Comments
-
@ThePandaPool , hence why I always been resistant to working over time, all that money gone to taxes and gained nothing
-
@megamanx181x, I work lots of OT, but that's a requirement to survive in NY with a family.
-
@ThePandaPool , your from NY? What part?
-
@ThePandaPool , kinda like a progressive tax scheme punishes you for being successful... maybe a flat tax imposed on incomes starting at 150% of the poverty line, the for every dependent you at 25%, example: single income family with 2 kids and a spouse = 225% of the poverty line before the flat tax kicks in.
-
@Hot Coffee, I wouldn't know the best way to run the numbers, but the easy way would be if you qualify for legal aid, you would qualify for a lower tax.
-
@megamanx181x, poughkeepsie area. Little town, Hopewell Jct.
-
@ThePandaPool , how is it in those areas? Forgive my ignorance cause whenever I hear new York I think of the major city but I know there’s a lot to the state outside of manhattan
-
@ThePandaPool , Wow what a crazy coincidence! I actually live in Poughkeepsie myself 👀
-
@Fluffle Puff, lol. I'm actually building a house by dutchess airport.
-
@megamanx181x, not bad. A mix between suburban and urban, with small cities. Very high taxes though.
-
@ThePandaPool , That's so crazy, I live *maybe* 5 minutes away from the Airport, right up 376. I wonder if we've seen each other in passing at any point
-
@Fluffle Puff, it's a small area, so most likely. Lol
-
@ThePandaPool , also the self employment tax.
-
@ThePandaPool , having kids is dumb. You’re working hard so one day they can get a job and work overtime so they’re kids can do the same damn thing?
-
@ThePandaPool , They say America is the land of opportunity, trouble is its also the same land that large company's have the opportunity to exploit their workers to work longer hours for very little extra, but this isn't the fault of the company, its the worker for agreeing to do such things, many people say "I have no choice" but I think you'll find that's all you have, you can go anywhere on the planet and do anything you want to do, and the only constriction you have is the compartmentalised mindset that many company workers have, break free, use your free time to start your own company, remember the greatest risk, is to risk nothing at all.
-
@butternut squash, not so simple. Look at the failure rate of private businesses, especially restaurants. Now think of how much overtime you need to work to start up in the first place. There is plenty to risk.
-
@BearDaniels, different people want different things from life, and being cynical gets you nowhere.
-
@ThePandaPool , in school they teach you to fear failure, play it easy, play it safe, if you fail you're not starting again at the bottom, you're starting with experience, I don't know anything about you or your life challenges, but what I do know is there is another way and just dismissing it because someone else failed is crazy, look at what skills you have in your current work and apply it, or not, all you have to lose is going back to the person you were when you made the first comment
-
@Hot Coffee, but then that only punishes those working at those levels directly. Let’s say in your example, poverty line is 20k, and the flat tax is 2000. So someone who earns 29k would not be taxed at all. Someone who earns 30k would be taxed if single. That flat tax is 2k. Suddenly they have less take home than the 29k guy. Now let’s go to another point, how this just would benefit the Uber wealthy. So, we’ll say a guy makes 40k. 2k tax, he’s taxed 5%. Seems like a little. But, take someone else earning 400k. They also pay 2k as a flat tax. They essentially paid 0.5%. Your flat tax idea means the working class would pay a higher percentage in taxes than the rich. Someone with 400k can afford that 2k loss far easier than someone at 40k. While I understand you’re thinking to help people who are worse off, a flat tax is not the solution. The progressive system we gave now isn’t perfect either, I get it, but it can be more easily fiddled with.
-
@ThePandaPool , well you see us male bears don’t take very much care of our kids. Sometimes we’ll even kill some kids so their mom is down to clown. I think we’ve got fatherhood pretty well figured out
-
@ThePandaPool , I dont believe that overtime is taxed any different from regular hours
-
@magrar, I think what they’re trying to say is that working overtime grossed more money, therefore more income taxes. I don’t think he’s implying it’s taxed differently, but I could be wrong. That’s just how I interpreted it.
