Why does anyone feel they are entitled to anymore of MY money?

There has been a good deal of rhetoric coming from the White House and politcal pundits about people having to 'pay their fair share' or 'share the burden'. I am a former business owner (restaurant) who is now involved in the manufacturing sector for the past three years. While I no longer own a business I still put in nearly the same amount of hours, they are just condensed into the standard work week and no longer occupy my weekends.

I am not ashamed to admit that I was very successful when I had my business. I made a good profit each year and had a happy and dedicated client base. My partner and I sold it for a profit and I took the position I currently hold. I have also done quite well here and have helped our company grow despite the down economy.

While I am certainly not one of the 'millionares and billionaires' that seem to get vilified as of late I have done well and would fall under the target group of earners (due to filing jointly) that would see their taxes increase further if current White House sentiment were to become law.

When I sold my business I paid nearly 40% in taxes on the proceeds. This was after paying state and federal income taxes every year for thirteen years as well as strictly, in my opinion, punitive taxes such as New Jersey's Corporate Business Tax (CBT) which is basically a tax just for deciding you want to own a business. We decided to sell because of the prospect of diminshing returns for the amount of work required. I employed over 14 people when I sold it. Sadly, the people who bought it went out of business within two years and everyone lost their jobs. I has thankful that I was able to get a few of them work (one with me and two with friends) but I have second thoughts and regret about selling because of this and I know I could have kept the establishment running indefinetly.

In my new postition we currently pay, between our joint earnings, nearly 50% in taxes between state, federal and local property taxes.

So I ask again; at what point is it enough? How much more of the money I worked hard to earn will I be required to give? 55%? 60%? More?

At what point does someone feel obliagted to anymore of my hardwork? I have no issue paying my fair share, but I have a serious issue paying other people's fair share.

A simple case of morality. To borrow unlimited amounts of money to enhance the consumption habits of one generation to be paid back with devastating impacts upon the next generation is immoral. Period.

To constantly impose high taxes on the working people of one race so that members of another race may remain idle is immoral. Period.

Before you look down hill for the ones in your pocket add up everything just given this group of welfare queens
current.com...
I fully admit the safety net is broken and needs fixed but I also know who just skimmed all the cream out of this country and it is NOT the poor.
I have been in your shoes as a successfull business owner and know well the burden we carried. But as a human among humans I will gladly give to the less well off than me. Done deal no problem. Where I get furious is when folks like me who have had success get niggardly with the poor and completly ignore the true wealthy as they rake in the money from all sides and the trickle down is their urine going down your neck.
Like I said I know the sense of outrage you feel as multi-billion dollar profits are untaxed and those who really work and produce carry the load. All I can say is I will not judge the poor as they are a commodity being created in droves right now. I will look long and hard at those who sit on their capital fortunes as the world spins down though. History has always treated situations like this the same and it has always ended badly.
seed

I agree 100% OP. I am leaving my job in a few weeks and I plan to go on unemployment and get all of the other socialist entitlements I possibly can. Between federal, state, local and property taxes I pay over 40k/year in taxes. I say ENOUGH!!! I QUIT! By the time I grab all of the benefits I can, I hope to become a net loss of 75k or more to the "system". Unless you know where I can find Galt's Gulch, I quit. I am done subsidizing the lazy.

Edited to remove the 'quoted' offensive comment

If you're going to present your opinion, how about NOT being racist. People might take you slightly more seriously.

reply to post by gandamack2


WOW! Gonna be nice about this
www.msu.edu...
As one of those Darkies I forgive your profound ignorance
seed

reply to post by AugustusMasonicus


A lot about this subject on ATS lately.

I agree 50% is gouging. Too much to expect folks to stay in business. Maybe a better question is where does that money go? Can any of it be considered a reinvestment into my endeavor? If not, at least is it doing some good overall?

I do not own a business but I would feel, at this point, no. My money is seriously being misused. It goes out the window to defense contractors, wall street crooks, etc. So why on Earth should I struggle?

