Should the middle class and the working poor pay more in taxes, than the wealthy?

[Guynemer]

See, this is an example of a strawman. I'm pretty sure the debate isn't whether or not the wealthy should pay more, but how much more.

Okay, this is just a baldfaced lie.

EDIT: Or, your meaning may not be entirely clear. I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt on this.

[SlowwHand]

A flat tax rate

[Hauldren Collider]

Okay, this is just a baldfaced lie.

EDIT: Or, your meaning may not be entirely clear. I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt on this.

Not many people are looking for a flat tax. Flattening the tax and broadening the base don't mean actually getting rid of the progressive tax, just making it less progressive. Yes, there are people who are arguing for a flat tax, but most republicans aren't. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, for instance, do not favor making the tax rate completely flat. Thus the real debate going on in Congress is really to what extent our tax code should be progressive.

Herman Cain argued for basically a flat consumption tax (the 999 plan). I think that's another debate entirely, but he is part of the faction that does not want progressive tax at all.

[SlowwHand]

Yes, it does. Flat tax with no deductions does that exactly.

[Hauldren Collider]

Sloww, you really are illiterate.

By the way Guy, I think I see where your misunderstanding was. There is a debate about whether the wealthy should pay more than they do currently or whether the middle class should pay more than it does currently. If you're talking about changes as opposed to absolute differences, then no, it's not a strawman. Sorry if I was unclear.

[SlowwHand]

Just because you don't agree, doesn't make me illiterate, pup.

[Hauldren Collider]

No, the fact that you clearly didn't understand what I said or meant does, however.

[SlowwHand]

In your humble opinion, I didn't.

[DaShi]

The middle and lower class should pay more taxes. They benefit more from government programs and the wealthy use their money more efficiently. They wouldn't be wealthy otherwise.

[Zoetstofzoetje]

who cares about tax rates. it´s always the middle class that ends up paying most of the taxes anyway.

what bothers me about taxes mostly is not how high or low they are, but how they are spent. which is invariably terribly wasteful, ineffective, and misdirected.

[giblets]

Yes, it does. Flat tax with no deductions does that exactly.

Does what? **** the poor?

[giblets]

who cares about tax rates. it´s always the middle class that ends up paying most of the taxes anyway.

what bothers me about taxes mostly is not how high or low they are, but how they are spent. which is invariably terribly wasteful, ineffective, and misdirected.

So then why wouldn't you prefer a low rate?

[Zoetstofzoetje]

because governments are inefficient by nature. less tax = even less gets done.

[giblets]

Makes sense... if you don't tax it people will just stuff it under their mattresses and won't get anything done with the money.

[Aeson]

I prefer in mason jars buried in the garden.