You know, I was going to just post this as a comment over at "Wall Street Running Out of Suckers" but I was having so much fun, I thought I'd break it out as a diary too. It didn't hurt that I'd run across an LTE by a right wing idiot reciting up is down talking points earlier today.
Some 50 percent of earners pay little or no income taxes. How did that come about?
In a large part, it is the result of a liberal government instituting and funding programs for people who should or could be working to pay their share of the tax burden.
I wrote an LTE in response - but they won't run it if it turns up anywhere else, so I figure I'll go with the comment I posted here. (more)
The LTE I ran across earlier reads like a true FOX news addict. Here's a few stock 'truths' excerpted from it.
Vincent Stein ("GOP economic theory doesn't fit in reality," letter, July 23) blames Republicans and President Ronald Reagan for the situation in which the middle class finds itself. He conveniently omitted the fact that 1 percent of earners pay some 40 percent of the nation's income taxes and 5 percent carry about 50 percent of that burden.
I predict we will get to a point where more than 50 percent of earners are not paying any taxes. When that happens and there is no more tax money for those generous programs, we will see those same people who have not paid into the system rise up against the government and demand that those programs be continued and even increased.
We must restrict government spending and start paying off our debt before we become a Third World nation -- which might be what the President really wants.
I'll just note in passing that so few pay so much in taxes BECAUSE THEY MAKE MONEY BY THE SHIT LOAD. (And they both have more wealth now and pay less on it than the rich have in decades.)
I'll also note that so many can't pay income taxes BECAUSE THEY DON"T MAKE SHIT at the crappy jobs left for most people in America today - and they're still paying SALES TAXES, GASOLINE TAXES, PAYROLL TAXES, etc. etc.
Now the FOX - programmed writer of that LTE has internalized a nice simple explanation for why his life sucks and things are getting worse, one that blames it all on people he doesn't like, never liked, and hates because they get handouts and he doesn't. You know, the vast majority of the working poor in this country - if they can find a job at all. He probably also believes Ronald Reagan was the greatest president ever. He has his explanation; now let me post mine here. Here's how you turn a country to crap:
1) Start cutting tax rates at the top, shift 'em to the middle class.
2) Start outsourcing jobs, cutting salaries, benefits. Change defined benefit pensions to 401Ks. Increase productivity, shrink work force. Pocket the gains (give 'em to management, shareholders.) AKA 'growing the pie while taking ever bigger slices. Or just take bigger slices; screw the pie.)
3) Adopt trade policies to 'expand markets' - and bring cheap stuff in while destroying good jobs at home.
4) Destroy unions because they make companies 'less able to compete'. Pocket the 'savings' again.
5) Throw anti-trust laws, regulation on the trash heap of history. Make money acquiring and dismantling companies for their assets. Merge behemoths - and pocket savings by making thousands of people 'redundant' while talking about 'synergy'.
6) 'Reform' safety net programs by cutting benefits, eligibility, effectiveness, how long they run. 'Save' on health care costs by making it too expensive to get sick.
7) Give big tax breaks and other goodies to big box stores so they'll bring in lots of minimum wage jobs, drive small local businesses under, and ship their profits back to big box headquarters in a state with low/no taxes.
8) Keep the economy going with easy credit to suckers - make big bucks selling debt to other suckers - and then walk away with the profits when it all collapses. Blame it on the poor and the government. (And make them pay the bills.)
9) Cut taxes on the rich, corporations - because 'they create wealth'. Let them spend as much money as they want, buying politicians, because it's so hard for rich people to make their voices heard. Cut spending on schools, roads, public institutions, etc.
10) When there's no money left elsewhere, go after Medicare, Social Security, Military pensions and health plans.
Congratulations! You've just won The Race to the Bottom! Welcome to the Third World! And it was all the fault of Liberals and Big Government.
Yeah, right. So, anyone got any recipes for an investment banker, roasted over an open fire? What's better eating - a tame 'academic' from a conservative think tank, or a network tv financial expert? Is there any way to prepare a conservative talk radio host that can make them fit for human consumption?
I hope everyone in the path of Irene is going to be safe and secure - AND can count on help if they need it. As bad as Irene gets though, it's not going to do near as much damage as the rich looting our country for the last 30 years have already done - and plan to keep doing.
Stay safe everyone - and if you do find yourself in a survival situation afterwards, make sure Republicans, Conservatives, and Tea Partiers are the first ones to 'share the sacrifice'. It's only helping them practice what they preach, right?