Working Life

The whole nonsense about taxes being a big burden on the rich has been one of great societal burdens. At least one rich guy has found that out, giving up the search for the Holy Grail of low tax countries. And wouldn’t you know it, it was John Cleese himself.

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Yesterday, I asked how it is possible that people who are either raving lunatics (read: Michelle Bachmann) or just simply have loony ideas, which are just covers for ripping off the country, still get taken seriously. Paul Ryan, take a bow.

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A big smooch to you from Facebook, oh unsuspecting citizen. No, it’s not a new wrinkle that will drive you mad on your profile page. It’s the usual: Facebook just “likes” you to pieces for your personal generosity. Your Facebook tax giveaway generosity.

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Sometimes taking down the dumbest arguments repeated by “free market” adherents really feels like shooting fish in a barrel. Most of the “theories” are just rhetoric, with no substance beyond a political goal. Here’s another one: the rich will feel your state if taxes go up. Not.

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We tend to hear most of the rhetoric on taxes focus on federal taxes — and there certainly is good reason to do so. But, the underbelly of the system — and the way in which the poorest people are screwed — can also be seen at the state and local level.

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When Phil Mickelson whined the other day that his taxes were too high, I tweeted “Mickelson whining abt paying higher taxes, w $47.8 million in earnings. Greedy bastard. How abt work a hard job?” Apparently, the heat was a bit too much for him from other quarters and so now he’s apologizing about speaking up. Bad move.

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With all the foolishness everyone seems to associate with the folks in Washington, D.C., don’t worry — coming to a state near you will be same lame-brained ideas that have caused a heap of damage for decades. You know the rap: lower taxes because, presto, that’s the magic potion for all that can be good. Oh, no.

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Damn, math really messes shit up. I mean, first you get told about all this money that got saved and, then, boom, it’s gone because turns out…it wasn’t saved at all. Welcome to the wild world of fiscal deals made by political parties who care mostly about their own futures, not the futures of regular people.

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Just in case you were snowed by the public relations blitz about all the great riches about to be showered on the “middle class” and
“working Americans”, well, it’s actually the same old story again.

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This is not another analysis or observation focusing on the strategy and tactics that led to the deal just made on taxes. I was bored by the whole debate weeks ago because, frankly, it missed a much more central fact: the Democratic Party long ago gave up the fight over having a sensible tax rate for the richest people.

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Facts and figures are useful when you try to get through the smokescreen of political spin. Here are facts about the tax deal — a bad one, in my view.

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To understand how absolutely absurd the debate is over taxes in the U.S., you just have to cast an eye across the Atlantic to France. The right wing in France supports tax rates higher than the left wing in the U.S. Yes, really.

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I wish this phony debate about the debt and deficit “crisis” would be over because, truthfully, I’m running out of clever new ways to call this bi-partisan exercise the stupidity it truly is. So, sigh, here we go again — but I can leave it to others to call it by its true name.

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You want a visual of what the phony fight about the fiscal “crisis” really is about? Here you go.

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I’m not sure if this is true — I treat anything written in The New York Times on economics with a grain of salt. But, it’s worth considering that the rich have nothing to fear but that’s not a surprise.

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Personally, I’ve never minded paying taxes. Sure, I’d prefer my money stop going to immoral wars, bloated defense contractors, tax breaks for polluting companies, and the very wealthy. But, the burden is not a big one — maybe it’s also because I’m not obsessed with shopping (but that’s a different problem in society). And the reason most people should not feel a burden is that, well, taxes are pretty low.

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