pShould the 1%ers pay more taxes?

Next>

Results

64 %

Yes, pay up!

36 %

No, they're fine.

@Dec '12 c 187 comments V 445 votes

Detailed Results Next Debate Vote Now

Activity Stmts Popular

445 Votes

2 hr
Raisinbran96 voted

v No, they're fine.
u

12 hr
Slaughter1989 endorsed MichaelLindenK

v Yes, pay up!
14 hr
jimsnoek voted

v No, they're fine.
u

22 hr
aledar voted

v No, they're fine.
22 hr
solodad voted

v Yes, pay up!
u

23 hr
DesignerLM voted

v Yes, pay up!
Sat
doggie_luv voted

v Yes, pay up!
u

Sat
User-Name endorsed mikehkc

v Yes, pay up!
Sat
tomtheterrible endorsed MichaelLindenK

v Yes, pay up!
Sat

mwr

v No, they're fine.

The "1%" already writes checks bigger than most of us make. Stop talkingin % and put real $ paid inthe news. They earned it, they should be able to keep it, that is the american dream, anyone can make a million and they should not be punished for achieving what everyone wants.

Post
Sat
Bob72370 voted

v No, they're fine.
u

May 17
DrSilicon voted

v No, they're fine.
May 17
Zach endorsed GlenWhitmanK

v No, they're fine.
u

May 16
Obsidion voted

v Yes, pay up!
u

May 16
SlimElmo91 voted

v Yes, pay up!
May 16
AlexNWA endorsed HeatherBousheyK

v Yes, pay up!
May 16
RadAuthNat voted

v No, they're fine.
May 15

Ashley_Steele

v No, they're fine.

Wealth redistribution- the first step towards a socialistic government

B1

Post
May 15
Bill2E voted

v Yes, pay up!
u

May 15
farmer_bruce endorsed MichaelLindenK

v Yes, pay up!
u

u

May 14
MensaMan endorsed walterfm

v Yes, pay up!
u

May 13
PaulUK2901 endorsed closetcommie

v Yes, pay up!
u

May 13
seedtick voted

v Yes, pay up!
May 12
rangerjeff voted

v Yes, pay up!
u

May 12
DemonsAngel13 endorsed MichaelLindenK

v Yes, pay up!
May 12

LEC

v Yes, pay up!

Interesting to note that in a time of Greed and corruption the taxes for the Richest are the lowest ever.. and back in the 1950's, taxes were the highest and greed was pretty low.. So maybe a really high tax rate will discourage all the greed, theft and cheating that goes on in order to rake in obscene amounts of money..

Post
u

May 12
skspls voted

v No, they're fine.
May 12
warwil630 voted

v Yes, pay up!
May 12
Fyi1957 endorsed MichaelLindenK

v Yes, pay up!
May 12
ddj8694 voted

v Yes, pay up!
May 12
silentrunning endorsed HeatherBousheyK

v Yes, pay up!
May 12
looncraz voted

v Yes, pay up!
u

May 12
SESCOMM voted

v Yes, pay up!
u

May 11
LibertyWolf voted

v No, they're fine.
May 11
TheHandsomeOne voted

v Yes, pay up!
May 10
MarkColwell endorsed MichaelLindenK

v Yes, pay up!
May 10

MJP

v Yes, pay up!

Now why would they ask us poor people such a dumb question?

Post
u

May 10
hancel voted

v No, they're fine.
May 9
Philof endorsed GlenWhitmanK

v No, they're fine.
u

May 9
Jimbo voted

v Yes, pay up!
u

u

May 9
DaQuietOne endorsed mikehkc

v Yes, pay up!
May 9

Knightkore

v No, they're fine.

How about: Should 100%ers of government cut spending?

B1

Post
May 9
DanielZ endorsed HeatherBousheyK

v Yes, pay up!
May 8
InjusticeSucks endorsed HeatherBousheyK

v Yes, pay up!
u

May 8
sml11 endorsed HeatherBousheyK

v Yes, pay up!
u

May 8
Rydad voted

v Yes, pay up!
May 8
whatheheck voted

v Yes, pay up!
May 8
RMcG endorsed ir0nw0lfe

v No, they're fine.
May 8
MsElizabeth voted

v Yes, pay up!
May 7
ConserveUSA voted

v Yes, pay up!

Sat

mwr

v No, they're fine.

The "1%" already writes checks bigger than most of us make. Stop talkingin % and put real $ paid inthe news. They earned it, they should be able to keep it, that is the american dream, anyone can make a million and they should not be punished for achieving what everyone wants.

Post
May 15

Ashley_Steele

v No, they're fine.

Wealth redistribution- the first step towards a socialistic government

B1

Post
May 12

LEC

v Yes, pay up!

Interesting to note that in a time of Greed and corruption the taxes for the Richest are the lowest ever.. and back in the 1950's, taxes were the highest and greed was pretty low.. So maybe a really high tax rate will discourage all the greed, theft and cheating that goes on in order to rake in obscene amounts of money..

