U.S. added 3.9 million jobs in past 2 years

[chops]

everyone pays sales tax. Some people pay Income Tax but with misc tax credits get it all - or more - back when they file their return.

Here is my own tax data from this past year. It is horribly low but that's what unemployment will do to one's income:

2011 Federal Tax Return Summary

Adjusted Gross Income $ 14,458.00

Taxable Income $ 4,958.00

Total Tax $ 498.00

Total Payments/Credits $ 1,456.00

Amount to be Refunded $ 958.00

Effective Tax Rate 3.44%

My initial tax rate was roughly 10% but after taking deductions/credits it dropped to 3.44%. I couldn't even take advantage of all the credits that are available. If I could have, I would have gotten back more than I paid in. Here's a screenshot of part of my return I did on TurboTax:

Does that include the Social Security tax? They like to claim that is not a tax but it is. I'm sure I'll never see any of the stuff I paid out.

[koheesti]

everyone pays sales tax. Some people pay Income Tax but with misc tax credits get it all - or more - back when they file their return.

Here is my own tax data from this past year. It is horribly low but that's what unemployment will do to one's income:

2011 Federal Tax Return Summary

Adjusted Gross Income $ 14,458.00

Taxable Income $ 4,958.00

Total Tax $ 498.00

Total Payments/Credits $ 1,456.00

Amount to be Refunded $ 958.00

Effective Tax Rate 3.44%

My initial tax rate was roughly 10% but after taking deductions/credits it dropped to 3.44%. I couldn't even take advantage of all the credits that are available. If I could have, I would have gotten back more than I paid in. Here's a screenshot of part of my return I did on TurboTax:

Does that include the Social Security tax? They like to claim that is not a tax but it is. I'm sure I'll never see any of the stuff I paid out.

That does not include social security or medicare. I don't know how old you are but I'm 47 and I long ago gave up the fantasy of ever seeing any of the social security I've paid in. Oh well.

I read once that Social Security was a tax on black men to support old white women (or something like that). The point being, the average life expectancy of black men is/was under the retirement age and white women had the longest life expectancy.

[chuckd]

Don't doubt it. Those were 2008 IRS numbers. I checked the IRS website and they now have 2009 so the numbers are a bit different. According to the 2009 individual tax return data from the IRS (http://www.irs.gov/t...=133521,00.html), the top 1% of individual returns (1.38 million returns) paid 35.4% of the taxes (and accounted for 17.9% of the income). The bottom 50% of individual returns (69.08 million) paid 2.4% of the taxes (and accounted for 13.3% of the income).

In recent years - except 2011 - I paid about 10% in federal income tax (not including FICA Social Security andFICA Medicare). Spending half of 2011 unemployed it dropped down to about 3.5%.

So you're saying somebody making a typical wage in the US doesn't pay taxes? Bull. I don't believe one bit of it.

For your edification...

___________________________________________________

51% of Americans Pay No Federal Income Taxes

MAY 4 2011, 9:05 AM ET 120

Half of American tax payers owe no federal income tax, and most of those filers actually net tax benefits from federal income taxes, according to analysis from the Joint Committee on Taxation in a letter to the Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee.

This is the kind of statistic that is bound to get traction as Osama news subsides, and here are two ways to look at it.

Story continues here.. http://www.theatlant...e-taxes/238329/

Well, they must be dodging taxes then. I know if you have an average $50k job you pay a huge chunk of it in payroll taxes in the US. Either you do not live there or you have never had a job.

As far as your last sentence is concerned, As usual, you are half right.

[uptheos]

I don't think Obama has much to fear.....just keep quiet and let the four stooges destroy each other.

Should be a walk in the park come November, if there's anyone left representing the Republicans.

[Jingthing]

I don't think Obama has much to fear.....just keep quiet and let the four stooges destroy each other.

Should be a walk in the park come November, if there's anyone left representing the Republicans.

Romney's got the nomination in the bag. But he's got a pooch problem. If you're not American, you might think this is trivial. It ain't!

Compare and contrast:

Edited March 22, 2012 by Jingthing

[flying]

If you're not American, you might think this is trivial. It ain't!

I am not for Obama nor Romney but if Americans intellect has fallen so low as to be more concerned

about issues such as these..............Rather than the issues that is driving them to financial collapse

Well then they deserve what is coming.

