So letting people keep more of the money they worked for is a handout? I'm sorry, but I can't seem to wrap my head around that "logic".

I'd be willing to wager most people who work in industries where tipping is customary already do not report the actual amount of tips they receive. Especially cash tips that can't be tracked.

MACS wrote:

It's a handout because it reduces their taxes, but not yours or mine.

rfenst wrote:

Why do you want to tax tips and every other form of remuneration, Robert?
It's like you're jealous that someone can keep their earnings without paying a tribute to the regime's protection racket.

RayR wrote:

Common defense, roads, infrastructure, etc.,... those things don't benefit our society? Who is going to pay for all that otherwise without taxation? I contend we would not be the top nation in the world without all those things.

rfenst wrote:

Common defense, roads, infrastructure, etc.,... those things don't benefit our society? Who is going to pay for all that otherwise without taxation? I contend we would not be the top nation in the world without all those things.

rfenst wrote:

Some of you really need to look into the revelations of DOGE. SMDH

Gene363 wrote:

Or the government just spends less.

Cheno wrote:

Some of you really need to look into the revelations of DOGE.

Gene363 wrote:

Common defense, roads, infrastructure, etc.,... those things don't benefit our society? Who is going to pay for all that otherwise without taxation? I contend we would not be the top nation in the world without all those things.

rfenst wrote:

Common defense, roads, infrastructure, etc.,... those things don't benefit our society? Who is going to pay for all that otherwise without taxation? I contend we would not be the top nation in the world without all those things.

rfenst wrote:

On EVERYTHING?

rfenst wrote:

I pointed out in another thread that UAE has some of the absolute best infrastructure I have seen in the more than dozen countries I have visited.

They don't tax income or property. They have a VAT on goods and services at 5%. Everyone pays that. Rich people who buy more stuff and more expensive stuff pay more. No loopholes to get tax breaks. Everyone pays 5%, period.

MACS wrote:

I pointed out in another thread that UAE has some of the absolute best infrastructure I have seen in the more than dozen countries I have visited.

They don't tax income or property. They have a VAT on goods and services at 5%. Everyone pays that. Rich people who buy more stuff and more expensive stuff pay more. No loopholes to get tax breaks. Everyone pays 5%, period.

MACS wrote:

VAT analogy:

So, you earn $100k/year and someone else earns $10 million/year, but is a miser and spends less than you do. So, he pays even less tax than you do! Yet he uses the U.S.'s massive infrastructure to earn his money? Is it fair he should only pay what you have to pay?

Besides, the poor spend almost all their money on necessities. Rich people don't. It's a regressive tax.

rfenst wrote:

All taxation is THEFT because they are collected by coercion, but the most egregious are taxes on a person and his property.

RayR wrote:

That's not going to happen. 100k a year, you ain't driving top end cars, buying mansions or yachts. You show me someone who has 10 million and drives a Honda, lives in a subdivision and doesn't have at least SOME expensive stuff. Do you not understand hypotheticals?

The wealthy can be miserly, but they still buy goods/services. More so than Joe the mechanic.

No tax on OT pay will be a big pay raise for first responders (cops/fire/nurses) as they are some of the folks doing the most OT... without having to give them an actual pay raise by raising taxes.

MACS wrote: