@lady - http://www.cbo.gov/publication/42870

Of interest, might be shares of taxes paid from 1970 to present. You will notice a pretty obvious trend in the top and bottom quintiles.

"are we to believe that Spitzer is purely an honorable man? That he's motivated only by the public good? Puh-leeze."

And that kind of thinking is a mistake that far too many people make. They poison the well because of someone's affiliation or imagined impure motives and disregard everything they say because of that. But truth is truth and while I definitely take into account the person making a claim, I recognize facts when I see them. That is the benefit of critical thinking. I welcome input to my philosophy from any and all angles as I am well able to properly filter fact from fallacy. Hell, even Karl Marx was right about many things and I sure as hell am not a socialist.

Quote:

are we to believe that Spitzer is purely an honorable man? That he's motivated only by the public good?

Why would you think anyone is motivated by the public good? What would you be motivated by if you were him?

Define "taxes"?

Remember that FICA has no deductions, is ~15% (including Medicare) of your wages up to $110k (approximately) and then OASDI drops off. It is therefore regressive as it is applied against the first dollar of earnings, and you pay both halves (the second half is paid through a lower salary by that amount.)

@ Drench - anyone notice this gem in the article you linked to?

"Breen, the Chicago attorney, said he'd planned to represent Wasendorf but learned Friday that Wasendorf's assets were frozen, so he'll have to be represented by a public defender."

Great. So the guy embezzles for 20 years and now the TAXPAYERS cover his legal expense?

MFG --> PFG customer(s) get screwed 3 times.

I'm tired of the clain the rich pay all the taxes nonsense, of course its limited to the income tax. And income tax rates has been reduced over the years. Every other tax has been increased.

The Middle class pay FICA, sales tax, property tax, motor vehicle fees, septic tank fees, the taxes on their ultiity and phone bills, go to football or baseball game and about 10% of the ticket goes to paying interest on the public financing (a tax), don't forget the hotel taxes, the gasoline taxes, sin taxes, tolls, death taxes, capital gains tax.

It would be nice for some honesty rather than spin.

We should form a posse to go after the crooks like they're doing in Iceland:

http://www......................./forum1....

Since the regulators of the national banking system are clearly corrupt and/or incompetent, my suggestion to Texas is to outlaw any bank from operating within our borders unless it is chartered and regulated by the state. And additionally, that the statute be enforced by the Texas Rangers, notwithstanding any response by Justice and/or CONgerss based on past rulings by SCOTUS.

But, but, but.... What if the aparatchiks at Babylon on the Potomac roll tanks to the Sabine and the Red? Well then, the governor should already be prepared to activate Texas National Guard and call up the militia, the latter of which by my estimate would show up in Austin under such circumstances well armed and about 200,000 strong.

Why would Perry nor any of the rest of them ever do anything of the kind? Because in reality they are PUSSIES, that's why.

Well, Perry is termed out but wishes to remain in office. He's either going to have to amend or suspend the Texas constitution or else secede.

The police over in Waskom have beefed up so they now have a busy speed trap on I-20 at the Louisiana border. They could move their resources to the westbound lanes exclusively and seal that troublesome bit of border. There have been far too many yankees leaking through.