Teresa Heinz's 12.3% EFFECTIVE tax rate

[CollectiveInterest]

To lead America and serve in the Oval Office, you must be willing to live with the spirit of the laws not just the letter of them.  A President must be willing to pay a reasonable effective tax rate and offer no excuses.  Why should a rich President pay one of the lowest effective tax rates in America?  Such a person should not be the leader of this country. 

Teresa made well over 5 million last year.  Teresa paid an effective tax rate of 12.3%.  Why don't you all calculate your effective tax rate?  Divide the amount of tax on your 1040 over your gross income.  Gee, I paid a whole lot more than 12.3%.  I'll bet every person on this board paid more than 12.3% last year.  Be honest with yourself and try it.  The Bush's and the Cheney's paid reasonable effective tax rates( sorry don't remember the actual numbers).

Liz Cheney has it right, this is not a good man.  To run on a platform that we need to raise taxes on the rich (above 200K) while personally making extraordinary use of tax shelters to avoid paying a reasonable effective tax rate is simply unacceptable.  My god, at least pay a respectable effective tax rate of 20% or more.  THe man who wants to lead American and raise taxes has one of the lowest effective tax rates in the country.  This is disgusting.  You lead by example not just by words. 
     

Are you saying THK should voluntarily contribute money to the gov't? Why? Cuz she's a Democrat?

You're complaining about the tax code taxing work at a higher rate than wealth. Isn't this John Edwards complaint? Where were you on the issue when Bush was cutting the tax on dividends?

[CollectiveInterest]

He wants to raise my family's taxes, and we pay 30%!

Philip, so is it your father or your mother that actually makes the money?

[CollectiveInterest]

The top income bracket pays a higher percentage than anyone else.

I'm upset about people complaining that we need to raise taxes on the upper class paying 12% in taxes when it just so happens they're billionares!

Philip, do you take sales tax and property tax into account in your analysis? Gas tax? Taxes on booze and cigarettes?

[CollectiveInterest]

It's one step out of many. I have no clue why we have all these taxes in the first place.

To pay for the gov't to do stuff...?

[CollectiveInterest]

No one cares that they're paying a 12% tax rate. We just don't want them bitching about how other people aren't paying enough.

Actually the original post by a Republican segued from THK and JFKerry not paying enough taxes to JFKerry not being a good person. So your side is complaining that they don't pay enough.

[CollectiveInterest]

What does that have to with anything?

Philip, based on your angry and impulsive statements I doubted you have the temperment for a high-powered job.

Gov't does things that cost money. Gov't gets the money to do these things through taxes.

Philip, you seem to lack the maturity to grasp this fairly simple idea. And people who can't deal with this reality don't normally draw $200K+ paychecks.

[CollectiveInterest]

I just said I don't care that she's paying 12%. I care that she's paying 12% and at the same time her husband is trying to raise taxes on people like my family.

If you're family is making more than $200K per year, they should be paying more in taxes.  I think my parents should be paying more in taxes, and they agree with me (I don't think they make more than 200K either).  Expenditures like the current war should be paid for by those who can afford to do so, not left to our grandchildren who will have to pay the cost ten times over because of compounded interest on our national debt.

If Kerry wants Americans who earn more than 200K to pay more taxes, let him start with Teresa.  An American President paying the lowest effective tax rates would be a national disgrace.  He couldn't stand up to Dean in the debates, he cannot stand up to Teresa, and he doesn't deserve the right to be our President until he is willing to live with the spirit of the tax code.  We are not interested in excuses, he needs to be accountable for his personal actions.

How is Kerry not living in the spirit of the tax code?

THK paying more to the gov't won't affect anything while we've got the Bush/GOP out-of-control spending.

[CollectiveInterest]

I just read the observation on some blog that the country is divided among the people who believe Bush and those that don't.

These people that believe Bush are crazy. They are literally immune to facts and logic. They start with the premise that Bush is infallible and adjust the rest of their worldview around Bush-GOP infallibility.

[CollectiveInterest]

If Teresa paid a "reasonable" effective tax rate of say 20%, we are talking about a deficit reduction of about a half a million dollars. I believe the deficit is 413MM.  Gee, find 825 more of these people and we have no deficit.  I hope the democrats are still proud of Teresa.

Yeah, you're only off by a factor of 1,000. The Bush-GOP deficit is $420 billion. Maybe when you learn the facts you'll change your mind about stuff? Or does the infallibility of George W. Bush trump reality?

[CollectiveInterest]

What does that have to with anything?

Philip, based on your angry and impulsive statements I doubted you have the temperment for a high-powered job.

Gov't does things that cost money. Gov't gets the money to do these things through taxes.

Philip, you seem to lack the maturity to grasp this fairly simple idea. And people who can't deal with this reality don't normally draw $200K+ paychecks.

I've said before that I'm 16. So no, believe it or not, I'm not making $200,000+ at 16 years old. I'm such a failure.

Maybe when you grow-up and actually have to deal with money you'll have opinions better grounded in reallity.

[CollectiveInterest]

What does that have to with anything?

Philip, based on your angry and impulsive statements I doubted you have the temperment for a high-powered job.

Gov't does things that cost money. Gov't gets the money to do these things through taxes.

Philip, you seem to lack the maturity to grasp this fairly simple idea. And people who can't deal with this reality don't normally draw $200K+ paychecks.

I've said before that I'm 16. So no, believe it or not, I'm not making $200,000+ at 16 years old. I'm such a failure.

Maybe when you grow-up and actually have to deal with money you'll have opinions better grounded in reallity.

Collective,

How about we cool it down a bit and stop insulting Republicans and those who disagree with your "truths".

Tell you what. When you Bush supporters grow-up and start dealing with reality instead of hallucenating your Neo Con never-never land, I'll stop pointing-out that you guys are completely immature and ignorant about policy.

[CollectiveInterest]

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Tell you what. When you Bush supporters grow-up and start dealing with reality instead of hallucenating your Neo Con never-never land, I'll stop pointing-out that you guys are completely immature and ignorant about policy.

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No, I'll tell you what.  How about you quit trying to characterize Republicans as underage hacks.  I'm sure there are a few more Dems and Independants fitting that description since we have all the stereotypical old misers filling our ranks.  Sounds like you are the one who needs to grow up by making a logical response instead of ad hominem attacks.

Have you read the premise of this thread?

[CollectiveInterest]

If the shoe fits wear it.

You're just another ideologue that doesn't let facts and logic disuade you from what you "know" to be right.