I'm already quite familiar with the use of distortions and rhetoric used by conservatives.
How do they compare to those used by leftists? Could be a Ph.D. thesis in political science here.
You don't care what the comparisons are beween standard of living that relate....just tell me what the tax rate is.
All decisions on life can be arrived at through knowledge of the marginal tax rate.
Ah, but a 57% rate isn't going to improve my quality of life- -it'as going to decrease it. Significantly. Make sense now?
Oh, and how do you define "quality of life"? And, equally important. how do you measure it? You need a way of knowing whether you've increased or decreased it by raising taxes. Have such measurements been done in Europe?
31% vs 50%:
Let's see. Top current federal rate is 39%. CA has a top 9 3/4% income tax rate. Plus a state sales tax of 8 1/4%. That comes out at 57%- -Sweden's rate. But that's top dollar. Average rate should be significantly lower.
This MAY be the right data:
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I looked at an excel file called 95in07ic.xls; you'll have to dig to find it. This appears to indicate that the average tax rate of the highest earners is about 27%. Using a proprtion the average state rate would be 4%. Total: 31%.MAGIC! HAH!
An oversimplification, too. That 8 1/4% sales tax is still there. Now at the top you spend all your money, and not all the money you spend is subject to the tax, so the average sales tax burden on your income should be only a few %.
Of course, there are other taxes you pay too. Gasoline taxes. Taxes passed through as part of a price (such as customs duties).
So it's not an easy task to come up with a real number. Offhand, I'd guess the 31% is closer than the 50%. OTOH, how "real" is that 57% number?
not quite sure what inalienable means.
How about: You don't end up in that position for doing nothing.
Nice to see that conservatives are not the ONLY ones who know how to practice intentional obtuseness.
I thought it was clear that that was a comment, not a proposed definition.
AND: The Declaration of Independence, while certainly a euphonious document that has inspired numerous other similar efforts (with both good and bad outcomes), is actually not a legal document that has force of law. Try the US Constitution. If you find "inalienable rights, among which are life" in there, call the press- -this is headline news. |
