taxes

March 5, 2013

MUST WATCH: Wealth Inequality in America, perception vs reality (data visualization)

Alarming doesn’t quite cover it…

I’d read about this report before, but the data visualization here really makes it crystal clear how abysmal our situation is. One of the best data visualizations I’ve seen. (Although I still think showing the HEIGHT of the wealth of the top 1% would have been more effective than trying to present it as a block.)

If you know anyone who doesn’t understand what the whole “99%” thing is about, show them this. Hell, just show it to everyone you know. The future of our country could depend on it…

(But God forbid we raise taxes on the wealthy by a few percentage points — oh no, no no nonono, that would be unfair, that would be “wealth redistribution,” that would be “Socialism,” that would punish success, that would hurt the economy, that would kill jobs by taking money from the “producers,” the “job creators”… blahblahblhablahblahblhab. Crock. Of. Excrement.

The silver lining in this cloud (or black hole of toxic sludge and fecal matter) we’re in? The people are united. 90% of us at least. And the main reason those at the top can get away with this, is that we are ignorant. Our perception of reality is completely flawed. With this information now spreading like wildfire, and presented in such a way than any person can easily grasp it, maybe class consciousness will start to emerge again…

[ via @mashable : http://mashable.com/2013/03/02/wealth-inequality/ ]
March 3, 2013

Tea Party Paradise

[ source: facebook : americans against the republican party : 
November 28, 2012

This is a tough one…

September 24, 2012

Enjoy your pie, @MittRomney

August 18, 2012

Why the tax returns matter

”
How a person manages their own finances reflects on how they would manage the finances of our country. They tell you what a candidate stands to gain, and lose, from a variety of policies — like changes to our tax code. They tell you about a person’s ethics, their priorities, and their commitment to transparency.

…
[Romney’s] 2010 release raises more questions than it answers:

Why did Romney keep millions of dollars in a Swiss bank account? Why does he have a shell corporation in Bermuda? As voters, we shouldn’t just be curious. We should be outraged about this. Because you know that as Romney vetted his new running mate, Paul Ryan, he asked for several full years of disclosure on his financial history. And when you play by two sets of rules before you even make it into office, it doesn’t bode well for what’s to come.
…
”
–Jim Messina, Obama campaign manager

August 8, 2012

FACT: unless you’re a billionaire, Obama’s plan is better than Romney’s, which is “Robin Hood in Reverse.””

A non-partisan report compares President Barack Obama’s tax plan with that of the GOP.

In every instance President Obama offers lower taxes for the poorest citizens, while the GOP offers lower taxes on the richest among us.

Meaning unless you are a billionaire, the president’s plan is more favorable than Romney’s.

Read the actual report

[ via Justin Anderson via We survived Bush. You will survive Obama. ]
December 4, 2010

Rep. Grayson on the Limbaugh/Beck/Palin Tax Cuts



“

We hear a lot of talk about the “Bush Tax Cuts.” And why not? According to Newsweek, George W. Bush “earns” $4.2 million from paid speeches, public appearances and miscellaneous punditry each year. Hence the Bush Tax Cuts cut Bush’s own taxes by an amazing $187,552 each year. And that’s not even counting how much the Bush tax cuts engorge Bush’s investment income.

So Bush cut his own taxes. No wonder Bush is in favor of extending those tax cuts.

He’s not the only one. Here is how much the Bush tax cuts benefit – each year – some other folks you may have heard of:

Rush Limbaugh – $2,689,135. 
Glenn Beck – $1,512,352 
Sean Hannity – $1,006,352 
Bill O’Reilly – $914,352 
Sarah Palin – $638,352 
Newt Gingrich – $247,352

Maybe we should call them the “Rush Limbaugh Tax Cuts.” Or the “Glenn Beck Tax Cuts.” Because the reason why these right-wing blowhards support tax cuts for the rich is that they support tax cuts for themselves.

Which will cost our country almost $100 billion a year. Enough to give $30,000-a-year jobs to 3 million Americans. To cut unemployment by two percent, immediately. And to get our economy moving again.

I’m not going to vote for tax cuts for the rich. I’m going to vote for jobs.

Courage,

Rep. Alan Grayson

“

Alan, your voice will be missed.