They certainly pay sales taxes, possibly property taxes too, they probably have to pay fines because the cops love to prey on the poor, and there’s also fees to use government services. That’s all taxes.
But there’s this concentrated attempt to denigrate people with lower income as useless eaters that don’t contribute to society, and so they don’t think any of that counts.
Right, that’s the point of the “taxpayer” dog whistle. It trains people to think that poor people don’t pay taxes, and implies they’re lesser members of society because of it.
No it’s not the government that is stealing from us its the Uber wealthy that use our tax money (that should be going to the greater good of the citizens of the country) for their own gain.
So I’m aware there is a right-libertarian argument at work here that frames all taxes, always, as “stealing”. However, there’s an argument here that can be used along more democratic socialist lines.
Taxation in representative democracy is legitimate when the democracy itself lives up to the terms. We have come to some kind of consensus as a society on the level of taxation and where that money should go. When we do that, and we say the road is “our road”, we mean that in a literal way. A part of the fruits of our labor were diverted to build that road, and we get a say in how it works.
The US is not a democracy that lives up to the term. “Taxation is theft” is correct in this context.
The poor pay the largest portion of their wages in taxes. They also benefit society far beyond any other social group. It’s the wealthy that take the most from the rest of us and pay almost nothing back.
Okay, they “don’t pay taxes”, but the government still takes the money and then returns it if they ask for it (i.e. file a tax return). That isn’t quite the same as not paying.
Also, you have to be stupidly poor to get all of your taxes returned.
Oddly enough, when it comes to less dense suburbs with richer people in them, the cost to the city is always more than those people pay in taxes. They pay more but they’re actually using poorer people’s taxes to pay for their shitty “neighbourhoods”, in quotes because the word implies a level of community they could only dream of.
They don’t believe anyone under a certain income pays taxes. “Taxpayer” just means “upper income tax bracket” in their mind.
… people under a certain income level don’t pay any taxes
Even if you discount all other forms of taxation, and only focus on income taxes, the sentiment is irrelevant to this particular vote.
His support appears to be concentrated in the middle class. (Median household income in NYC is about 80k, right about the peak of his vote share)
Thanks for that information, I had no idea
holy shit i want this graph for every election
They certainly pay sales taxes, possibly property taxes too, they probably have to pay fines because the cops love to prey on the poor, and there’s also fees to use government services. That’s all taxes.
But there’s this concentrated attempt to denigrate people with lower income as useless eaters that don’t contribute to society, and so they don’t think any of that counts.
Totally fair. I wasn’t thinking about all the taxes the government steals from us, just the income tax
Right, that’s the point of the “taxpayer” dog whistle. It trains people to think that poor people don’t pay taxes, and implies they’re lesser members of society because of it.
No it’s not the government that is stealing from us its the Uber wealthy that use our tax money (that should be going to the greater good of the citizens of the country) for their own gain.
So I’m aware there is a right-libertarian argument at work here that frames all taxes, always, as “stealing”. However, there’s an argument here that can be used along more democratic socialist lines.
Taxation in representative democracy is legitimate when the democracy itself lives up to the terms. We have come to some kind of consensus as a society on the level of taxation and where that money should go. When we do that, and we say the road is “our road”, we mean that in a literal way. A part of the fruits of our labor were diverted to build that road, and we get a say in how it works.
The US is not a democracy that lives up to the term. “Taxation is theft” is correct in this context.
As with everything context is key. Taxation is not inherently theft, but in the USA, it absolutely is.
The poor pay the largest portion of their wages in taxes. They also benefit society far beyond any other social group. It’s the wealthy that take the most from the rest of us and pay almost nothing back.
They’re just stupid and meant folks who make millions and billions don’t pay their share of taxes
Okay, they “don’t pay taxes”, but the government still takes the money and then returns it if they ask for it (i.e. file a tax return). That isn’t quite the same as not paying.
Also, you have to be stupidly poor to get all of your taxes returned.
You’re right, but people over a certain tax bracket are also pretty good at not paying taxes.
People with great wealth don’t pay taxes. They employ loopholes only available to the wealthy. Btw, almost every state has sales tax, you dipshit.
Way to rage at and insult the guy that already admitted he was wrong. You tool.
AlreAdY aDmiTTeD I wAs wRonG
Well, at least your username is half right.
Oddly enough, when it comes to less dense suburbs with richer people in them, the cost to the city is always more than those people pay in taxes. They pay more but they’re actually using poorer people’s taxes to pay for their shitty “neighbourhoods”, in quotes because the word implies a level of community they could only dream of.
Also brown people don’t pay taxes in their fantasy world. It’s just another racist dog whistle.
Euphemisms like that and “job creators”, “wealth creators” are an instant tip-off that whoever’s talking is a weaselly venal slimeball.