen on this board, capitalism is a far cry better than any system people like you would implement.

Yeah, serial killers aren&#39;t perfect either; I suppose we will just have to allow them to roam around freely. People like me huh? Like who? Who is like me? What do I stand for? Why don&#39;t you explain, uh, anything?

What a stupid comparison. No, you don&#39;t just let serial killers run around free just like you don&#39;t let capitalism run free.

Your problem as a radical is that you see only two options, because you&#39;re indescribably closed-minded and naive. You believe that capitalism is by definition bad, and that any forms of capitalism are equally as evil. To you, Nazism was capitalism was just as evil as American capitalism; while communism and the radical left are unquestionably the proper way to go, there are no negatives to it at all, and anyone who doesn&#39;t agree should be ignored (or worse). It&#39;s all absurd of course, but you&#39;ll never accept that.

You either fail or refuse to understand that while politics and economics are by necessity closely related, any economic system can work under any political system. A socialist economic system could work under a totalitarian regime, a representative republic, even a direct democracy. Capitalism likewise could exist and work under a totalitarian regime, a direct democract, even an anarchy. Therefore to point at the United States and claim its failures are due to capitalism is absurd. Capitalism is a factor, true, but capitalism as an economic practice never forced companies to undertake anti-labor practices nor forced the government to vote to cut the social safety net.

I&#39;m guessing your failure to understand that is the result of a combination of youth (and therefore inexperience and naiveté) and your closed-minded, radical beliefs (as described above).

The fact is, there is little if any coercion in capitalism besides the need to work to survive; and many communists on this board have said in their ideal system people will work or die, so what is the difference?

You know, I even realize as I write this that I have been wrong on communism, to a degree. "Communism" as many people on here, I admit, does not by definition mean what happened in the Soviet Union. I believe it could work, but only after an incredible degree of reform both in our way of governing and in our way of living. The problem, as I still see it, is that this reform will either happen after about a thousand years of continued evolution, or it will need to be "enforced" by a revolution that people on this board advocate. I can&#39;t really oppose its creation through evolution because I&#39;ll be long dead by then. But I do oppose its creation through revolution because my contention still stands that if people like you were in charge, your or my ideal form of "communism" would fail to happen - instead we&#39;d be stuck with totalitarian, Stalin-like regimes.



Have you applied for those food stamps yet?

:lol: Did you think that up yourself?

No, you are truly my inspiration.

How old are you and what level of education do you have, if I may ask?

And when is this fucking server ever going to be reliable?

Elect Marx
21st April 2005, 08:08
Originally posted by t_wolves_fan+Apr 20 2005, 08:50 AM--> (t_wolves_fan &#064; Apr 20 2005, 08:50 AM)

[email protected] 19 2005, 06:37 AM

True, but fortunately those on the right have tempered those causes and helped shield us from the inevitable unintended consequences of the left&#39;s good intentions.

Which would be? Opposition to ruling bodies? A cry for freedom? Yeah, thanks for the help.

The left has plenty of ideas that could have led to disastrous unintended consequences.[/b]

Ah, okay; I suppose your unsubstantiated generalization will have to substitute for reasoning but I will admit the right (even if you consider communism totalitarianism <_<) has committed genocide and slavery of an unchallengeable scale.


Your side of the spectrum doesn&#39;t have the monopoly on great or even "right" ideas - neither side does.

You sir, are the one that brought up "sides," way to shift the focus ;)



So you would maintain that the far right powers in control should be removed from power?

Through the democratic process, yes.

Fair enough but this raises the question of enforcing the "democratic" will and since corporative entities have no accountability, you should also be against that?


I&#39;d rather we have what we have now than have a revolution led by the hard-left that you personify.

Hmm; I personify the "hard-left?" I will just take that as a complement but really, you could give some reasoning as to why you title me as such and possibly what you mean by it.


It&#39;s my firm belief that the hard-left would be without question more tyrannical than the hard right could ever be.

Please explain how the left could be worse than the far right (like Nazis) and why you assume this.




Again capitalism is not perfect, and never will be. No system will ever be perfect. From what I have seen on this board, capitalism is a far cry better than any system people like you would implement.

