The DNC KenyanCommieMooselimbDidn'tBuildIt MegaThread!

[Jacob]

Just seems unfair to me that workers at profitable companies get credited for their contribution to corporate taxes in a way that employees at nonprofits don't.

Who assigns credit like that?

[Admiral Yi]

Military service, working in certain nonprofits.

The problem with things like miliitary service and other government jobs is that people get paid to do them.  So you'd have to argue that their contribution to the public good is not fully captured by their compensation.  Which was maybe plausible back in the 70s and 80s but less so now.

This is different than a tax payment because when you pay your taxes you're receiving no direct benefit in return.  You're contributing to the common good by giving up something that has value and someone else is receiving the benefit.

[Admiral Yi]

Who assigns credit like that?

Max.

I think Canuck does too, but I paid less attention to his post and can't swear by it.

[Jacob]

Yi, you are the only one in this thread who's reducing the concept of citizenship to purely dollar value.

[Admiral Yi]

Yi, you are the only one in this thread who's reducing the concept of citizenship to purely dollar value.

No, that's your language.  I'm talking about contributions to the common good.  I'm saying half of Americans don't help to buy the cheese.

[CountDeMoney]

Yi, you are the only one in this thread who's reducing the concept of citizenship to purely dollar value.

He reduces free speech to a dollar value, why not citizenship?

[Razgovory]

I'm still curious about Yi's statement that half of all Americans make no net contribution to federal discretionary spending.

Something like half of income earners pay no income tax, if my memory serves.  Or maybe half of income tax filers.

You are aware that are more taxes then just income tax, right?

[Admiral Yi]

You are aware that are more taxes then just income tax, right?

Yes.

[Razgovory]

Good.  Perhaps you can walk back your statement then.

[Admiral Yi]

Good.  Perhaps you can walk back your statement then.

Perhaps, but most likely not.

Feel free to explain how Social Security and Medicare taxes contribute to the common good though.

[Maximus]

So you'd have to argue that their contribution to the public good is not fully captured by their compensation. 

Indeed you would.

[dps]

Good.  Perhaps you can walk back your statement then.

Perhaps, but most likely not.

Feel free to explain how Social Security and Medicare taxes contribute to the common good though.

I think he was talking about state sales taxes, property taxes, etc.

[grumbler]

Just seems unfair to me that workers at profitable companies get credited for their contribution to corporate taxes in a way that employees at nonprofits don't.

Care to expand on this?  How do employees get credited for their "contribution" to corporate taxes?  How do employees of a nonprofit differ from employees at a profit-making company running in the red?

[grumbler]

Feel free to explain how Social Security and Medicare taxes contribute to the common good though.

I would have thought this to be rather obvious.  Social Security taxes pay disabled people enough that they don't have to resort to begging or crime to obtain their daily needs.  Medicare taxes reimburse healthcare providers so that those in locales with large numbers of old folks don't get driven out of business by being forced to provide emergency care for old people who cannot afford to buy medical care and drugs on their own.

Feel free to explain why you didn't realize this.

[garbon]

Disabled people getting away with crimes?