About those tea parties
Bookworm on Apr 13 2009 at 8:17 am | Filed under: Taxes
Melissa Clouthier has a nice post about the tax freedom tea parties planned all over America for this coming Wednesday. After addressing (and pretty much dismissing) some concern from those on the Right about the motivations behind the tea parties, she has this lovely paragraph about the worry from the Left:
I’m smelling more than a little jealousy, fear and loathing from my leftist brethren. Protests over the last eight years were nonsensical, anemic affairs with screaming meemees in pink T-shirts. Or they’re naked hot chicks for PETA. Or they’re naked bicyclers protesting war and Israel and the new world order. In short, the Leftists come across as unstable whack-jobs with no job and time to burn who had no purpose in life but their thinly veiled America-hate. Plus, they just don’t have many numbers.
One of the things I know people on the Right are worried about is the Left trying to make those on the Right appear like unstable whack-jobs, by appearing with signs demanding the death of gays or abortion providers or Muslims or whatever other ugly thought they can come up with as a smear on conservatives.
One of my friends has turned into a politico dynamo working on our San Francisco protest. She’s sent out a couple of emails address both organizer concerns about infiltrators and providing information that should concern every American about taxes. First, regarding the infiltrators:
If you see someone and they aren’t one of us, i.e., they’re wearing an ACORN t-shirt, they have a sign that says “Homophobe or Nazi” etc., they’re screaming certain things at us, they’re not wearing a tea bag pin, do the following:
1—as above, grab someone w/ a camera and keep your eve on them;
2—grab one of our “INFILTRAITOR” signs and go stand next to them, have someone take a picture and stick w/ that person for a while…it might agitate them enough to leave or relocate.
3—if you feel comfortable approaching them, you can tell them this and see if it has any impact:
“We have a permit that restricts this protest to matters of taxes and the budget and stimulus/bailouts. An anti-war or pro-abortion sign isn’t by law permitted at this protest. You will have to go somewhere else w/ this sign OR take one of ours or I will have to ask the police to escort you away.”
And regarding the actual reason for the protests, how about these tax statistics from Joseph Henchman, Director of State Projects, Tax Foundation, Washington, D.C.:
Tax Facts
¨ In 2005, the estimated time and money cost of complying with the federal Internal Revenue Code was 6 billion man-hours worth $265 billion.
¨ The code that year stood at 7 million words in 736 code sections, up from 718,000 words in 103 code sections in 1955. By contrast, the King James Bible has 788,280 words in 66 books, the Harry Potter series has just over 1 million words in 7 books, and the English translation of War and Peace has 560,000 words.
¨ In 2009, Americans worked 103 days of the year to pay for federal, state, and local taxes. This is more than the days worked for housing, food, and clothing (13 days) combined. Americans worked 38 days to pay income taxes, 27 days to pay Social Insurance taxes, 15 days to pay sales and excise taxes, 12 days to pay property taxes, 6 days to pay corporate income taxes, and 4 days to pay other taxes.
¨ In 2006, about one-third of all individual income tax returns (45.6 million) reclaimed every dollar of income tax withheld during the year.
¨ The form 1040 and instructions in 1913 was only 4 pages. In 2009, they are 94 pages.
¨ In tax year 2008, 154.3 million individual income tax returns were filed, resulting in government collections after refunds of $1.059 trillion.
¨ 61 percent of filers used a paid preparer.
¨ In tax year 2006, the “top 10 percent” began at $108,904 in adjusted gross income; the “top 1 percent” at $388,806 in adjusted gross income. 355,204 returns had more than $1 million in adjusted gross income.
¨ 62.8% of individual returns claim the standard deduction; 35.3% itemize.
¨ In 2005, 21.9 million returns claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which paid out $39.7 billion. 12.8 million returns checked the box to provide funds to the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. 48 taxpayers gave a total of $21,179 to reduce the national debt.
¨ 7 states have no state income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Two other states, New Hampshire and Tennessee, tax capital income but not wage income.
¨ 5 states have no state sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon.
¨ The first income tax was levied in 1404 in England. While the U.S. adopted a temporary income tax in 1862, it was not permanently enacted until 1913 after ratification of the Sixteenth Amendment.
¨ The 1913 income tax rates ranged from 1 percent to 7 percent on income over $500,000. The average annual income earned that year was $800.
Principles of Sound Tax Policy
¨ Simplicity. Administrative costs are a loss to society, and complicated taxation undermines voluntary compliance by creating incentives to shelter and disguise income.
¨ Transparency. Tax legislation should be based on sound legislative procedures and careful analysis. A good tax system requires informed taxpayers who understand how tax assessment, collection, and compliance works. There should be open hearings and revenue estimates should be fully explained and replicable.
¨ Neutrality. The fewer economic decisions that are made for tax reasons, the better. The primary purpose of taxes is to raise needed revenue, not to micromanage the economy. The tax system should not favor certain industries, activities, or products.
¨ Stability. When tax laws are in constant flux, long-range financial planning is difficult. Lawmakers should avoid enacting temporary tax laws, including tax holidays and amnesties.
¨ No Retroactivity. As a corollary to the principle of stability, taxpayers should rely with confidence on the law as it exists when contracts are signed and transactions made.
¨ Broad Bases and Low Rate. As a corollary to the principle of neutrality, lawmakers should avoid enacting targeted deductions, credits and exclusions. If such tax preferences are few, substantial revenue can be raised with low tax rates. Broad-based taxes can also produce relatively stable tax revenues from year to year.
