Tell me why the government takes 115$ out of my paycheck but they can’t take a dime from Jeff Bezos?

[ElizaPam]

[nightdrot]

Actually, the government takes plenty out of Mr. Bezos. In fact, although the government takes money out of everyone's pocket, but you get it back at the end of the year. Thus making it that 47% of all Americans - likely yourself very much included - pay no Federal income tax at all. It is, at least in part, how the nation got the massive deficits and national debt that it currently has and that imperil's future generations.

The truth is that the public has a ferocious appetite for government, but it has - as your question illustrates - a negligible willingness to pay for it. This because that public has the following profile:

1 in 6 who work, do so for government.

1 in 7 is a Social Security recipient. This only to get worse as the population ages. Thus Social Security has $22 trillion in unfunded liabilities even as the economy is only $21 trillion. Indeed, at current rates, SS is expected to be bankrupt in just over a decade - unless the public (all of whom pay SS taxes) consents either to benefit cuts or a tax increase.

1/3 of ALL American families, this year, will receive some form of government transfer payment.

In truth, as the 47% of Americans who pay no income tax amply demonstrates, the American tax code is enormously progressive. Indeed, actually MORE progressive than in such "socialist" - they are not actually socialist - countries as Sweden and France. (Indeed, Sweden has no corporate tax at all.)

It also being noteworthy that either party that has dared to raise taxes since the 1980s has lost seats in Congress - and in the case of President George H. W. Bush the White House - in the subsequent elections. It does not matter on whom the taxes were increased. Either the very narrow tax increases of 1982 or Mr. Obama's more broad based increases.

Here is the funny little secret, the bigger the government and the more things the public wants government to do, the more dependent it becomes on politicians, bureaucrats, academics, the wealthy and "elites" they become. This also why, contrary to popular belief, why the Democratic party tends to be the party of big business and the upper class. (See also Silicon Valley, Hollywood, the financial services and insurance industries.)

Big business and the wealthy being able to afford the lawyers, lobbyists and accountants to help them navigate the complexities of big government. Yet dare even touch in any significant way the main government programs - SS, Medicare, more recently Obamacare - and the public howls as if someone were about to touch up the Mona Lisa with a paint gun.

Even then, the wealthy and big business pay most of the taxes. The "loopholes" and such in the tax code being mostly there because the public is using the code not just to raise revenue but to incentivize behaviors it deems socially or economically desirable.

Hence, for example, the home mortgage deduction. Designed to encourage the building of single family homes - and hence family friendly neighborhoods - it amounts to a transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich since the bigger the home, the bigger the mortgage and thus the bigger the deduction. Yet any politician who wants to limit it please signify by saying, "I do not choose to run again."

CONT.

[nightdrot]

The net result, for each dollar you pay in taxes in your paycheck, you get about $1.72 in government programs and services. (Most services of which you scarcely notice day to day.) Suffice to say that is not a bad deal and is why the public is content to foist the costs onto future generations yet to be born - and who therefore, not un-coincidentally - have no vote to cast.

Thus, the taxes are low relative to the government services provided, and the debt soars because the public thinks someone else should pay the bills. Either the evil reptilian rich - who are still then expected to invest and hire and all the rest - or the young.

It is well past time that the public be summoned to a reckoning of the cost of its' appetites. However, in the current whiny and self-pitying populist tone of the nation's politics, that is not apt to happen. Bills to be paid later - but good.

[Fatherhere901]

Well, if he's anything like a normal CEO of a Corporation is, his Taxes are taken out at the end of the year. Which means, he is rich enough he doesn't have to worry About paying his taxes a little bit at a time.
Also, there is nothing stopping you from beginning paperwork yourself so that you pay your taxes all at once at the end of the year , if you choose to

[Anonymous]

Because we have a progressive income tax with an ass ton of loop holes; we need to simplify the tax code to a flat rate with zero deductions.

[AllieOops]

Why, do you actually think the rich pay any taxes? They have so many tax shelters and off shore accounts you probably pay more than they do.

