Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Politics and Taxes, Don't Confuse me with the Facts

Would we rather bull-doggedly hang on to one political candidate and party or the other even when faced with the facts that reality is not about either one but instead, it's about knowledge or the lack of it? Many are feeling extreme emotions regarding Mother Jones' leaking the contents of a recent Romney speech. It portrayed the 47 % of those in USA who do not pay taxes as feeling like victims, wanting the government to take care of them and feeling entitled. Not paying taxes is mostly about the knowledge of how not to pay taxes and using that knowledge, and we are all guilty at one time or another.

Who doesn't pay taxes, and can we honestly say they all feel entitled and like victims and want the rest of us to foot their bill?

1. 22 % of the 47 % who did not pay 2011 income taxes were the elderly who were living on social security. Entitled? Victimized? Want the rest of us to take care of them?

2. Over two dozen of the Fortune 500 corporations did not pay income taxes. Entitled? Victimized? Want the rest of us to take care of them?

3. Many of all income levels do not count their income (which may be in addition to their main job or not)  any of the following: yard sale proceeds, freelance work online or in person, mowing lawns, home repair for other people, babysitting, and Amazon and eBay sales. Do you? Don't answer out loud. Just answer to yourself.

4. Around 17 % of the 47 % who did not pay 2011 income taxes were students or low income workers. Entitled? Victimized? Want the rest of us to take care of them? Wow, I remember my first job at McDonald's at age 17. I worked 40 hours a week at $1.20 per hour, and I was also a full-time student at Pensacola Junior College. I paid Social Security and Medicare Payroll Taxes, but always paid very little income tax. Thank goodness, or I never would have been able to transport myself back and forth to work and college. I would have had to quit both.

5. Who else doesn't pay taxes? Read a fair-minded, logical, non-emotional description of those who don't have to pay taxes and other such information:

http://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/personal-income-taxes/are-some-people-exempt-from-taxes1.htm

http://www.ehow.com/about_5417525_not-pay-federal-income-tax.html

Quit blaming a political party, a government official and such. Don't get upset about Romney's comments about the 47% who do not pay taxes ... neither agreeing with him in anger or disagreeing with him in anger.  Get educated on what is legal and what is not. Knowledge is power. Share that knowledge like I am here. Stand up on your own feet and take what is rightfully yours by the law. Let us teach each other to question our uninformed preconceptions but with the facts, not conjecture, not blanket statements, and not emotionally-filled insults.

* Source of photo: http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2011-12-03/downtown-augusta-fireworks-parade-celebrate-christmas-season

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