re: In 2015, top 20% of income earners paid 83.9% of all federal income taxes

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The highest tax bracket was at one time over 90%

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While technically true, the sheer amount of exceptions and deductions made the effective tax rate closer to 40%.

But let's step back.

It is immoral to confiscate 90% of somebody's income.

That is blatantly authoritarian.

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he highest tax bracket was at one time over 90%.

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For anything earned over $3M.

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Yes, it did. The highest tax bracket was at one time over 90%

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The tax code was a couple of pages then there was a thousand pages of exemptions. No one paid more than 40-45%

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that's the thing about morality. its subjective

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Not always.

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Exactly. The people sucking up 60% of the budget.

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those lucky bastards renting 600 square foot apartments and working at mcdonalds for the rest of their lives.

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60% of federal spending is on 2 welfare programs

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That's not quite accurate.

That 60% is for mandated benefits, not "welfare programs". Social Security, for example, is something that we pay into separately. I'm not saying it isn't broken, but it isn't a welfare program, it is a retirement program.

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Social Security is funded through payroll taxes. Until 2011, Social Security collected more in tax revenues than it paid out in benefits. That's because for every beneficiary withdrawing from the fund, there were 3.3 younger workers paying into it. Over the years, this created a surplus in the Social Security Trust Fund.

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So while it is part of the overall budget, it isn't paid entirely by you.

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Both payroll taxes and income taxes are based on an employee's wages or salary. The difference is who pays. A payroll tax is paid at least partly by the employer, while income taxes are paid by employees. Federal payroll taxes are for Social Security, Medicare and unemployment insurance.

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Medicare is also part of the same component, partially paid by payroll taxes.

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The Medicare Part A Hospital Insurance program, which collects enough payroll taxes to pay current benefits. Medicare Part B, the Supplementary Medical Insurance program and Part D, the new drug benefit. Payroll taxes and premiums cover only 57 percent of benefits. The remaining 43 percent is financed from general tax revenues. That means Medicare contributes to the budget deficit. Rising healthcare costs means general revenues would have to pay for 62 percent of Medicare costs by 2030. As with Social Security, the tax base is insufficient to pay for this.

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The problem with this line of logic is confusing WELFARE programs with RETIREMENT programs. One is for people who are presently capable to work, but earn to little or nothing at all and are being taken care of (with exception, of course, for those who are truly disabled and unable to do so).

The other, however, is for people who have spent 40+ years of their lives already working and paying into the system.

Why does it bother me?

Because my grandfather, who is in his 90s, gets a social security check. He fought in WWII. He worked well into his 60s and beyond. He raised 4 wonderful kids, including my mother.

And if you came up to me and told me he was taking welfare, you're going to wonder why you're suddenly on the ground and tasting copper.

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Here's the important point:

It's NOT YOUR GODDAMN MONEY.

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here's another point: IF YOU DON'T LIKE TAXES GO SOMEWHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TAXES LIKE AFRICA AND LET ME KNOW HOW THAT WORKS!

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here's another point: IF YOU DON'T LIKE TAXES GO SOMEWHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TAXES LIKE AFRICA AND LET ME KNOW HOW THAT WORKS!

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Congrats. That has absolutely zero to do with the massive amount of money we spend on welfare programs in this country.

But statist on little statist.

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With government programs to provide education and training, these people deserve it.

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if that sounds appealing you should strive for it. personally i'm looking for more out of life, and while i love making money, i have no problem not making as much so other people don't starve.

we can definitely cut the hell out of spending, but it really blows my mind how so many god fearing conservative christians don't give a flying f**k about their less fortunate brothers and sisters