Howard Dean: 'Everybody Needs to Pay More Taxes, Not Just the Rich'

[Neonred 3,648]

Former Democratic presidential nominee Howard Dean recently uttered something most politically unpalatable on MNSBC with his notion that Americans who both own limos and drive them ought to be paying more taxes. "The truth is everybody needs to pay more taxes, not just the rich," said Dean in an appearance on Lawrence O'Donnell's program. "We're not going to get out of this deficit problem unless we raise taxes across the board." Dean said his words amount to a progressive "heresy," though they'd no doubt be noise to the ears of conservatives as well. Dean also weighed in with the view that defense cuts are a must, despite his pessimism that those cuts will actually take place. "We haven't really cut the defense budget much in the last 30 years," said Dean, who complained of freshly "ordered new uniforms for the chauffeurs for the top brass."

http://politix.topix.com/homepage/3688-howard-dean-everybody-needs-to-pay-more-taxes-not-just-the-rich

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Former Democratic presidential nominee Howard Dean recently uttered something most politically unpalatable on MNSBC with his notion that Americans who both own limos and drive them ought to be paying more taxes. "The truth is everybody needs to pay more taxes, not just the rich," said Dean in an appearance on Lawrence O'Donnell's program. "We're not going to get out of this deficit problem unless we raise taxes across the board." Dean said his words amount to a progressive "heresy," though they'd no doubt be noise to the ears of conservatives as well. Dean also weighed in with the view that defense cuts are a must, despite his pessimism that those cuts will actually take place. "We haven't really cut the defense budget much in the last 30 years," said Dean, who complained of freshly "ordered new uniforms for the chauffeurs for the top brass."

http://politix.topix...t-just-the-rich

They should tax Dentist at twice the normal rate...

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Former Democratic presidential nominee Howard Dean recently uttered something most politically unpalatable on MNSBC with his notion that Americans who both own limos and drive them ought to be paying more taxes. "The truth is everybody needs to pay more taxes, not just the rich," said Dean in an appearance on Lawrence O'Donnell's program. "We're not going to get out of this deficit problem unless we raise taxes across the board." Dean said his words amount to a progressive "heresy," though they'd no doubt be noise to the ears of conservatives as well. Dean also weighed in with the view that defense cuts are a must, despite his pessimism that those cuts will actually take place. "We haven't really cut the defense budget much in the last 30 years," said Dean, who complained of freshly "ordered new uniforms for the chauffeurs for the top brass."

http://politix.topix.com/homepage/3688-howard-dean-everybody-needs-to-pay-more-taxes-not-just-the-rich

Slight correction. Dean was never a Presidential nominee. He was a candidate in Primaries. He is the liberal Democrat former Governor of the Great State of Vermont and gets an A+ rating from the NRA for his solid support of Americans rights to own and carry firearms. He also was a big force behind Vermonts single payor health insurance system and is a surgeon himself. He is an avid outdoorsman. His portrait in the state house is of him paddling a canoe in Lake Champain with the Green Mountains as the backdrop. In case anoyone wonders WHY I live here. We do not have photo-op "Can I get me a hunting license here" weenies in Vermont.

He speaks the truth It is impossible to think that (soon to be) less than half the population can pay for everyone else. Our tax system is in no way realted to anything designed to pay the bills, it is a manipulative, punitive tool used by politicians to engineeer the population to their desires (except when it comes to curtailing illegal immigration and they all get a brain fart and forget how that works)

It needs tobe scrapped and replaced with the FAIR TAX (much preferred) or a TRUE flat tax that applies to ALL income earned with no deductions, credits, etc. so that EVERYONE pays their fair share based on their income.

Until it is changed, I am going to opt to dive below the income needed to eliminate my tax obligation and make up the difference with public aid. The current system shoots a huge hole right in the middle of the middle class and actually makes it economically unfeasible to be middle class.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

... a TRUE flat tax that applies to ALL income earned with no deductions, credits, etc. so that EVERYONE pays their fair share based on their income.