-
@ThePandaPool , I’m salaried based on a 40 hour week and it is expected of me to work 65-70 hours per week, while people who do the same job are paid hourly and are not allowed to work more than 40 hours so that the company doesn’t have to pay overtime.
-
@Bobaganusche88, and salary should be illegal unless people are being paid over 100k a year
-
As someone who works for the SNAP/Medicaid office, I always have a hard time with this. I help some people who genuinely need the help, who want to work but physically cant due to unfixable health conditions, who applied for disability and got worked around to not get it. I also have approved benefits for people clearly working the system, saying the exact right wording to get where they want, people who could recite policy better than any worker. If its any solice, if we find out someone received any amount of benefit they did not deserve, we will recoup that money even if you have been off benefits for years, and yes I have sent people off benefits for 8+ years for investigation for possible fraud.
-
@TwitchingJacob, that does make me feel a bit better. It also makes me feel better that you can recognize there are grifters abusing the system and it bothers you.
-
I get it. I really do. I work full time, pay taxes. I get it. But, it’s not like people on welfare and food stamps live a great luxurious life off of the money of tax payers. And not everyone on these programs stay on them forever. My point is, your life while working is better than while government assisted. Not defending lazy people, I’m saying keep grinding.
-
@MetalHeadTony, There are SOME who live in genuinely poor conditions. But the vast majority enjoy luxurious lifestyles compared to the rich in 3rd world countries. I’ve been in urban EMS for 16 years and I’ve never seen a section 8 residence without a big-ass TV.
-
@A Deformed Penis, I’m a full time firefighter, I’ve been in these houses too. So they have a big TV. Have you seen the rest of the house? And I can’t help but agree that they do live great compared to 3rd world countries. I’m comparing them to other Americans though. (I keep reading this over again and my comment comes off as mean to me, I’m not trying to sound like a dick. Just trying to converse.)
-
@MetalHeadTony, on top of what Mr. Deformed Penis said: food stamps use to be for the essentials to live. Bread, veggies, some meat (not ribeye steak), etc. Now I see liquor stores accepting EBT and the few times I go to Walmart I see people with better shjt in their cart using EBT. I'm not saying anyone doesn't deserve to eat but it's frustrating to know SOME people take advantage of the system and can but crab legs and top notch steak when I work 60 hours a week and can't always afford those things
-
@MetalHeadTony, dude. My dude. Go to Detroit, pick any grocery store or convenience shop on Jefferson, sit in the parking lot and look at the number of brand new $40k+ vehicles and 9 of every 10 people who drive them will be using EBT (modern food stamps).
-
@MetalHeadTony, but you’re right that some people use the programs as intended, and for that reason they are worth keeping, but there definitely needs to be ongoing refinement of how and who gets the benefits.
-
@Hot Coffee, I drive a $8,000 used sedan that’s paid off. I’m happier for it because I can afford to go on vacations and and buy things that matter. Do people abuse the system? Absolutely, I would even say that more people abuse it than actually use it for its intention. My point is, poverty is poverty. I make enough to drive an expensive car and eat steak every night. I choose to live a better, healthier more enjoyable life that you need to have a job and a fulfilled life to enjoy. I’m not defending people who abuse the system, I’m saying it’s not all it’s chopped up to be. A nice TV (which are becoming cheap anyway) an expensive car and steak on the 1st and 15th of the month isn’t happiness to me. Perhaps this is a difference of opinion but it’s just how I see the world.
-
@MetalHeadTony, my point doesn’t contradict yours. Not saying to get rid of the programs. Just want a critical eye turned towards them every 10 years give or take, and changes made to minimize graft. The USA is wealthy, we can afford to look after our poor. What makes us wealthy is hard-work, honesty, and holding everyone to the same standards. If we slip on any of these we will turn into any other nation on the planet. I agree with your choice to live within your means. The more people who do this the better off our society will be. I don’t see why people take offense when this same responsibility is called for in the administration of our government.
