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ruffryder

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Yes my definition is a word of shame.

When I hear welfare, I normally think of getting a check because you are poor. I normally don't think of welfare as the rich paying more in taxes then everyone else. Yes there is a shift in money, redistribution of sorts if you will, but I look at that as not being welfare. I think this is were a lot of disagreement/arguments come from between dems/repubs.

Wade, it seems I might need to change my definition. Could you be a little more precise in your definition from a technical perspective? I would assume that you define welfare as any shift in money/benefits (direct and indirect) from the rich to those not so rich. I am defining direct like the stimulus check, and indirect as the rich pay more in taxes then everyone else, so the not rich, middle class pay less for fire/roads/police.

No, an unemployment check is referred to properly as unemployment insurance. Workers pay the insurance, laid off workers are partially covered. There's nothing wrong with that. As for handouts, if you pay $3000 in tax, and get a check for $5,000, where did the money magically come from then? Sounds like a hand out to me. Prove me wrong!

No argument here, that is a hand out and is wrong, though is that a realistic scenario? On another note, thanks for the correction on the unemployment.



Ah, but to declare a job, you mearly have to pick up one aluminum can, walk down to the recycler, and get $0.04 for it, and declare income on your income tax form. This is kinda long and deep, he is saying people that pay the most won't be getting the same percentage of money back, they are floating the poor.

Poor and middle class. They are floating you (and me) too! I think your example is a stretch.

Here he says he will give them money. How much plainer does it need to be.

I think your summation is a little simplistic. He is not giving them money, just that the rich aren't getting it back. On further thought, I think I am playing semantics and this goes back to the definition of welfare. I would view this as indirect. Note that you and I benefit from this too. Honestly, I tend to agree with this. With the creation of 401k's as the replacement for pensions in America, the contribution to retirement of companies has drastically decreased. The benefit is higher profit margins, stock prices, and the like. Though, it could be argued that it has a benefit from trickle down economics, but I see it as a loss.


When you see this, do you really think people making over $150K will ever see any? Do you really think people will NOT get a check if they only paid $1 in? How can we read the same sentences, and see something so different? I only base this off history. See the last rebate/stimulus check for an example.

We see different things because I am naive and you are pessimistic. I don't think it is right that people who don't pay in, or pay in very little, get money back, but I think you are infering that is the average benefit. The average benefit is the middle class and lower middle class... the average worker. I do agree that the stimulus checks that last went out was stupid, but again, your example was not average for the country. Yes, giving tax rebates to people who paid very little in taxes is wrong. I am not trying to argue otherwise, well maybe.:p

BTW, me and my wife both work, no kids, somehow we owe everyone else something. And, don't hand me the stupid line about their kids doing something for me one day..... I'll more than likely be paying for their kids to be housed in Jail, than good tax paying citizens.

I got no argument... but you are the one that will be benefiting too. (I know that alone, doesn't make it right). You personally will not be paying the redistribution, the rich will, unless of course your combined is over 250k, then disregard my comments.

Buffet is giving his money away. He's near the end of his life, and he has become emotional. (thank you Mrs. Gates) It's his money, he can do whatever he wants to with it. I think Buffet's idea of "rich people" is somewhat grander than anyone here can relate to.

Good point, I forgot to take that into his consideration. Though with his thirst for money being reduced, does that really reduce his knowledge in finances? I guess his motives seem to be in question, though I would say he is just seeing more clearly.

What kind of third world country shall we become, that you envision we need to be?

The best one?:p I see the future being heavily dependent on technology and energy, just like it is now. If through the global warming scare, we become leaders in both, we will be in a very strong place, from a security perspective, environmental perspective, and last but most important, from a economy perspective also. I see the green energy movement as a large opportunity for America.
 

ruffryder

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I think we are getting to the root philosophical disagreement.

Wade,

Do you disagree with every policy that has the rich paying for the benefits of the not rich? It seems like most of your arguments could be made at the existing system too.
 
W
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I think we are getting to the root philosophical disagreement.

Wade,

Do you disagree with every policy that has the rich paying for the benefits of the not rich? It seems like most of your arguments could be made at the existing system too.

The existing system is broken also, but I am against braking it even more. So, I believe a person that is capable, should work. If they are capable and don't work, they should be helped until they can get back on their feet. The problem is the endemic nature of the generational welfare "families". Why should someone be allowed to continue to not work, and do it for the rest of their life? At some point natural selection needs to kick in. Sorry, life's tough. I have plenty of sympathy for the old and the disabled, and the temporarily unemployed, and what not, but at this rate, everyone's going to be entitled to welfare. If everyone was taxed the same percentage, there would be no incentive to not work. Currently, if you get below a certain point, you end up paying more and more tax, the more you make. So, your actual take home pay doesn't increase very much. Suddenly, there's no incentive to better yourself. All I ask is call it what it is, if you get more than you pay, it's welfare.

Here's some facts about taxes. There are around 136 million tax returns every year. About 43 million of those tax returns pay zero dollars, or recieve more than they pay. (representing 91 million people) (source) In all probability, most get back more taxes than they pay. Why is this. Because welfare is a dirty word, and welfare recipients don't like the label. Also, welfare increases are not popular. So, the government created a "not so shameful" tax based welfare. We will just slip you the cash, and you don't have to be ashamed by food stamps and energy stamps, and cashing the welfare check every week. Then congress can claim it held welfare steady or even lowered it. Why hide welfare in this way?

Obama has stated over and over again that he intends to reduce lower middle class tax burdens. He might say, "make their taxes zero", he talks about the tax deductions that reduce their taxes "threw" zero.

I'm all for bridges and windmills, and other construction projects. I don't believe if long term welfare.

As far as the Global Warming thing goes. I see your point, I actually do. But, there are finite resources of time, people, and money, why can't use those finite resources to tackle "real" problems, in stead of imaginary ones? Why do only "certain" countries count, while other countries skate by?

Also, your creating the liability excuse of all time. Everyone in the world now as an excuse why something happened. Global warming sank my island, the West should pay us damages. Global warming is killing this animal, the West should pay. A hurricane, caused by Global Warming blew over my beach hut, the West should pay me. I got skin cancer, the West caused it. My well ran dry and my crops didn't grow, the West should provide me water and food. There's no end to this.

My little hatred of tax based welfare is just the start. I really fear that it will soon become liability based world welfare. All due to global warming.
 
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