Yeah, serial killers aren&#39;t perfect either; I suppose we will just have to allow them to roam around freely. People like me huh? Like who? Who is like me? What do I stand for? Why don&#39;t you explain, uh, anything?

What a stupid comparison.

Hey you used the cliché justification, "hey, nothing’s perfect." I worked with what you gave me.


No, you don&#39;t just let serial killers run around free just like you don&#39;t let capitalism run free.

Ah, so you roll with the stupid comparison; *high five*.


Your problem as a radical is that you see only two options, because you&#39;re indescribably closed-minded and naive.

Okay; tell me more, because you seem to know a lot about me. Seriously though, I have looked at many "options" and I doubt you know the path I would prefer society develop along. As far as "closed-minded and naive;" okay but you are a coldhearted cappie asshole and I will defend my statement after you provide legitimate proof of yours.


You believe that capitalism is by definition bad, and that any forms of capitalism are equally as evil.

Actually, I haven&#39;t said anything of the sort. I know capitalism to be flawed in function as you can see in definition; though "hindsight is 20/20," and the more we learn, the more capitalism&#39;s flaws are evident.


To you, Nazism was capitalism was just as evil as American capitalism;

Well, not to say that you are making a coherent point but I think Nazism was in a stage of capitalism, specifically its decay and "American capitalism" is not yet to that point. Though they are different; we could defiantly compare/contrast the two.


while communism and the radical left are unquestionably the proper way to go,

I am open to debate; though you seem to be more interested in making my points for me.


there are no negatives to it at all,

I would not say that at all; social transitions take work and resistance takes sacrifice but if we could progress, we should all be better off.


and anyone who doesn&#39;t agree should be ignored (or worse). It&#39;s all absurd of course, but you&#39;ll never accept that.

Riight, feel free to point out where I said that. Debates are fun when you make up the counter argument; aren&#39;t they?


You either fail or refuse to understand that while politics and economics are by necessity closely related, any economic system can work under any political system. I have already addressed that point. If you missed it; I suggest you read the thread.


A socialist economic system could work under a totalitarian regime, a representative republic, even a direct democracy. Capitalism likewise could exist and work under a totalitarian regime, a direct democract, even an anarchy.

Socialism requires a state, as does capitalism and so anarchism and direct democracy could not coexist with them.


Therefore to point at the United States and claim its failures are due to capitalism is absurd. Capitalism is a factor, true, but capitalism as an economic practice never forced companies to undertake anti-labor practices nor forced the government to vote to cut the social safety net.

First off, your examples didn&#39;t "pan out," and the economic system derived from capitalism, encourages such actions by rewarding predation.


I&#39;m guessing your failure to understand that is the result of a combination of youth (and therefore inexperience and naiveté) and your closed-minded, radical beliefs (as described above).

Giving up of disusing the issues so soon? I understand all of your points; you just have no proof and don&#39;t even bother to follow through.


The fact is, there is little if any coercion in capitalism besides the need to work to survive; and many communists on this board have said in their ideal system people will work or die, so what is the difference?

I never said that, so your question is invalid. Ask them to justify their "ideal system."


You know, I even realize as I write this that I have been wrong on communism, to a degree. "Communism" as many people on here, I admit, does not by definition mean what happened in the Soviet Union. I believe it could work, but only after an incredible degree of reform both in our way of governing and in our way of living. The problem, as I still see it, is that this reform will either happen after about a thousand years of continued evolution, or it will need to be "enforced" by a revolution that people on this board advocate.

I see no problem with revolution.


I can&#39;t really oppose its creation through evolution because I&#39;ll be long dead by then. But I do oppose its creation through revolution because my contention still stands that if people like you were in charge, your or my ideal form of "communism" would fail to happen - instead we&#39;d be stuck with totalitarian, Stalin-like regimes.

I would not be in charge as I am against "totalitarian, Stalin-like regimes."




Have you applied for those food stamps yet?

:lol: Did you think that up yourself?

No, you are truly my inspiration.

Well, that made no sense.


How old are you and what level of education do you have, if I may ask?

Check my profile, as long as you can do the math, you can figure it out (unlike how you don&#39;t display you B-day). I have been learning about politics for many years now.


And when is this fucking server ever going to be reliable?

Who knows; I haven’t heard and I&#39;ve asked the people that would know... it is a mystery.