Nearly Half of All Americans Don’t Pay Income Taxes

[PorkChopSandwiches]

http://blog.heritage.org/wp-content/uploads/CDA-2012-index-dependence-govt-chart-1_732-552x1024.jpg

This year’s Index of Dependence on Government presented startling findings about the sharp increase of Americans who rely on the federal government for housing, food, income, student aid or other assistance.

Another eye-popping number was the percentage of Americans who don’t pay income taxes, which now accounts for nearly half of the U.S. population. Meanwhile, most of that population receives generous federal benefits.

“One of the most worrying trends in the Index is the coinciding growth in the non-taxpaying public,” wrote Heritage authors Bill Beach and Patrick Tyrrell. “The percentage of people who do not pay federal income taxes, and who are not claimed as dependents by someone who does pay them, jumped from 14.8 percent in 1984 to 49.5 percent in 2009.”

That means 151.7 million Americans paid nothing in 2009. By comparison, 34.8 million tax filers paid no taxes in 1984.

The rapid growth of Americans who don’t pay income taxes is particularly alarming for the fate of the American form of government, Beach and Tyrrell warned. Coupled with higher spending on government programs, it is already proving to be a major fiscal challenge.

“This trend should concern everyone who supports America’s republican form of government,” Beach and Tyrrell wrote. “If the citizens’ representatives are elected by an increasing percentage of voters who pay no income tax, how long will it be before these representatives respond more to demands for yet more entitlements and subsidies from non-payers than to the pleas of taxpayers to exercise greater spending prudence?”

[Muddy]

We gonna beat this horse again?

[PorkChopSandwiches]

Which horse would that be|? That corporations should pay more taxes while half of the counties citizens don't?

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Which horse would that be|? That corporations should pay more taxes while half of the counties citizens don't?

Not to mention that those that don't pay any taxes use the most government services

[PorkChopSandwiches]

exactly, which do you think is worse, half of America sucking up "free" services while not paying in or Large Corporations not paying the "fair share"

[Teh One Who Knocks]

exactly, which do you think is worse, half of America sucking up "free" services while not paying in or Large Corporations not paying the "fair share"

Don't start talking like that, you will be labeled a hater of poor people :nono:

[Muddy]

Don't start talking like that, you will be labeled a hater of poor people :nono:

Or even worse, a pawn of the rich..

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Or even worse, a pawn of the rich..

Yes, I'm soooooo wealthy :rolleyes:

[Muddy]

Yes, I'm soooooo wealthy :rolleyes:

Buy me a pony...

[PorkChopSandwiches]

Or even worse, a pawn of the rich..

:hand:

[Muddy]

:hand:

:nono:

[PorkChopSandwiches]

:hand:


:nono:

:wank:

[Muddy]

:hand:


:nono:


:wank:


:tubgirl:

[Acid Trip]

Which horse would that be|? That corporations should pay more taxes while half of the counties citizens don't?

:+1:


Not to mention that those that don't pay any taxes use the most government services

:+1:

Personally I think that if you get a refund (or pay nothing at all) you shouldn't get to vote. It amazes me that people who contribute nothing get to decide the direction of our country.

If people want to vote make them pay a minimum of 5% of their income. It's not asking a lot considering all the benefits they get (national defense, roads/bridges, federal assistance, etc).

[Pony]

Buy me a pony...

[-(

[PorkChopSandwiches]

I agree, you dont contribute, you shouldn't get a vote

[Acid Trip]

I agree, you dont contribute, you shouldn't get a vote

5% from 50% of the population (the part currently paying nothing) would be a windfall for the federal government.

[RBP]

Well then change the tax code, but don't deny citizens voting rights. That's ridiculous.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

What I think pisses me off the most about these people not paying federal income tax is that a huge majority of them get refunds on top of not having to pay tax because of EIC.

:wtf:

If you don't pay, then you definitely shouldn't be getting a fucking refund.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

If you don't pay, then you definitely shouldn't be getting a fucking refund.

This too

[Muddy]

[-(

Get in the bag! :x

[Acid Trip]

Well then change the tax code, but don't deny citizens voting rights. That's ridiculous.

Fixing the tax code would benefit this country so greatly it cannot be expressed in words.

The problem is that the bottom 50% (not paying any taxes or taking home credits) want to keep taxes the way they are or just raise taxes "on the rich and corporations". Non-contributors outnumber the people who pay taxes. So you have more votes for the status quo then you do fixing the problem. Unless you change the tax code (or remove the bottom 50%'s ability to vote) the non-contributors will continue not contributing.

The number of non-tax paying citizens outnumbers those who pay taxes. This is a catastrophe waiting to happen.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

The number of non-tax paying citizens outnumbers those who pay taxes. This is a catastrophe waiting to happen.

Once we tip the 50% point, there will be nothing we can do to save to country

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Fixing the tax code would benefit this country so greatly it cannot be expressed in words.

The problem is that the bottom 50% (not paying any taxes or taking home credits) want to keep taxes the way they are or just raise taxes "on the rich and corporations". Non-contributors outnumber the people who pay taxes. So you have more votes for the status quo then you do fixing the problem. Unless you change the tax code (or remove the bottom 50%'s ability to vote) the non-contributors will continue not contributing.

The number of non-tax paying citizens outnumbers those who pay taxes. This is a catastrophe waiting to happen.

That's exactly why Herman Cain was attacked so viciously over his 9-9-9 plan.

[Muddy]

Fixing the tax code would benefit this country so greatly it cannot be expressed in words.



So why doesnt somebody friggin do it?

I'll tell you why.. The Repubs are protecting the rich, and the dems are protecting the poor.. Nobody's meeting in the middle!

[FBD]

Fixing the tax code would benefit this country so greatly it cannot be expressed in words.

The problem is that the bottom 50% (not paying any taxes or taking home credits) want to keep taxes the way they are or just raise taxes "on the rich and corporations". Non-contributors outnumber the people who pay taxes. So you have more votes for the status quo then you do fixing the problem. Unless you change the tax code (or remove the bottom 50%'s ability to vote) the non-contributors will continue not contributing.

The number of non-tax paying citizens outnumbers those who pay taxes. This is a catastrophe waiting to happen.

And there's my big problem with Romney - points #1 and #2 of his 68 or however many point plan to fix this call for maintaining current individual and corporate rates. How is that "addressing the problem" or "fixing things" in the least?

and if he is "convinced" to "move more towards being a conservative" then what does that say for how he will spontaneously deal with new an upcoming problems that he isnt able to take the pulse of before having to make a choice?

[PorkChopSandwiches]

So why doesnt somebody friggin do it?

I'll tell you why.. The Repubs are protecting the rich, and the dems are protecting the poor.. Nobody's meeting in the middle!

The dems are also protecting the rich

[FBD]

and anyone not expressing (fiscal) conservatism is right in on the fkin of the middle class.

[Hal-9000]

you should jail the people that don't file....create new prisons and jobs in California for the tax dodgers :dance: