Cell Phones as an entitlment and other stupid things

[rocks 494]

and I explained I meant income taxes. Payroll taxes actually hit lower income families less because they pay at a much lower rate and many get the EIC, which means they get back more than they paid in.

payroll taxes, which fund the big entitlement programs, hit low-income households harder than most since 100% of their income is subject to them. High-income filers pay a lower percentage of their income in payroll taxes since wages subject to the Social Security tax are capped at $110,100.

Do you have an explanation for this?

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Do you have an explanation for this?

Which part do you want explained. ?

Lower income families usually pay a much lower nominal income tax rate . Last Year I paid 33% rate, where as most people who made under 35K paid a 15% rate. Also a very large percentage of those who made under 35K actually had a net Zero tax or got back more than they paid in.

Millions and Millions of Americans who made under 35K not only paid paid Zero Income Taxes, but actually got back way more than they paid in.

I have a guy that works at the same place I do, but in a Blue Collar position. He paid in about 600 Dollars last year but got back more than 6,600. He had a net tax liability of +6000.

[Neonred 3,562]

You would have to be seriously out of touch with this issue to assume I meant 47% make zero .

As for me having a job, I would bet a dime to a dollar that I paid close to your take home salary in income taxes last year.

Once again you don't understand the issue.

Did you know that millions of Americans pay in very very little tax but get thousands back ??

I'm in the same position as you, and guess what? With Obamacare you and I are going to be paying more tax.

[JohnR! 5,495]

This country has completely lost it's mind.

I got a notice in the mail today that I could sign up for a free cell phone if I meet the eligibility requirements set forth by the government, Why in hades should I be taxed to death to pay for a cell phone for someone that does not work.

I agree with you that this is the sort of aid that has been abused since its been revamped in the 80's...

[Teddy B 17,252]

This country has completely lost it's mind.

I got a notice in the mail today that I could sign up for a free cell phone if I meet the eligibility requirements set forth by the government, Why in hades should I be taxed to death to pay for a cell phone for someone that does not work.

I was at the local grocery store and a woman at the CS counter in front of me, presented her EBT card to get a cash payment. This woman had an expensive hair do, fancy nails, nice cell phone and from the size of her large butt also ate very well. She then took the cash and bought a handful of Lottery tickets. My head almost exploded.

This country is out of control when our taxpayer money is paying for people that are to unmotivated to work to have Cell Phones, Fancy Hair dos, Lottery tickets, cigarettes and Beer.

I am ok with helping the poor. Give them basic cheap food staples, Flour, Milk , Cheese, Grits, eggs etc. Maybe provide basic shelter. Being poor should suck and not be comfortable. Not being comfortable motivates people to do better. What incentive do you have to work, when you have decent housing, decent car, cash to get your hair done, government cell phone, and a government cash to buy items like Lottery tickets, Beer and Tobacco and you spit out more and more children to suckle of the Government #######.

If you are on Govenrment assistance Drug tests and Birth Control should be mandatory . .

This certainly speaks volumes as to what actually constitutes being poor.

Edited July 2, 2012 by Teddy B

[catknit 144]

SafeLink and Assurance are both cell phones available for low income/impoverished people who want them.

They do fill a need.

I work with seniors in a somewhat rural area where there is a high poverty rate. Seniors who get $400/month in SS and have no pension/retirement because they were field workers since the 1930s. The farmers who didn't pay into SS and the workers who made miserable wages really can't just do the whole pulling up of the bootstraps thing, especially now at 75+. Many get a whopping $7 in food stamps a month. Not a typo - $7.

For a lot of the people I work with who qualify, it is there only phone option. There is no way they can pay $30/month for a land line.

That said, I think the fraud situation is disgusting too. And, I managed many an hourly worker where tax time was seen as Christmas all over again. But, working more or harder would never get them more than their subsidized life - overtime available at the local plants/major employers may yield them an extra $10k/yr but make them loose their subsidies and net a "poorer" lifestyle. Would you really work harder/more hours just to gain less, lose the kids' medicaid, up your rent rate, lose your SNAP money, lose your EIC? In the cases I knew, it wasn't just trading apples for apples. Doing overtime may net them $300/month in cash but cost them $1200 in subsidies. I don't agree with it, but I completely understand why my former staff did it.

Edited July 2, 2012 by catknit

[Lornaevo 48]

Help the Needy not the Greedy.

[rocks 494]

Which part do you want explained. ?

Lower income families usually pay a much lower nominal income tax rate . Last Year I paid 33% rate, where as most people who made under 35K paid a 15% rate. Also a very large percentage of those who made under 35K actually had a net Zero tax or got back more than they paid in.

Millions and Millions of Americans who made under 35K not only paid paid Zero Income Taxes, but actually got back way more than they paid in.

I have a guy that works at the same place I do, but in a Blue Collar position. He paid in about 600 Dollars last year but got back more than 6,600. He had a net tax liability of +6000.

I cited your article, twice. I stupidly assumed you had read it.

Do I need to explain to you what payroll taxes are?

Please address my question instead of repeating what you have already said.

[웃 910]

For a lot of the people I work with who qualify, it is there only phone option. There is no way they can pay $30/month for a landline $30 for a Magic Jack land line which includes 1 year of service FREE, then $19.95 a year after that.

Fixed.

Edited July 2, 2012 by ☠

[rocks 494]

Fixed.

Are you going to buy them a computer?

In all seriousness, everyone needs access to a phone.

Edited July 2, 2012 by rocks

[catknit 144]

Lol - plus teach them to use the computer!

[rocks 494]

Lol - plus teach them to use the computer!

Plus make sure everyone has internet access? If only it was this simple.

[Teddy B 17,252]

Are you going to buy them a computer?

In all seriousness, everyone needs access to a phone.

Does everyone need access to a phone? Yes. Does everyone need their own cellphone? No.

I often wondered what the people who couldn't afford their own phones were going to do once all of the payphones started disappearing, now I know.

[rocks 494]

Does everyone need access to a phone? Yes. Does everyone need their own cellphone? No.

I often wondered what the people who couldn't afford their own phones were going to do once all of the payphones started disappearing, now I know.

I agree, not everyone needs a cellphone. Although, it may be cheaper to provide a cell phone than pay for a land line on a monthly basis. For people living in rural areas, a cell phone may be their only option.

[Teddy B 17,252]

I agree, not everyone needs a cellphone. Although, it may be cheaper to provide a cell phone than pay for a land line on a monthly basis. For people living in rural areas, a cell phone may be their only option.

I don't neccessarily believe everyone needs a phone in their home, nor do they deserve to have a phone in their home if they can't afford one. 50/60 years ago this certainly wasn't the case, maybe one or two homes in a neighborhood used to have phones. A phone is more of a luxury, not so much a necessity, which is why I said everyone should have access to a phone. I would like to see payphones make a comeback, have at least one centrally located in each neighborhood.roviding free cell phones for everyone. I read somewhere that these gov't subsidized phones include around 200 minutes of air time per month too, that's ridiculous. We have severely clouded the line of what is necessity and what is a luxury over the last few decades.

Edited July 2, 2012 by Teddy B