The latest scapegoats tend to be the poor or unemployed but I see that as simply a misdirect, somebody in your experience you can focus your frustration on. However, they do not write policy or enact laws. Someone else does that.

Originally posted by sonofliberty1776
I agree 100% OP. I am leaving my job in a few weeks and I plan to go on unemployment and get all of the other socialist entitlements I possibly can. Between federal, state, local and property taxes I pay over 40k/year in taxes. I say ENOUGH!!! I QUIT! By the time I grab all of the benefits I can, I hope to become a net loss of 75k or more to the "system". Unless you know where I can find Galt's Gulch, I quit. I am done subsidizing the lazy.

I hope you reconsider.

We were at a barbeque a few weeks ago and ended up sitting at a table with a woman who grew up with my wife's friend who was hosting. She had just flown in from California with her two children and was telling us how great being unemployed was for her. She has been doing societally productive activities such as going to her wine club every week.

Her last comment (before I went in the house and rammed my head through a door) was that if unemployment was not extended further she might-MIGHT-have to go and get a job.

50%. How much more so other people can still enjoy their wine club.

Originally posted by AugustusMasonicus
Why does anyone feel they are entitled to anymore of MY money?

In this new age of political correctness, all rich people are evil (by definition) *except* for celebrities, sportspersons and those who win the lottery. They are allowed to be rich.

Originally posted by mr-lizard

Originally posted by gandamack2
The darkies have been taken care of for generations now by the working taxpayers and the money is starting to lose its punch and they want more...and its not there...the mone pool has dried up...but they have been getting it so long hey think they are ENTITLED to it...thus the problem...especially with their champion in the white house telling them he will get it for them...

Darkies?

If you're going to present your opinion, how about NOT being racist. People might take you slightly more seriously.

I suspect he registered just to post that. It was obviously a sock puppet for someone.

Beyond that, how does he not know that there are more white people on welfare than blacks, unless you go as a percentage of total. Percentage wise, there are a higher number of blacks on welfare than whites; but in absolute numbers, there are more whites. That is all so irrelevant though. They seem to be linked by an attitude of entitlement regardless of race.

Originally posted by AugustusMasonicus

Originally posted by sonofliberty1776
I agree 100% OP. I am leaving my job in a few weeks and I plan to go on unemployment and get all of the other socialist entitlements I possibly can. Between federal, state, local and property taxes I pay over 40k/year in taxes. I say ENOUGH!!! I QUIT! By the time I grab all of the benefits I can, I hope to become a net loss of 75k or more to the "system". Unless you know where I can find Galt's Gulch, I quit. I am done subsidizing the lazy.

I hope you reconsider.

We were at a barbeque a few weeks ago and ended up sitting at a table with a woman who grew up with my wife's friend who was hosting. She had just flown in from California with her two children and was telling us how great being unemployed was for her. She has been doing societally productive activities such as going to her wine club every week.

Her last comment (before I went in the house and rammed my head through a door) was that if unemployment was not extended further she might-MIGHT-have to go and get a job.

50%. How much more so other people can still enjoy their wine club.

If anything, your anecdote reinforces my desire to drop out. Why should I support people like her?

Originally posted by alfa1

In this new age of political correctness, all rich people are [color=salmon] evil (by definition)

Yes.
Let's bring back the word [color=salmon] evil.

How about this usage.

Any amount of tax over 9% is [color=salmon] evil.

This includes all taxes: state, federal, local, sales, inheiritance, and all the other crap like $2 service fees on the utility bill. Add it all up. If the total taken from your money is greater than 9%, then it is evil.


David Grouchy

Originally posted by alfa1
In this new age of political correctness, all rich people are evil (by definition) *except* for celebrities, sportspersons and those who win the lottery. They are allowed to be rich.

But here is the thing. I live in Northern New Jersey, about 10 minutes from Manhattan. I do not consider myself rich. My property taxes are enough to buy you a car every year.

