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Are you a tax freeloader? I find individuals defending tax freeloaders are either committed leftists or receiving tax welfare themselves.Federal income taxes are the largest source of revenue for the federal government.

...followed VERY closely by SS payments. I have paid into SS benefits for 25 years, and have not received one dime of payout from it. I have never received the Earned Income Credit [which was conceived by Milton Friedman, not known for his leftism. He called it a Negative Income Tax) it would work better in isolation, without all of the other programs]

Rush's statement is misleading if SS contributions are in fact a tax (they are, as all involuntary contributions are taxes or fines).

It doesn't matter if some people make out (those who worked at low wages, and live to 110) and others don't (those who made just under the max taxable income, and die at 65). Just as a person with a high-income, but takes advantage of legal government deductions or incentives (e.g. ranching subsidies) is not free-loading unless the credits wipe out all of his payments, including SS.

Everything you stated had nothing to do with my main argument. One, SS/Medicare is a tax. Two, it is a regressive tax. The progressive benefit structure is irrelevant to my statement. The attitudes of people who pay it, or receive benefits from it, are irrelevant.

I am particularly struck by your attempting to label me as a tax-freeloader or a leftist because of your anecdotal observation of people you know. My record on FR shows otherwise.

Social security payments are a tax. PERIOD.

Those who pay them, even those who pay no federal income tax, are not freeloaders, even if they are leftists.

Fifteen percent is a sizeable chunk to pay from dollar one. Many of the folks who don't make enough to qualify for Fed income tax payments do have to pay state income taxes.

Frankly, I'd rather have a tax system similar to what we had before 1916, with NO income tax, and certainly no SS or Medicare. I do not consider the citizens of this country before that time to be freeloaders, and I do not consider them leftists.

Payroll are distinctly different than federal income taxes. Payroll taxes were designed to provide specific benefits. You must pay payroll taxes to receive benefits. SS and Medicare are very progressive in benefit structure. The SS tax is not regressive. It has a cap because benefits are capped. Even with capped benefits, SS is a terrible plan for higher income individuals.

The 50 percent not paying federal income taxes are tax freeloaders. Federal income taxes are the major tax funding the federal government and many state government functions. Everyone (except the truly disabled) should pay at the 10 percent rate except for a limited time and amount exemption. Tax welfare (large levels of fraudulent returns) should not reduce income tax liabilities below 10 percent.

We have become a nation of tax freeloaders who willing vote to tax others while receiving large levels of government transfer payments without paying the principal tax that funds the government.

Your comments reflect a strong leftist bias. I expect these comments from leftist blogs.