Now we're getting somewhere - with that slight correction. ALL income not just all earned income. We need to quit giving preferential treatment to non-earned income. Makes no sense to tax work income at rates higher than passive income. Income is income is income. And there's a tax to be paid on it. Period. That would be the way to go.

Oh, and Dean is right. Taxes will need to go up across the board.

Edited December 8, 2012 by Mr. Big Dog

[Póg mo 1,749]

Now we're getting somewhere - with that slight correction. ALL income not just all earned income. We need to quit giving preferential treatment to non-earned income. Makes no sense to tax work income at rates higher than passive income. Income is income is income. And there's a tax to be paid on it. Period. That would be the way to go.

Oh, and Dean is right. Taxes will need to go up across the board.

Just wait until the wealthy find any increase in taxes for a large percentage of the population will also necessitate increased levels of pay for the rest of society. It will be interesting to see their reaction if and when it happens.

Edited December 8, 2012 by InKorea

[Póg mo 1,749]

Wait until the wealthy who own shares in some of the US's biggest retailers all see a declining rate of return, when there is a large drop in sales thanks to a reduction in people spending their tax returns.

Edited December 8, 2012 by InKorea

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Wait until the wealthy who own shares in some of the US's biggest retailers all see a declining rate of return, when there is a large drop in sales thanks to a reduction in people spending their tax returns.

Not going to happen. Folks are still maxing out the credit cards. Those tax returns were spent a long time ago. The only thing that will limit personal spending will be to further tighten access to revolving credit. Almost any major retailer will give you a credit card and a huge discount on your first purchase, just for showing them you already have a major credit card. I hate standing behind one of these shopaholics, as each of their twenty credit cards gets turned down, one after the other, and end up having to pay cash, after all their debit cards get turned down as well.

[Póg mo 1,749]

Not going to happen. Folks are still maxing out the credit cards.

Those tax returns were spent a long time ago. The only thing that will limit personal spending will be to further tighten access to revolving credit. Almost any major retailer will give you a credit card and a huge discount on your first purchase, just for showing them you already have a major credit card. I hate standing behind one of these shopaholics, as each of their twenty credit cards gets turned down, one after the other, and end up having to pay cash, after all their debit cards get turned down as well.

[Darnell 8,479]

the majority of folk that own limos are small businesses, livery services.

####### ? More taxes for them? azzhat.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

the majority of folk that own limos are small businesses, livery services.

####### ? More taxes for them? azzhat.

Why do you think more taxes for them? A true flat tax will mean wealthy people pay more and lower income people pay more than they do now (-0-) but the people in the middle will roughly break even. The FAIR tax would do about the same but as a consumption tax people would have some control over what they spend and pay tax on. The FAIR tax includes a rebate for basic living expenses.

[Darnell 8,479]

Why do you think more taxes for them?

I don't.

Apparently Mr. Dean does.

[Póg mo 1,749]

Why do you think more taxes for them? A true flat tax will mean wealthy people pay more and lower income people pay more than they do now (-0-) but the people in the middle will roughly break even. The FAIR tax would do about the same but as a consumption tax people would have some control over what they spend and pay tax on. The FAIR tax includes a rebate for basic living expenses.

I think the minimum wage etc, needs to rise to get people to point where they're earning enough to pay taxes, and companies that deliberately cut hours to get around rules regarding sick leave, holiday pay etc should be forced to pay a higher rate of tax on any profits they make.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I think the minimum wage etc, needs to rise to get people to point where they're earning enough to pay taxes, and companies that deliberately cut hours to get around rules regarding sick leave, holiday pay etc should be forced to pay a higher rate of tax on any profits they make.

Oh, good! We can go down the toilet just like Ireland, Greece, and the rest of the EU.

[Póg mo 1,749]

No, Ireland went down the toilet because of austerity and a terrible decision to bail out the countries financial institutions!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

No, Ireland went down the toilet because of austerity and a terrible decision to bail out the countries financial institutions!

You mean greed brought Ireland and Greece down? Nah, the unions brought Ireland and Greece down. Living wages brought Ireland and Greece down. That's what happened. At least in the RWN bubbles.