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16 Responses to “About those tea parties”
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As a gentle reminder, for those that cannot attend your local Tea Party or lack thereof; I provided in another thread several weeks ago the addresses of the media.
Make sure you use your Liberty stamps – it adds a nice touch to the enclosure.
I so wanted to go but cannot given that I just started a new job and can’t take time off yet.
However, I did donate and urge others to do the same if they cannot attend a tea party. There are so many ways to support these and other efforts that draw people’s attention to what concerns so many of us here.
I’m very excited about the 15th – can’t wait to see what happens!
Deana
Work permitting, and this is our slow part of the year, I will attend a local party being held at the courthouse.
Still working on getting the boss to attend , but he did say he would pay me to go.
I did get some friends to commit to attending.
Went to a friends for Easter dinner and out of about twenty gathered, maybe three knew what the parties were and what the purpose of the parties are. Did a lot of explaining and cajoling in an effort to boost attendance.
Since I’m between projects, I’m going no matter what. But here in Dallas, you don’t mess with the business cycles! So our Tea Party is 6pm-9pm. My first protest. They say you never forget your first.
Pakistan gets $7.6 billion rescue fund
Sridhar Krishnaswami in Washington | November 25, 2008 10:54 IST
This seems like the right place to make the point.
Item 1: November 25, 2008 via India Times: AID TO PAKISTAN
In its first intervention in Asia since the beginning of the current financial crisis, the IMF has approved a $7.6 billion rescue fund for Pakistan that will support the country’s economic stabilisation programme.
Upon the approval of the IMF’s executive board, an amount equivalent to $3.1 billion becomes immediately available to Pakistan, and the remaining amount will be phased in, subject to quarterly reviews in a 23-month stand-by arrangement under which the total amount of resources made available equal 500 per cent of the country’s quota.
The arrangement was approved by the Board under the Fund’s fast-track Emergency Financing Mechanism procedures.
Item 2: April 14, 2009 – WHAT AID ($3.1 Billion) BOUGHT FOR PAKISTAN
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s pro-U.S. president signed a regulation late Monday to put a northwestern district under Islamic law as part of a peace deal with the Taliban, going along after coming under intense pressure from members of his own party and other lawmakers.
Asif Ali Zardari’s signature was a boon for Islamic militants who have brutalized the Swat Valley for nearly two years in demanding a new justice system. It was sure to further anger human rights activists and feed fears among the U.S. and other Western allies that the valley will turn into a sanctuary for militants close to Afghanistan.
Whatever criticism may come, Zardari can claim some political cover — the National Assembly voted unanimously Monday to adopt a resolution urging his signature, although at least one party boycotted. Earlier, a Taliban spokesman had warned lawmakers against opposing the deal.
I think for $3.1 billion we could level the Swat Valley and most of Pakistan and start fresh.
The domestic teenager and I will be going to the one here in Champaign-Urbana–I’m going as the sober homeowner driven by extreme circumstances to protest. I suggested that the DT go as a protest babe, but that got me such an extreme eyeroll that I thought her eyeballs would torque out of her head.
I missed out on protesting when I was a student years ago except for a single “Take Back the Night” march. At least now I’ll be much better dressed
The authorities may be watching. Teaparties are being attended by “Right Wing Extremists”, apparently. (That’s us, in case you didn’t know)
http://michellemalkin.com/2009/04/14/confirme-the-obama-dhs-hit-job-on-conservatives-is-real/
Bush’s initial instincts on the Department of Homeland Security was correct. It was not something that was crucial to protecting America. But Bush, being in favor of government intervention and in agreement with some Socialist principles of government intervention, was swayed by his advisers and the “loyal opposition” in Congress calling for the DHS.
Of course, we all know that a few dozen Americans killing hijackers protected more airliners than any damn DHS “color coordination party”.
Like Social Security and Government subsidized companies, DHS will become the tool of the powerful to oppress those without power. The redistribution of power from the people, who has most of the power, to the government, which has less power. That’s Our BIg Ass Mistake America, OBAMA.
And the idiot Leftists still talk about how outlawing guns will save anybody.
suek, I heard about that, and I just pray that the domestic teenager doesn’t–she’s already radical enough thanks to ongoing combat with her social studies teacher. She would adore being thought of as a domestic terrorist.
Ymar #8:
>> Our Big Ass Mistake America, OBAMA
Ooooooh, is that an original? Awesome!!!
New blog…!! Lots of good ones out there…!
http://legalinsurrection.blogspot.com/2009/04/liberal-doughboys-afraid-of-tea-parties.html
I wonder if ACORN is on the DHS list. Probably not. They’re on the same side as our leader.
I pretty much tea’d off right now (I know a dreadful pun, as if there is another kind). So, we’re now considered right wing extremists. Does that come under the header of a ‘clear and transparent new government approach’ to doing business with Americans.
I think DHS needs a little decaffeinated tea to wash down the b.s. rhetoric.
Btw….
Ymarsakar gets the award for the best acronym !
Mike, I can’t take credit, since I heard it first from a commenter here actually.
Sadie…this is an interesting piece on that DHS report…
http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2009/04/splcization-of-law-enforcement-in-21st.html
Thanks for posting, suek and thinking of me.
I had trouble thinking for 8 days (you know that Passover holiday). All I could do was dream about grilled cheese sandwiches and pizzas.
July 4th, 2009 is less than a month away. Here’s your gentle reminder.
http://www.teapartyday.com/