As to organics and the food markets (comment #30), if the federal government invokes carbon tax fees then the price of chemical fertilizers are likely to increase substantially. This will help organically produced foods to be more competitive.

Sincerely,

Chris Worsley

Proportionate to what? I deal with proportions all day, every day. I can assure you I can make a tax “proportionate”, but the rich will not think it’s fair.

There are about 3% of household in this country who make above 200K a year. I’m sure most work very hard. I am also sure most derive at least some, if not most of their earnings not directly from their labor, but from the labor of those below them. Those also working hard, but passing some, if not most, of their income up the food chain.

Take the owner of a trucking company:

He is benefiting much more than me from the labor of his long-haul truckers he employes, the subsidizing of roads, highways and bridges. The subsidizing of oil. The military keeping the world stable in order for commerce to continue unabated and for him to have things to ship. The free education that his book-keepers and middle-managers obtained. The public health initiatives that keep his work force on the job. And on and on.

What’s “proportionate” taxation for him to repay to this country all the tremendous benefits that he has owning a company in the great land? I argue it more than some barista walking to work on Capital Hill. Not only because he can afford to pay more, but also because he owes more, because this country has provided him the opportunity to make something from his hard work.

There was a poll in the NYTimes magazine a year or so ago, asking people if they felt poor “in the presence of the rich”.

The people who responded saying they felt poor, were not the actual poor, or even the “middle-class”, but those making more than $200K.

I find this to be a clue as to where our country went off the tracks these last few years.

If I’m confronted with one of these individuals, we will never agree on what is “fair”. Their perceptions are something I will never be able to wrap my head around, no matter how much money I end up making in my life.

At least I hope not.

I think in order for something to be fair, it needs to be porportionate.

For the record, today I’m so tired of hearing Timothy Geithner talk about “fair” and income taxes…considering how he tried to slip by not paying back taxes he owed…ironic.

If you are living off of 20K a year, 35% of that or 7K would be the difference between eating top-raman and Annie’s mac and cheese.

For those earning 200K, a year, it means a Lexus instead of a Mercedes.

I think I’ll let them eat Annie’s and let the rich make due with the Lexus.

Creepy.

I am also in favor if getting rid of waste and promoting jobs. I’m also for fair taxation. I’m not sure who isn’t.

I just happen to think that those who have inordinately benefited from all this country provides – be it infrastructure, education, government funded research, health care, security, or any of a thousand other things that people take for granted but makes this country great and allows people to take those risks and make their mint – they should pay back what I consider a fair share, so that the next generation will also share in the fruits of our great nation and continue to allow all those less fortunate a chance, through hard work, to also achieve a prosperous lifestyle.

I particularly think that those who profit on the backs of those less fortunate should pay even greater percentages in order to pay for the health care and education that their employees might otherwise not be able to afford.

If you think 10% of income will perpetuate that, you need to look at the numbers a bit more closely. That wouldn’t even fund the military, much less the important things.

You make $20,000 = 2k for tax.
200k = 20k

Look at Greg Perry’s comment again…it’s wrong to have those with the highest income taxed at the highest rate.

I’m for getting rid of waste and promoting jobs…and fair taxation (if we must be taxed).

bleh… ps….is it my computer or do you now write all the post at RCG (check out the photos below).

I repeat: if you can find even one person in our entire nation making less than 250K who’s situation hasn’t changed, whose tax bill increases in 2009 vs. 2008, I’ll be the first to call Obama a liar. Until then, it’s just a bunch of Limbaugh rhetoric in my mind.