If you pay taxes on your winnings, you are immoral....

[CollegePlayer]

Those who's main source of income comes from poker, and thus are professionals, should in my opinion pay taxes.

Those who play poker as a hobby, not professionally, should not.

The tax system for gambling is unjust. Losers are only allowed to make deductions up to the amount of their losses, while winners pay on anything positive. Clearly, the government has taken the role of "House", and always wins.

Question: What business is it of the government anyways if two adults decide to play a card game in the privacy of their own home?

By paying taxes on your gambling earnings, essentially you make the statement: The System is fair.

If you disagree with the system, it is your job as an American citizen to disobey it.

Do it for Patrick Henry!

[AndysDaddy]

It is not sufficient to just disobey an unjust law. You must also work to change it. What are your plans in this area?

[CollegePlayer]

[ QUOTE ]
It is not sufficient to just disobey an unjust law. You must also work to change it. What are your plans in this area?

[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, I have talked to my local congressman (state senate) and told him my opinions on gambling taxes after he made a joke to someone else about their "poker face".

[astroglide]

should somebody not pay sales tax on a car if they're not a car dealer?

as for "the house always winning", it's that way anyway. if two businesspeople buy and sell the same items back and forth to each other with no profit, eventually the government will get all of their money. it's not unique to poker.

[GWB]

We can argue if the level of taxes is proper for our society. Personally I prefer lower taxes, which is why I send bills to Congress to lower taxes. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Some contribution to one's society is essential however, for the provision of the common defense and infrastructure. Many (soldiers for example) contribute more than their fair share. Paying taxes is one of the least burdensome contributions most of us can make to our society.

[whiskeytown]

esp. if you're a corporate hack who buys tax breaks and shelters....

it's also easier when your daddy gives you every job, from oil man to baseball team owner to appointing the justices that give you the president's seat.

RB

[jedi]

[ QUOTE ]

it's also easier when your daddy gives you every job, from oil man to baseball team owner to appointing the justices that give you the president's seat.

RB

[/ QUOTE ]

Look, if you want to blame someone for the Bush presidency, blame the 3,000 voters in Florida for confusing "Buchanan" with "Gore". Or maybe blame Gore himself for failing to win his own home state. But according to the media, the 2nd re-count would have ultimately ended the same way the 1st one did, with Bush ahead by a couple hundred.

[GWB]

[ QUOTE ]
...to appointing the justices that give you the president's seat.

RB

[/ QUOTE ]

For the record, my Dad appointed 2 justices:

One (Thomas) voted for me

One (Souter) voted against me

Since those votes cancel each other, I guess I won without the help of my Dad on that one /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[djack]

[ QUOTE ]
Actually, I have talked to my local congressman (state senate) and told him my opinions on gambling taxes after he made a joke to someone else about their "poker face".

[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, you talked to your local state senator.

Congressman are...y'know, in Congress.

[djack]

[ QUOTE ]
esp. if you're a corporate hack who buys tax breaks and shelters....

it's also easier when your daddy gives you every job, from oil man to baseball team owner to appointing the justices that give you the president's seat.

RB

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think I'm going to dispute your factual assertions, because I think even you know they aren't true.

[WillMagic]

What? Stop paying taxes? Taxes are the one benefit that society gets from my poker playing. Some people create cars, or computer programs; I create taxable income.

Will

[Yod]

Agree 100% Come here to Canada.No taxes on Gambling winnings YeeeeHaaaaaaa /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Bubbagump]

[ QUOTE ]
Taxes are the one benefit that society gets from my poker playing.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think this is correct. I think most recreational poker players are much like recreational gamblers in the sense that they budget a certain proportion or disposable income for the game and look at it as entertainment. Bear in mind, I'm talking strictly recreational players not degenerate freakazoids who don't know when to quit and are will put their own lively hood and that of their family's in jeopardy over this game. I am also not referring to skilled recreational players who are currently beating their game and expect to continue that trend over the long run.

With that said, you could look at any professional poker player or skilled recreational player as providing a service to those who play for entertainment purposes only.

That's my take on it anyway.

Bubbagump

[CollegePlayer]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Actually, I have talked to my local congressman (state senate) and told him my opinions on gambling taxes after he made a joke to someone else about their "poker face".

[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, you talked to your local state senator.

Congressman are...y'know, in Congress.

[/ QUOTE ]
There is a Florida State Congress made up of senators and representitives... you dildo...

[SomethingClever]

I'm happy to pay taxes on poker income... I just want it to be done logically.

As in... none of this futzing around with millions of different sessions. I just want to add my net poker income to my regular taxable income and proceed from there.

[elwoodblues]

[ QUOTE ]
Losers are only allowed to make deductions up to the amount of their losses, while winners pay on anything positive

[/ QUOTE ]

Is this different from any other "hobby" income? For example, someone sets up an e-bay business selling some god-awful bead necklasses. They buy a ton of beads and only sell 1 necklass. How much can they deduct?

[GWB]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Congressman are...y'know, in Congress.

[/ QUOTE ]
There is a Florida State Congress made up of senators and representitives... you dildo...

[/ QUOTE ]

There is no Florida Congress, it is called the Florida Legislature. So you were wrong to call a State Senator a "Congressman". Here is the link to the Florida Legislature (http://www.leg.state.fl.us/), notice they don't call themselves a "Congress".

ps - the Governor of Florida is the nuts and will be our future President. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[JTrout]

you dildo...

Why do folks use that term like it's a bad thing?

Now, "you used piece of toilet paper" I could understand.

[Easy E]

Given that each state has two.... Local? Maybe in Rhode Island....

[TaxGoddess]

I just view the taxes I pay as if I am paying myself - your taxes pay my salary as a tax attorney for the IRS. If there were no taxes I wouldn't get paid (and would be out of a job /images/graemlins/frown.gif )

[Thythe]

[ QUOTE ]
I just view the taxes I pay as if I am paying myself - your taxes pay my salary as a tax attorney for the IRS. If there were no taxes I wouldn't get paid (and would be out of a job /images/graemlins/frown.gif )

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you monitoring us for violations?

[Lottery Larry]

If you don't pay (in the US) you're not only stupid, you're asking for a world of hurt someday.

As far as the "fairness"- you are given an opportunity to play a game and make money at it. Contributing some to the system that allows the games to happen and funds it through other people's money that they have to earn is a small price in my opinion.

[SevenStuda]

lol

[TaxGoddess]

LOL. No way - that is the revenue agents job. I just provide legal advice, and make sure they don't try to take more than the Service is legally entitled to. /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[SwiftBradley]

This post is worthless.

[Malificent]

I'm with you here - all I ask is that I be allowed to pay my taxes on poker income in a logical, straightforward manner. Of course, this is the IRS, so that may have been asking too much.

[Lou]

senators from a state legislature are called state senators, the two per state senators are called U.S. senators, so "state senator" is a correct term.

[Daliman]

[ QUOTE ]
ps - the Governor of Florida is the nuts and will be our future President.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, may as well keep the monarchy of mediocrity going.

Wait, that's not true....

SUB-mediocrity.

[Easy E]

I KNOW what a state senator is, but only his/her home town can consider that senator "local"