With all the spending going on I have to ask this question. Aren't we taxed enough??? There would be those who say we aren't but I tend to disagree. And, if legislation and programs that are on the political forefront get through it will only get worse. They are talking about government run healthcare, cap and trade emissions taxes, pork barrel spending continuing, and trillions of dollars of deficit (money we are borrowing) spending. If they print more money, our dollar will become worthless over time. The spending is getting so bad we may not be able to pay the interest on these loans. So, they will have to get it elsewhere. Hmmm, I wonder where??? So, all this got me thinking. What do I pay in taxes each year between state and federal. (You really owe it to yourself to see how much gets taken out of your paycheck each pay period.) First, as a small businessman (before I injured my back) I paid 28% federal income tax, 15.2% social security (if you are employed by someone else they pay half, or 7.6%). So, we are already up to 43.2%. Massachusetts is presently 5.35%, so I'm up to 48.55% of my earnings. Before I even get into other taxes my tax rate for earning a living is almost 50%. Gee, I built my own house and am taxed through property taxes. I pump gas in my work truck. You guessed it. Taxed again. Something like .43 cents on each gallon. There's excise tax, registry fees, inspection fees, tolls on the roads, sales tax, restaurant taxes, lodging taxes, and more. When will it stop???? I hope everyone realizes how much they are taxed and stop voting for the people who are promising that the government will solve all your needs. The government is nothing more than our employees that we hire through elections. When you hear about them spending trillions of dollars remember they have no money except what they take through taxation. More government programs and giveaways=more taxes.

 

Yep, we are.....And so is every other person in the western world that lives and earns their living in a country that's safe and prosperous. Don't want any taxes, then you'll need to go live in some African nation and just pay people off for what you need.

I paid less in taxes this year than last. What's going on with your paycheck is a result of the last 8 years. We'll see about next year.

 

there are about 76 taxes we are hit with throughout our lifetime. the last 8 yrs ain't nothing to what is about to happen with the current administration. under clinton in the 90s, my taxes skyrocketed. and now they're no where near what they were under Reagan even though bush jr cut some, where's another Reagan? don't constantly bash the presidents, they are part to blame, the main ones is the liberal/dem controlled congress, remember? they "make" the laws and pass their own raises, new taxes to us, and make themselves off limits. blame the congress.....

 

Ahhh, the Congress had been controlled by the Republicans for years.

 

This post should be in the Politics section.....

Anyway.....Moose have you heard that the IRS wants to tax your cell phone given to you by work now? So I'm going to have to pay a use tax for my corporate cell phone, because they calculate that I use it for about 25% personal use. So I have a company phone (which I do use for personal use sometimes) and now I have to pay a tax on that....There is no aspect of your life they will not try to tax...that is for sure.

 

Ummm, my taxes went down under Bush??? My wife does taxes for others, also. We are not alone and we are not rich either. And to blame Bush (who I think spent way to much also) who brought the national debt up to one trillion (Total national debt. Not just his years), when you are defending an administration that has tripled that in the first 5 months is a bit engeniuous...

The whole, "...you'll need to go live in some African nation and just pay people off for what you need.", argument seems to me that you are implying that I don't understand that we need revenue for each and every government program. I hope not. If that's what you mean you don't know me from a hole in the wall. What has happened to our government is that we've allowed it to become a "be all or end all" solution for societies needs and ills. When is enough, enough. For instance, I don't think the federal gov. should be spending other states tax dollars to build a bridge to nowhere up in Alaska. (Something Palin fought btw) And I don't think your tax dollars in other states should be paying for projects up here in Massachusetts. But, it's gone way beyond bridges and roadways. At least Clinton signed on welfare reform (sent to him by republicans) when he was in office and got people to work for a living instead of living off the taxpayer's backs.

My whole point on the taxation issue is that the money for the (non-loan) spending that is going on is going to have to come from somewhere... I can picture the day when we can't afford to pay off the interest. Not to mention the principle, on all this debt. I guess we'll wait and see.

 

Palin desperately tried to get the pork money for the bridge to nowhere, then tried to redirect it, then realized the lower 48 was watching their corrupt culture in action and suddenly decided against it. She tried to get the money and went to Washington personally to lobby for it. She's as bad or worse than the rest of them.

 

Moose, some people can't (or won't) see the fire because they have smoke in their eye's! They seem to be baffled by the bullshi# and refuse to even begin to think that they may be wrong! I on the other hand sincerely do hope that I'm wrong!LOL!
There has been a new take on an old form of protest happening all around the country, Tea parties are starting to get the attention of even the liberal media. There is probably going to be one in your part of the country during the 4th of July "independence Day" holiday weekend
I won't try to blame any one president for the outlandish rise of taxation we have now, but with the extreme amount of spending that is going on today I think if we want to have any hope at all to pay for it in our lifetime's we would have to be taxed around 65% minimum! Inflation will be rearing it's head very soon, because we are printing money that has no backing. No solid basis of value at all!
Oh, by the way, where there's smoke, there's FIRE!

 

Obama ran on a platform of not raising taxes for 95% of Americans.
Now they are looking at taxing you for the health insurance that your employer provides for you.
Huh, do you think only 5% of Americans get their health insurance provided for by their employers?
Is this the "hope and change" you were wanting????

 

Oh, and I forgot the "death tax" or as it is known in Washington, the inheritance tax. A kid inherits money his parents have stashed away or wisely invested. Now this money was taxed as income when they first earned it, then taxes were leveed if they gained interest at a bank or taxed on capital gains if they made money investing. It's amazing sometimes that people have any money left over after all the taxation. Again, we must downsize government, we must stop pork barrel projects, and lower taxes across the board. If we want to see growth again, it's the private sector, not the government, that makes money. If we keep lifting the money from the private sectors collective wallets there will be no growth.