Too bad

[Jingthing]

If you're not American, you might think this is trivial. It ain't!

I am not for Obama nor Romney but if Americans intellect has fallen so low as to be more concerned

about issues such as these..............Rather than the issues that is driving them to financial collapse

Well then they deserve what is coming.

Too bad

Perhaps. But CHARACTER is an issue, and Americans don't fancy people who abuse their pets. It does tell you something about a person.

In Romney's case, it does fit into the narrative of his total lack of personal connection with everyday Americans. There is a scary, almost schizophrenic seeming, lack of warmth in his persona. We already had a schizo in the white house, Dick Nixon, we don't need another. We've got to trust this man. Why would we? Answer -- we won't! Obama may have underperformed in the jobs department, but at least he doesn't love to fire people!

Edited March 22, 2012 by Jingthing

[flying]

Perhaps. But CHARACTER is an issue, and Americans don't fancy people who abuse their pets. It does tell you something about a person.

Exactly & while it seems fine to kill children with faceless drones or allow bankers & the FED to rape Americans future....Character is decided by

how the candidate or President treats their dog.............got it

[Jingthing]

Perhaps. But CHARACTER is an issue, and Americans don't fancy people who abuse their pets. It does tell you something about a person.

Exactly & while it seems fine to kill children with faceless drones or allow bankers & the FED to rape Americans future....Character is decided by

how the candidate or President treats their dog.............got it

I'm sure your fellow Ron Paul supporter shares your pain. Frankly, your attitude is massively out of mainstream American political thought. Nobody is going to end the fed and the drone program against America's enemies abroad is massively popular. Edited March 22, 2012 by Jingthing

[flying]

I'm sure your fellow Ron Paul supporter shares your pain. Frankly, your attitude is massively out of mainstream American political thought. Nobody is going to end the fed and the drone program against America's enemies abroad is massively popular.

Yes well there is always hope.....not that fake hope & change stuff either

Edited March 22, 2012 by flying

[Jingthing]

I'm sure your fellow Ron Paul supporter shares your pain. Frankly, your attitude is massively out of mainstream American political thought. Nobody is going to end the fed and the drone program against America's enemies abroad is massively popular.

Yes well there is always hope.....not that fake hope & change stuff either

Let me try to assist you with keeping this in the worldly realm of reality. Ron Paul has zero chance of being nominated. He has zero chance of being elected president. Ever. Even Ron Paul has said even he couldn't really abolish the Federal Reserve. So which hope and change stuff is fake? Edited March 22, 2012 by Jingthing

[flying]

Ron Paul has zero chance of being nominated. He has zero chance of being elected president. Ever. Even Ron Paul has said even he couldn't really abolish the Federal Reserve. So which hope and change stuff is fake?

As to the chance of *Republican* nomination..........

I would imagine so considering he is not exactly what you would call a Republican.

I never entertained the notion myself & always felt it was a way to get his message out there.

As to the presidential bid via a possible libertarian ticket......You never know & we will let the people decide

As for the FED none would even consider an audit till he brought it up.

As to the fake hope & change....well the record of Zero delivery speaks for itself doesn't it?

[Ulysses G.]

I'm sure your fellow Ron Paul supporter shares your pain. Frankly, your attitude is massively out of mainstream American political thought. Nobody is going to end the fed and the drone program against America's enemies abroad is massively popular.

Yes well there is always hope.....not that fake hope & change stuff either

Let me try to assist you with keeping this in the worldly realm of reality. Ron Paul has zero chance of being nominated. He has zero chance of being elected president. Ever.

Agreed. Ron Paul has too much lunatic-fringe baggage that has not been completely exposed yet. Obama or Romney will be the next president and the one that most citizens think can increase job growth the most effectively will win.

[chuckd]

None of that tied to the top of Air Force One stuff for Bo.

Bo gets to fly with the press corpse (sic) when he travels to vacation destinations

Just a side thought...Is the Press corpse anything like the Marine corpse? .

[Scott]

Again, just a reminder. Keep it civil.

[koheesti]

Obama or Romney will be the next president and the one that most citizens think can increase job growth the most effectively will win.

Sadly, you are incorrect. If Obama wins, it has absolute zero to do with voters choosing who can increase job growth more effectively.

[Ulysses G.]

Corrrect. I was slyly hinting that Romney would win.