Just got this from a freep friend....

[pdx_prog]

Is this double standard or what?.....the average millionaire can get by without paying their fair share, but let John Kerry do it and it is wrong?


Middle Class Said To Pay Higher Tax Rate Than Heinz Kerry And Kerry Mon Oct 11 2004 10:22:17 ET

Stephen Moore, president of the Club for Growth, writes in the WALL STREET JOURNAL on Monday: "According to the Kerrys' own tax records, and they have not released all of them, the couple had a combined income of $6.8 million in income last year and paid $725,000 in income taxes. That means their effective tax rate was a whopping 12.8%.... "Under the current tax system the middle class pays far more than the Kerry tax rate. In fact, the average federal tax rate -- combined payroll and income tax -- for a middle-class family is closer to 20% or more. George W. and Laura Bush, who had an income
one- tenth of the Kerrys', paid a tax rate of 30%. ...

"Here is the man who finds clever ways to reduce his own tax liability while voting for higher taxes on the middle class dozens of times in his Senate career. He even voted against the Bush tax cut that saves each middle-class family about $1,000." The Kerrys "have unwittingly made the case for what George W. Bush says he wants to do: radically simplify and flatten out the tax code. ... So before John Kerry is given the opportunity to raise taxes again on American workers, shouldn't he and Teresa at least pay their fair share?"

END

[Vickers]

1. Ask them about Georgie's tax returns

Oh, and fuck 'em. You don't need friends that are that stupid.

[oldlady]

2. Kerry SAID he wasn't taxed fairly

in both debates. Ummm...I agree with him.

[rfkrocks]

3. also what is wrong with using the tax code

to keep your money to give it to charity? Kerry may not want his money going into nukes and moabs and can spend it better that the freakazoid president

[olddem43]

4. The average middle class family doesn't pay anywhere near

20%. That might be an average for the marginal tax rate, i.e. the highest rate paid on the last few dollars, but if you divide the total tax paid by the gross income, it is usually far less. I have never paid over 10% federal tax on incomes ranging from 75,000 to 100,000. Some years it has been less than 6%. A lot depends on how many dependants you have and interest on your home mortgage. The tax issue is very overrated.

[FatSlob]

5. Hell yes they do.

Add in 7.5% for FICA, more for medicare, add in a couple of points for state taxes and another point for local. Then, add gasoline taxes, car taxes, real estate taxes, sales taxes and the rest.

[olddem43]

6. Yeah, if you want to add in all of that but -

I thought we were talking about federal income tax.

[FatSlob]

10. Sorry, I was talking about all taxes.

I think I confused this thread with another. Mea Culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

[Bandit]

8. And still you pay about half percentage wise as every other country

and still have way more benefits. You seem to want every thing just given to you. I am quite surprised you wish to be considered a liberal with your me me me attitude.

[FatSlob]

9. I vote based upon self interest. 90% of the time, (D) is my interest.

Just because we pay less than other people, doesn't mean that I am not overtaxed. Am I selfish? Yes. My family and myself comes first.

[Bandit]

11. That is where we differ. My Country comes first for me

That is why I served in the Military and why I consider myself a Patriot. What is good for my country is normaly good for myself and my family. I recognize that our country has needs that patriotic citizens need to meet. Taxes being just one of those needs.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

7. Just a thought... it has occurred to me... that your average supporter

of shrub might be sand bagging.

I mean... think of how devoted and how whole-heartedly they rallied around the pretzeldent after 911. How they fawned over his manliness... his determination to drive terrorists into Iraq and turn half of the Iraqi population into terrorists... his teeth grinding, his ascerbic wit, his deceptions and falsehoods.

Just think how difficult it would be for a person engaged in such boot licking to openly state that "they were wrong". Many people cannot and will not do that. Your pretzeldent is one such person.

Just wait 'til the curtains close on the voting booths next month... it will be a perfect time for the vigorous supporters of this miserable failure to find their true voices and vote accordingly.