Tax the Rich!

A lot of people claim that the more "liberal" policies put in place fail. And while right-wing/conservative/Republican policies sometimes fail as well, the thing about the leftist policies, so it seems, is that everything has to line up in a make-believe world in order for any of them to work. The entire vision has to be realized, or else it's like ramming a square peg into a round hole. For instance: the "tax the rich" slogan hits at business owners. But that's only part of it. The full vision is for business owners to effectively make what they pay their employees, full equality, and for everyone to share in universal healthcare, and for everyone to be guaranteed a job, and for everyone to be guaranteed money. When you stand back and look at the whole thing, imagining if things actually worked like that, you'd have to wonder just who would be "rich" and who would be taxed were business owners to be on the level of employees and should every working individual already be kicking into the pot for everyone else's healthcare. Equal profit-sharing business and universal healthcare does not even begin to pull us out of debt. It doesn't even help to balance the budget. So they'd still be trying to tax more. Just what do these people expect to happen? I'm always feeling like the stupid one, because obviously I cannot see what they can see. And I often ask for it to be explained. Tell it to me like I'm two. I don't mind being talked down to so long as it makes sense. Here's a quick idea: instead of risking private business fleeing and letting go of thousands upon thousands of workers, why don't they simply remove some of the tax breaks they have in place for businesses like GE? Why don't they cut out the loopholes for rich people's property taxes and all the other loopholes they have? Why don't they draw a clear distinction amongst businesses, as in those able to afford tax hikes and those needing breaks to cover their books? If they cleaned up the current system, taxes wouldn't need to be raised. Companies like Catepillar would go unscathed, companies like GE can surely afford it, and we'd all benefit in the end. Instead of fixing the existing problems, cleaning up the rules they already have, government feels as if throwing more rules on top of the old ones will correct the problems. And people vote for these idiots? State, federal, a schmuck on the town council - it doesn't seem to matter. America is packed full of inept policy makers. Greece'll be bailing us out before too long.

Actually, that's not true and apparently never was: http://chicagobreakingbusiness.com/2011/03/caterpillar-ceo-no-plans-to-leave-illinois.html The total amount the tax increase will bring in to the state is around $6 billion so it wouldn't cost that one company anywhere near that amount. I have no problem with states being "business friendly" but the way everything has been put on the backs of working middle-class people in recent years is hurting the economy more than anything else. For businesses to flourish they must have customers! Annie

What most people do not understand is that Business PAYS NO TAXES. What ever the government collects from business business passes it along to the consumer as an expense. Politicians know this and that is why the want to tax the business because it does not hurt the business except it makes their product more expensive and they lose market share and have to cut employees because of reduced business.

Remember when Candidate Obama used Catepillar as a shining example of the jobs he would create if he was elected? Remember Caterpillar saying that he took their words out of context? Now Caterpillar is a shining example of why Obamanomics sucks! I hope Gov. Walker has recruiters working on deals to get them to move up here to Wisconsin, we are "Open For Business" after all!

We need to eliminate tax breaks for companies outsourcing jobs. That's been a major problem all along. People who believe in trickle down economics are in favor of lightening the tax responsiblity of large companies and then those companies take those tax breaks and turn around and outsource the jobs. These companies need to pay some taxes. They are using the resouces of this country and for that they should be taxed but the ones who are outsourcing should not be untaxed. They are still companies with a base in the US. Doesn't caterpillar as a rule set up operating plants in whatever country (or countries) give them large contracts? Aren't they still an American company with a base in this country? Don't they still get the same tax credits for employing foreign labor that they get for employing US citizens?

Absolutely. There was another Illinois company moving - to Wisconsin because of more business-friendly taxes that Governor Walker just lowered for them. It's a proven fact that in the years our country has lowered taxes, it has actually increased revenues. And when they've increased them, the revenues have decreased. We now have the highest corporate federal taxes. Then when you add state and county and city taxes that some areas have, it's no wonder businesses are going elsewhere, and sometimes out of the country all together.

All that is needed is a VAT Tax of 2.5% across the nation not to mention taxing Businesses is completely stupid I mean really they shouldn't tax businesses because the cost of the tax just goes down to the consumer which in this case would be construction companies which is the last industry you want to raise its prices as well we need homes to go down in price not up. It isn't possible to tax a business all they do is raise the price of their products and well Caterpillar would have no issue raising its prices as well it is known to be a very good manufacture of construction equipment.

If we continue to tax the rich.. what motivation is there for any of us to aspire to become rich?

It is the aim of Marxism/Socialism/Communism and our current government to destroy capitalism and thus, US sovereignty. Then the masses aka slaves will dependent on the "state" and not God, who gives us liberty and free will.

this may be one of the reasons why some corporations establish their production divisions in some asian countries. i am from the philippines. and i am well aware that international corporations are given tax exemptions and other benefits just for setting up shop in here. it seems cheaper to transport parts and products than to pay government taxes.