President Signs Defense Bill

[moondogg]

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At least our administration doesnt take half of our income in taxes

Actually our tax burden is higher than half.

Lets see: Fed tax rate: 39, NY State and city: 12 Sales Tax: 8 property taxes: variable but large.

Note that our "tax cuts" of the past four years have actually caused an increase in our total taxes. Most state taxes and fees for services have increased. Only the myopic think that our taxes have gone down in the past four years.

Yet, our schools suck, large parts of the population has no health care, most Americans get little vacation time. Right now we are doing very little well, except spending money in Afghanistan to reduce the cost of Opium on our streets and in Iraq to increase the number of people willing to die in the name if Islam.

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Federal 39%? You're including SS taxes in this, right? 'Cause the maximum federal tax rate is 35%, and that's only for people making over 311K per year. Most people are paying 25-28%, and that is only on income made in excess of certain levels, not all income.

State 12%? This is not a very good example, IMHO. If you live and/or work in a city like NYC or Philly, you are going to get f'ed by the wage taxes, period. If you live and work outside a city, you pay only few points of taxes in most states.
8% sales tax? For most states, the sales tax rates are somewhere between 6% and 0%.

Besides, sales and property tax has nothing to do with your income, so it shouldn't really be included in the question of how much of your income you pay in taxes. For sales tax, it would probably be a better question of "how much of your income do you piss away on consumer goods?"

BTW, I pay less in taxes now as compared to a few years ago, period. Yes, my state taxes have gone up, but only a fraction of a point, as opposed to the several points my federal tax decreased. Yes, I may have to pay for services that they government may have provided if they had not lowered taxes, but that's a good thing (more choice, more value).

Inside Philadelphia, the wage tax is relatively large (5%), and the schools suck. Outside of the city, there is usually no city/town tax, and the schools are pretty good.

Yes, large parts of the population do not have healthcare. What does that have to with taxes? Are you actually suggesting that putting the government in charge of a national healthcare system would actually improve the situation? Right now, many people have healthcare, while the rest get f'ed. It's a hell of a lot better than everybody getting f'ed. Socialist-style programs have never worked yet, and I think it's silly to think it's going to work this time.

You get as much vacation time as you negotiate with your employer. If you don't like it, quit. Welcome to capitalism.