Post
May 10

MJP

v Yes, pay up!

Now why would they ask us poor people such a dumb question?

Post
May 9

Knightkore

v No, they're fine.

How about: Should 100%ers of government cut spending?

B1

Post
May 2

JesusLivesInMe

v No, they're fine.

Flat tax rate of 10% for EVERYONE.. No loopholes or any funny business like that.. People whine and complain that the rich should pay more in taxes yet they're to dumb to realize that at a flat tax rate they automatically pay more.. IE: 10% of 10,000 is 1,000. 10% of 1,000,000 is 100,000... They shouldn't have to pay a higher rate just because they make more. That is legalized stealing and greed...

Post
u

Apr 30

URBS

v No, they're fine.

Why do we need to punish success? Flat tax everyone, no deductions, no loopholes, no BS. That is the only fair way!

Post
Apr 28

NoAmnestyEVER

v No, they're fine.

I'd like to know why Obama pays a lower tax rate than his secretary does.

Post
u

Apr 28

Saving_USA

v Yes, pay up!

If the top executives are forced to pay more in taxes, they will have to raise the cost of their product. This will ultimately hurt the poor more than anyone, but it's worth it to put small business owners on a similar playing field as over-sized corporations. Capitalism demands some level of influence from the government to be successful.

Post
u

Apr 28

fraps

v No, they're fine.

They pay the highest amount in real or percentage terms ever. 50% barely pay any taxes. Every employed person should pay income taxes. I think a flat tax would be best with some deductions that would apply to everyone.

Post
Apr 27

ST_Louie_Sue

v No, they're fine.

NO HELL NO. Get those fat, lazy ass, welfare and illegal, spitting a baby out every year momma & dead beat dad scum to pay and maybe just maybe things will be a little fairer for the rest of us who support those fat, lazy ass, welfare and illegal spitting a baby out every year momma & dead beat dad scums.

B1

r1 reply

Post
u

Apr 28

anc713

Exactly, let these people start earning their keep for a change.

Post @anc713
u

Apr 26

IMAQT

v No, they're fine.

There are 25 people in a room. One person pays more in income taxes than the other 24...combined. 12 People pay zero income taxes and many of those still get refunds regardless of paying zero (welfare). This is what you must believe if you are a democrat: The one person that pays more than all the others combined is still not paying "their fair share", yet they have no problem with the 12 that pay zero income taxes. This is what you MUST believe if you are a democrat.

B1

r1 reply

Post
May 1

PNWest

A union member, a tea party activist, and a CEO are sitting at a table with a plate of a dozen cookies in the middle of it. The CEO takes 11 of the cookies, turns to the tea partier and says, 'Watch out for that union guy. He wants a piece of your cookie.'

Post @PNWest
Apr 25

Denizen_Kate

v Yes, pay up!

Most of the 1% are conservatives who are very fond of "the good old days" of the 1950s. Let's return to the tax structure and code of that era.

Post
Apr 25

harold_lloyd

v Yes, pay up!

Equal sacrifice, not equal rates.

Post
u

Apr 25

gherlone

v Yes, pay up!

the loopholes need to be cleaned up. that said, the rates should go down for everyone, and spending needs to be drastically reduced. if that were executed, when all is said and done, they might pay less, but so would we all.

Post
u

Jan '13

ddaniel16

v No, they're fine.

The 1% already pay 90 PERCENT OF THE TAXES. Yah.. beat down the people that pay for 9/10 of the taxes already. cool.

Post
Jan '13

Ironicguy

v No, they're fine.

They worked for what they have like the rest of us... and just because they know how to manage money doesn't mean we should tax them unfairly.

Post
u

Dec '12

drow13f

v No, they're fine.

There shouldn't be an federal income tax.I would be thrilled if the federal government only got revenue from imports and exports. State and local governments should be able to tax according to what their people decide that they need.

B1

Post
u

Dec '12

Quinoa042011

v Yes, pay up!

The top 1% earn 86% of their income from capital gains. Which is taxed at 15%. It's a giant loophole. CEO's being paid major portion of their salary in stocks, rather then salary allows them to avoid taxes. When a single person making 60k a year pays 19% rate compared to the 15% is a bit ridiculous. They should raise the rates. They should also look at lowering deductions or getting rid of some of them. Which would be fine if some affected middle class as many don't pay any taxes b/c of child and mortgate deductions/credits.

Post
Dec '12

LALibertarian

v No, they're fine.

FLAT TAX! Simplifies the tax code and eliminates this question. Be rational.

Post
R Load more comments...

Mar '12

MichaelLinden K

Director for Tax and Budget Policy at Center for American...

v Yes, pay up!

Average tax rates for the richest 1 percent have been on a 15 year slide. The richest 400 taxpayers pay less in taxes as a share of their incomes than many middle-class families do. But this isnât just about having a fair tax code. The country is facing some tough fiscal choices, and if those at the top of the income spectrum arenât asked to pitch in, it means even bigger sacrifices from the middle-class and the poor.

