Are the rich paying their 'fair' share?

[Al B. Sure!]

I wouldn't describe most of my neighbors as being "very wealthy". Most are middle-class government workers.

Median household income 20151: $103,899

National median household income is less than half that.

Privilege of being middle-class then if that is middle-class

[BlackCat]

Privilege represents the intangible social benefits of possessing high social standing.

I'm not saying such privilege is significant (although it can be; for example, networking) but I assume that's where Jon Miller was going with this.

Wonder if someone would care to explain Al why there once was a revolution ?

Though, it's quite curious that you yanks had that revolution that should make everyone equal and then accept that there are an "aristocracy" that can control society as they want.

[Hauldren Collider]

I wouldn't describe most of my neighbors as being "very wealthy". Most are middle-class government workers, plus a couple of retirees (who probably are really rich).

[giblets]

NON-MONETARY, NON-TAXABLE PRIVILEGE OF BEING WEALTHY!!!!

it exists

admit it.

You don't have to be very "wealthy" to not live in a crime-ridden cesspool. It has nothing at all to do with the Buffet rule, in fact.

[Al B. Sure!]

Al, you don't have to convince us that Philly is a terrible place to live. We didn't choose to live there.

NON-MONETARY, NON-TAXABLE PRIVILEGE OF BEING WEALTHY!!!!

it exists

admit it.

[Hauldren Collider]

I recently got offered a job paying $30 an hour fixing computers for a law firm. I wouldn't have gotten the job if my dad hadn't been (very) loosely connected to the guy who runs the company. That said, I also wouldn't have gotten the job offer if I didn't have almost a decade of experience fixing computers either.

But no, says Jon. Daddy's money is everything. Never mind the fact that my dad paid his way through college and didn't start out rich. Let's just gloss over those inconvenient details.

[giblets]

Al, you don't have to convince us that Philly is a terrible place to live. We didn't choose to live there. And the government is never going to tax the intangible benefits of being middle class instead of broke, even if you consider that unfair.

[Al B. Sure!]

Let's summarize...

In absolute dollars, 20151 residents pay an extra $1000 on property taxes compared to 19133 residents who pay nearly THREE TIMES the tax rate!

19133 residents pay city wage tax of ~4% and sales tax of 8%; Fairfax has no city wage tax (???) and a sales tax of 5%.

19133 residents live in an area with SIX TIMES the crime rate 20151 residents experience.

Median household income in 19133 is 15% that of 20151. Fairfax residents make OVER SIX TIMES as much money.

YET, non-housing costs in Philly are HIGHER than in Fairfax...

and you're saying what now about consumption and saving?


I'm pretty sure I've just demonstrated that the advantages associated with living in a wealthy neighborhood (namely low crime exposure) are NOT paid for through taxation or anything else.

Ergo, a non-monetary, non-taxable privilege of being wealthy!

[giblets]

Let's summarize...

Median household income in 19133 is 15% that of 20151. Fairfax residents make OVER SIX TIMES as much money.

YET, non-housing costs in Philly are HIGHER than in Fairfax...

and you're saying what now about consumption and saving?

Get a job in Fairfax. Get a house with a mortgage. Through the power of saving you will pay off the mortgage and will be able to go on midnight stroll if you so desire.

[Hauldren Collider]

Jon has successfully observed that smart people occasionally underachieve and that sometimes talent is not optimally selected, thereby "proving" that intelligence doesn't have to do with income.

[giblets]

Many of the people who make a low wage, only have low wage jobs available so that some capitalist can have a higher rate of return.

I pay a tax on the gain from my labor.

The capitalist should pay a tax on the gain from my labor too.

JM

Okay. If consumption is taxed then everyone who gains from your labor will get taxed.

[Al B. Sure!]

Let's summarize...

In absolute dollars, 20151 residents pay an extra $1000 on property taxes compared to 19133 residents who pay nearly THREE TIMES the tax rate!

19133 residents pay city wage tax of ~4% and sales tax of 8%; Fairfax has no city wage tax (???) and a sales tax of 5%.

19133 residents live in an area with SIX TIMES the crime rate 20151 residents experience.

Median household income in 19133 is 15% that of 20151. Fairfax residents make OVER SIX TIMES as much money.

YET, non-housing costs in Philly are HIGHER than in Fairfax...

and you're saying what now about consumption and saving?


I'm pretty sure I've just demonstrated that the advantages associated with living in a wealthy neighborhood (namely low crime exposure) are NOT paid for through taxation or anything else.


Ergo, a non-monetary, non-taxable privilege of being wealthy!

[Jon Miller]

Many of the people who make a low wage, only have low wage jobs available so that some capitalist can have a higher rate of return.

I pay a tax on the gain from my labor.

The capitalist should pay a tax on the gain from my labor too.

JM

[Al B. Sure!]

Oh yeah and let's compare cost of living in 19133 vs. 20151 (100 is national index):

19133:
Food: 128
Utilities: 132
Misc.: 121

20151:
Food: 111
Utilities: 101
Misc.: 99

Hmm... so the non-housing cost of living in Philly is higher than Fairfax!

http://www.bestplaces.net/cost_of_living/city/pennsylvania/philadelphia

http://www.bestplaces.net/cost_of_living/zip-code/virginia/chantilly/20151

[giblets]

Median household income 19133: $16,206
Median household income 20151: $103,899

It's not easy to save when your household income is $16K

If you earn minimum wage you should probably consider investing in yourself.