HALF of Americans don't pay income tax despite crippling government debt

Daily Mail (UK) ^ | February 22, 2012

[ConservativeStatement]

Only half of U.S. citizens pay federal income tax, according to the latest available figures.

In 2009, just 50.5 per cent of Americans paid any income tax to the federal government - the lowest proportion in at least half a century.

And the number of people outside the tax system could have climbed even higher since as the economic downturn has continued to bite and unemployment has remained high.

[ConservativeStatement]

And yet some people don't see this as a crisis.

[P-Marlowe]

Since every working American pays 15% of their wages in social security income taxes and Medicare income taxes, who are these 50.5% of Americans?

[rockvillem]

The malign fruit of Cloward-Piven, Marxism, Bill Ayers, etc. Team Obama’s goal has so CLEARLY been to get that number past 50 percent of those eligible to vote. After that, it’s game over for the great republic we’ve had since 1789.

[muawiyah]

The federal income tax was DESIGNED to affect only the top 1 or 2 percent of wage earners.

The fact it directly affects over 50% of wage earners, and 100% of wage earners through it's Social Security FICA tax, is a demonstration of its abject failure to meet its first objective.

It is time to consider other, modern forms of financing for the federal government.

It is utterly stupid and a demonstration of bankruptcy of thought to imagine that this antiquated and failing tax system should be expanded!

[JudgemAll]

Some do pay in blood when they die in battle but let us not mention that, they all signed and knew it, right? I mean, we do not need to represent these people.

On the other hand, we have plenty of illegals on welfare who are getting a huge representation in Congress... and they not only pay zero taxes, they take welfare paychecks and free hospital stays. They know America is assumed to be Dr.Spock provider for them, while they kill each other and stick with each other... because we are the slaves and they are the adults.

[EnglishOnly]

Everybody should pay something.

This Business of People riding for free is way out of control.

Time to just go to a Flat Tax percentage for Everyone.

Same Percentage for Everyone when you spend money.

That would make everything Fair across the board!

[EnglishOnly]

Everybody should pay something.

This Business of People riding for free is way out of control.

Time to just go to a Flat Tax percentage for Everyone.

Same Percentage for Everyone when you spend money.

That would make everything Fair across the board!

[bigheadfred]

It is time to consider other, modern forms of financing for the federal government.

Like charitable donations.

[muawiyah]

I doubt that's the "crisis" you thought about ~ in fact, this concern over 50% being taxed and 50% not being taxed (by this one tax, one of many we might add) is a manifestation of the very evil Democrat "fairness" arguments.

Frankly, an income tax is, de novo, from its very inception, UNFAIR. The income tax fosters class jealousy and conflict ~ we don't need any more of that.

[muawiyah]

As I said, an income tax fosters class jealousy.

Just get rid of the income tax. Be done with it.

[Zhang Fei]

That's like saying prisons are full despite the fall in the crime rate. In reality, the fall in the crime rate is due to the imprisonment of offenders. Just as the rise in federal debt is due to the fact that less than 50% of income earners pays federal income taxes. Taking more people off the federal income tax rolls was one of Bush's greatest mistakes as a RINO compassionate conservative. People who aren't taxed to pay for government programs don't object when those programs are increased in scope and size.

[muawiyah]

If you want to do that go right ahead.

I was thinking more along the line of a sophisticated USER FEE system ~ now that we have computers that handle enough data to allow us to estimate on an ongoing basis directly attributable, assignable and non assignable costs (overhead) for every agency and every process.

Any federal operation that CANNOT be addressed in that manner should be devolved to the states.

[FlingWingFlyer]

There are now more freeloaders riding in the wagon than there are pulling it. We in a heap O trouble.

[muawiyah]

Look, people who benefit from a government service that can't be paid for by the users of that service are FREE RIDERS ~ not the poor schlemiels who don't have enough income to tax.

You put the cart before the horse when you focus on what happens with the federal income tax rather than who uses the government.

Ronald Reagan did America a great favor by beginning the process of removing the personal income tax burden from the working poor!

[muawiyah]

Look, people who benefit from a government service that can't be paid for by the users of that service are FREE RIDERS ~ not the poor schlemiels who don't have enough income to tax.

You put the cart before the horse when you focus on what happens with the federal income tax rather than who uses the government.

Ronald Reagan did America a great favor by beginning the process of removing the personal income tax burden from the working poor!

[muawiyah]

Look, people who benefit from a government service that can't be paid for by the users of that service are FREE RIDERS ~ not the poor schlemiels who don't have enough income to tax.

You put the cart before the horse when you focus on what happens with the federal income tax rather than who uses the government.

Ronald Reagan did America a great favor by beginning the process of removing the personal income tax burden from the working poor!

[cripplecreek]

No one should pay any income tax as far as I’m concerned.

The working poor also have to be considered. They aren’t exactly freeloaders. If someone makes $30,000 a year they aren’t going to pay much in income taxes and if they have dependents, they likely aren’t paying any. However nobody gets out from under social security.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

That is the right question, and why you won’t see a breakdown of those who aren’t paying federal income tax.

(all information from CIA Factbook)

US Population 313.8m

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.1%,
65 years and over: 13.1%

1) To start with, 33.2% of Americans are mostly too young or two old to work. No work, no income taxes.

2) 76% of those not paying income tax is because they earn under $25,000 a year. You cannot get blood from a turnip.

[Captain7seas]

Read The Creature From Jeykel Island and you will know why we have an income tax and why we don’t need it at all period.

[risen_feenix]

The DM was desperate to provide cover for socialism in deliberately misinterpreting the results of this study.

“Not Represented on a Taxable Return”: means children whose parents DO pay some tax are part of the 50.5% who DO pay taxes/”Represented on a Taxable Return”. Most retirees have retirement income, to they too are “Represented on a Taxable Return”.

So the DM’s statement: “The figures include children, the retired and others who do not participate in the labour force.” is deliberately misleading. They want you to believe that ALL children and retirees are part of the 50% who don’t pay taxes. Quite false. They’re on both sides, with most retirees on the “Represented” side, not the “Not Represented” side.

Equally fallacious is the DM’s claim that “Nonetheless, they largely reflect the sudden jump in the unemployment rate after the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent recession.” is quite misleading

And how does a 4-5% increase in unemployment account for 12-15% fewer taxpayers? It’s because since GWB took office, they raised the minimum taxable income amount you need to make to pay taxes. More don’t earn enough to pay taxes than lost their jobs. The DM lied to hide this point.

Quite the hatchet job to deliberately mis-portray this study.