I had to refinance after I sold my business as my father became ill and was out of money. So I am paying off my house (albeit it is nice) again. My money goes to bills and taxes, just like everyone else I know. I do not have a private jet, I do not drive an exotic Italian sportscar and I do not have a trust fund.

Do not get me wrong, I like my life. I am typically very happy about how it has gone for me. I am frustrated because the government wants more of what I only have a finite amount of...MY TIME. WHen I work, I use my time to earn. I will never get that back, EVER. The government has wasted too much of MY time already. It does not need more than 50% of it. Hell, it does not even need 50% of it, it is wasteful and indifferent.

Originally posted by mustard seed
Where I get furious is when folks like me who have had success get niggardly with the poor...

I am sure you can tell by my screenname that I belong to a certain fraternal orginization. One of our main functions is charity, particularly for non-members. I try to donate time monthly to the Veterans Home near where I live. I also make monetary donations to certain charities which I feel have touched my in my life. I will go into more specifics if you require.

I do not loathe the poor. Only the lazy.

reply to post by AugustusMasonicus


I'm have nothing but respect for someone how builds or runs a successful business. My question is, could you have ran that business with the support of the society around you?

It's frustrating to think your taxes are going to people how don't take the effort to be successful themselves but that's only a portion of where taxes go. They also go to support the infrastructure that makes business possible and the lifestyle we all enjoy. The way I see it people who do a lot of business are using that infrastructure more then others and have an interested in making sure that infrastructure is the best it can be, for their own benefit.

Originally posted by villagesmithie
It's frustrating to think your taxes are going to people how don't take the effort to be successful themselves but that's only a portion of where taxes go. They also go to support the infrastructure that makes business possible and the lifestyle we all enjoy. The way I see it people who do a lot of business are using that infrastructure more then others and have an interested in making sure that infrastructure is the best it can be, for their own benefit.

I do not completely agree. Gasoline tax is supposed to go to infrastructure maintainence and improvement. Sadly most of it is used elsewhere hence our poor infrastructure.

The private companies I payed utilities to when I ran my business payed for the remaining infrastucture. Public Service Electric and Gas, New Jersey American Water, Verizon, etc. maintained the power generation and service infrastructure.

Once again, I have no problem paying my fair share, 50% is MORE than my fair share, that is part of other people's share.

Originally posted by villagesmithie
They also go to support the infrastructure that makes business possible

Infrastructure only costs 1/1000 th of what we are charged for it.

Huey P. Long
Invented the highway system.

Every dollar went to actually building roads with it.

When the other states got in on the game he could tell they were skimming almost all the money.
After deciding to run for president to do something about it he was shot.

It is not your fault that four/five generations of propaganda later
a person believes that we should pay even more to "repair our crumbling infrastructure."


David Grouchy

it's because it's not your money....it belongs to the federal reserve, even has their name on it...you just rent it, your rent comes in the form of taxes...we still have to give every single dollar ever printed back to the federal reserve plus the interest...... where ya gonna get the interest? america's land and all of our possessions, including our services....once you realize that the money isn't yours and that they can take it back when ever they want to, you'll understand the rest.....

I sympathize with your feelings AugustusMasonicus (Love the name by the way). I have heard and personally know of people who are on unemployment, who do not need to be, but choose to be. It is partly because they feel that the governernment owes them, and partly because they have become comfortable receiving a check each month for doing nothing. Also, it is very frustrating to hear reports of people who have been on unemployment for over a year or so. It is very hard for me to believe that if someone is really trying to get a job, that they cannot get something at or even slightly below their skill set within a year. I have worked very hard most of my life, and worked at jobs that I did not necessarily like, to support myself, my education, and my family. When I have been unemployed, I have never collected unemployment, and this is mainly because I was too busy looking for my next job to stop by the unemployment department. It is difficult to be taxed so highly (as I also have self employment income), and see others misuse the goverment's assistance.