[dublin_sexyeyes0]

you're in the right area. Keep going. The supee rich flout taxes cos its the likes of them who "design" the system. Do not give up asking these questions. Look at the legal ruling in Ireland over €13 BILLION owed in taxes to Ireland by Apple. The government here fought AGAINST taking these taxes which the EU said we shouldve collected. So, yes, the rich fuck the likes of us over again and again. Keep researching.

[tartaarsaus]

Because if you have a lot of money, you can just channel it through tax havens all around the world to limit taxation.


Also, by far most of Bezos’ wealth is in stock. It could be the case that dividend is not taxed there or that there is no wealth taxation.

[JackSmy]

How do you know what kind of taxes Bezos payes? Just something you heard, or some legit reference to prove it?
Luv, ya, babe, but you don't have a good track record for posting FACTS!!

[boredguy01]

Jeff Bezos' and every other American billionaire pays taxes. Their tax rate is just lower than a lot of people because most of their income comes from capital gains

[Anonymous]

Bezos pays more in taxes in 1 year than you and your whole friend group of trolls on this site will ever pay in their lifetime. But I like facts, not lies spread by Trump haters and rich people haters so that's probably why I stick to the truth rather than unsubstantiated, assumptions.

[dublin_sexyeyes0]

And how do you know this? Do you actually believe parasites like him and his corporations pay their fair share of tax? No they fucking dont. Its obedient shit takers who believe these fuckers.

[DCooper]

Facepalm

[888theGreat]

because bozo, hires people and provides jobs. You tax him and says I will move all operations to Europe , then look at all the unemployed Americans.

[Tamera952]

Now THAT is a good damn question!! Something is not right here.

[1truekhaleesi]

Because the three branches of our government is corporations, pedophiles, and tyrants.

[andreasderjuengere]

Isn't that a basic principle of capitalism?
--->
exploit your economical strengths by all means possible; never mind the others.

[Anonymous]

Yes it sucks there's very high taxes to pay for stupid people who refuse to do anything and just want free stuff.

[Opinion Owner]

Also Jeff bezos Pays a lot in taxes it's like people don't understand the difference between a company and a person.

[ElizaPam]

So I don’t do anything and want free stuff yet I work 7 days a week in a factory. Ok.

[Opinion Owner]

I did not say you did You're the one working and paying taxes so the failures get free stuff because a they dont want to work. It just makes no sense why you start talking out Jeff bezos when he pays more in taxes than you make working. It sounds like you believe the myth rich people don't pay taxes When the top 20% pays like 86% of the taxes the top 1% pays like 36% of taxes. The rich pay the majority of the taxes.

[ElizaPam]

Oh ok but I always hear Amazon don’t pay taxes

[Opinion Owner]

Yes Amazon the company doesn't pay taxes. The reason for this is in America if you don't have profit you don't pay taxes. Amazon uses all their money in expansion and growing the company so they have no profit actually on paper that is why The company Amazon doesn't pay corporate tax.

But Jeff Bezos personally only takes like an $80000 a year salary and the rest is from his stock holdings he kept from the very beginning. he's actually one of the lowest paid CEO's all his money is from stock he held from starting a company.

Course he pays taxes on that $80000 plus capital gains on when cash out some of the stock.

[Agape93]

Because of republican tax cuts and lack of desire to close tax loopholes.

[NorthwestRider]

Lol the asker is a Republican shows how stupid these people are

[Agape93]

Lol I know. I’ve been trying to ween her out of her latent hypocrisy, so hopefully she grows out of it.

[stuntbrain]

Misinformation is like a drug. You might be addicted

[Anonymous]

Corporations are considered to be more human than humans. Bezos is only rich because he’s controlled. Big tech, and people like bezos won’t be around for too much longer

[asshole_]

Socialism, for the rich

Capitalism, for the poor

[ManHater]

Why do you think they rich get richer and the middle class is getting destroyed.

[Pawgluver10]

What about the Rothschild family? Or the rich white men who own groups like BLM. smh. Soy boys are useful idiots

[NorthwestRider]

The rich love to cheat the system

[smb930]

Jeff Bezos has a very smackable face

[jennifer_bloom]

TRUMP - THE DUMP

[NarutoUzumaki007]

quid pro quo

[codyccc]

Because tax havens