B4

r2 replies

e58 endorsed

Post
Mar '12

GlenWhitman K

Professor of Economics, California State University, Nort...

v No, they're fine.

The top 1% already pay more taxes, in both absolute and percentage terms. Should they be made to pay even more? If the goal is to punish the rich, then the goal is simply wrong. People get rich for many reasons, some bad (such as corporate welfare) and some good (such as working hard to get a medical degree). Higher taxes indiscriminately punish both groups. If the goal is to close the budget deficit, taxing the very rich simply wouldnât yield enough revenue. Closing the deficit would require higher taxes on most everyone, as well as substantial spending cuts.

B2

r1 reply

e40 endorsed

Post
Mar '12

HeatherBoushey K

Senior Economist, Center for American Progress

v Yes, pay up!

A decade ago, Americans were told that if we cut taxes for the very wealthy, this would create more investment, more jobs, and more income growth. Further, growth would be strong enough so that the tax cuts would not bust the federal budget. This turned out to be false. After giving the rich massive tax breaks, the economy proceeded to show the weakest investment and employment growth of any post-World War II economic recovery and incomes for the typical family actually fell. A strong economy isnât just about how well-off the wealthy are, itâs fundamentally grounded in the strength of the middle class.

B8

r2 replies

e19 endorsed

Post
Apr '12

ir0nw0lfe

v No, they're fine.

How about the nearly 50% percent that pay no taxes pay something. I still think a flat tax rate for every one is fair. Whether you make $1 or $1,000,000 everyone pays the same percentage. How does it get any fairer than that? There should be no loopholes, no deductions, no corporate incentives. A simple tax rate without the huge tax code drastically reduces the need for the IRS so we can cut their personnel and the savings can be plowed back into our debt.

B1

e11 endorsed

Post
u

Mar '12

closetcommie

v Yes, pay up!

People in America have an irrational fear of "redistributionism". They say it will hurt business. I want to see them explain how Scandinavian countries, with their socialist tax policies, always are recognized as the world's top ease-of-business nations.

B3

r2 replies

e4 endorsed

Post
u

May '12

mikehkc

v Yes, pay up!

It's not that the wealthiest 1% should have their wealth aggressively clawed away from them, but instead the simple fact that the wealthiest 1% of America pays less now than they have at any point in modern history. The regressive tax policy hidden under the guise of "promoting innovation" has actually caused a widening and alarming income gap where investors and their clients continue to make incredible amounts of money in dividends and buyouts from the same companies who are forced to "merge" or "downsize" because of "limited profits" all the while fighting to pay less and less of their "capital gains" or "investment income" in taxes to help pay it forward to the res...

B3

e3 endorsed

Post
Mar '12

mettlinger K

Michael Ettlinger, VP for Economic Policy at American Pro...

v Yes, pay up!

The wealthiest one-percent should pay more in taxes. The country faces long-term fiscal challenges and tough choices. The alternatives to asking the wealthy to chip in are to either raise taxes on the other 99 percent or cut into the meat of public services that are vital for the economy, critical to public well-being and that enjoy strong public support. Addressing our fiscal challenges will, unquestionably, involve budget cutting. But it will also involve revenue-raising. The top one-percent, whose income nearly quadrupled in the last 30 years, whose taxes have been cut, are the first place we need to look.

B2

e4 endorsed

Post
Mar '12

JacobMchangama K

Director of Legal Affairs, CEPOS

v No, they're fine.

Raising taxes on 1%ers is not only bad economics it is also at odds with the principle of equality before the law. The rich typically contribute to society through both taxation as well as successful businesses benefiting all. Targeting the rich signals that the wealthy are a special class of citizens whose success is built on exploitation rather than merit. Singling out the rich for higher taxes is essentially a special tax on the pursuit of happiness. Rather than to penalize and stigmatize those who are successful, politicians should create incentives making it easier for the 99% to close the gap on the 1%.

B3

e2 endorsed

Post
u

Mar '12

walterfm

v Yes, pay up!

How many Americans realize that the marginal tax rate on millionaire income in the 1950s was 91 percent? Today our wealthiest citizens pay a tiny fraction of that. No wonder we're $15T in debt.

B1

e3 endorsed

Post
Mar '12

matthewhancock

v Yes, pay up!

A progressive tax policy is essential to ensure that all citizens can maximize the time and money spent on entrepreneurial activities. This is currently not the case, as can be seen by the increasing wealth concentration among the most wealthy. This imbalance leads to instability, as evidenced by this disparity last occurring directly prior to the Great Depression, and again leading up to the recent recession. The marginal benefit to the economy of each dollar of income declines as an individual's wealth accumulates. As a result, I support an equitable tax policy that will maximize economic growth and incentivize behavior that benefits our society as a whole.

B3

e1 endorsed

Post

Politix

pShould the 1%ers pay more taxes?

Results