-
@MetalHeadTony, in my experience, a significant amount of people on welfare could work. They chose not to because it doesn't make sense. Work 40 hours a week for a little bit more or stay home all the time and not worry about it. When Seattle raised minimum wage, people asked to work less hours so they didn't lose their welfare. It needs to be limited.
-
@MetalHeadTony, they make poor financial decisions. That's on them. They could work if they wanted to, in most cases.
-
@Hot Coffee, thank you for the civil discussion. Usually hot coffee forces the worst shjt out of me but in this case it wasn’t so bad.
-
@MetalHeadTony, i had a friend at work that used to live on welfare in wisconsin( or duluth cant remember which one) as he tells me he basically lived a middle class life. It provided a house and food. Thing was he had no actrual money so his friends and him would get bored and start doing stupid sh!t like stealing grocery carts and riding them down hills. This is all third hand and awhile ago so take it with a big grain of salt. But i thought it was relevant.
-
@RogueKnight, like I keep saying, these are all true facts, but they aren’t living great or even well for that matter. I’m saying it’s actually easier in the long run to get a job and live a good life. I don’t support that people choose this or that there are lazy, entitled people out there. My main point is that most people have this belief that those on social programs live just as well or better than those who work. This simply isn’t true. I’m not supporting what they do, I’m not supporting a system that can be played. I’m just saying that their life isn’t great or even close to it.
-
@CocoasBro, it is absolutely relevant, thank you for sharing (not being sarcastic). Seems like he lived a pretty lack luster life and decided to change and get a job. Good on him.
-
@MetalHeadTony, I would rather see 90% of people abuse the system and 10% need it then have the 10% go without entirely. we need empathy to make our system work.
-
@MetalHeadTony, again take it with a grain of salt this conversation took place months ago. Over a discussion of him breaking his arm ( hence the shoping cart part)
-
@MetalHeadTony, I understand a bit! But I literally have to put in about 15 hours of OT every week to provide for my family and I never see them! Honestly, if I was a POS and lazy and had no integrity, I’d probably like chilling at home with my kids and just dick off all day! Even if it meant eating PBnJ everyday! But, I don’t know! I’m drunk! Bye
-
@wolfman69, agreed
-
@celtics313131, bye friend
-
@MetalHeadTony, I have been around a lot of people on government funding do to missions I have done (medical, dental, vision, etc) and sadly it seems most people on the programs now days are taking advantage of the system while the ones that truly deserver to be on it and actually want to better themselves are unable to get on the programs for one reason or another. Most people I see now days are driving new luxury cars, have better phones than I have (flagships are most common in the area im in currently as only the best will do also they all have insurance on their phone cause you know they can't be responsible. I have heard them say things like this themselves) Nintendo switches and ipads for the kids cause everyone deserves to have an iPad and switch. XBOX or PlayStation cause you can't live without that and you gotta play madden. Big screen TVs. The list goes on. Driving through the ghetto here you also see that they don't have to mow their own lawns. The list goes on
-
@MetalHeadTony, I do like to stir the pot, for better or for worse, but I have been growing increasingly concerned with the lack of discourse in the political space. While I don’t think I will ever tire of kicking a hornets’ nest, civility is more important right now. One thing that really stands out, especially in this discussion, is that just about everyone in this thread agrees that the unfortunate deserve a helping hand. The disagreement is about how that help is manifest, but the important thing is we all agreed that helping the downtrodden is the right thing. I personally land on the more cynical side and focus on what can be done to reduce grifters and abuse, but I know there’s the need for mechanism to protect the vulnerable.
-
@MetalHeadTony, shut up idiot. People shouldn't get free money for being pieces of shjt. They live better than you think you ignorant pig. People like you are whats wrong with this country
-
When a Bernie voter creeps up behind you
-
I was raised from welfare and food stamps and there was nothing luxurious about it. My mom had 5 kids and the money she got from the government AND her job might not have been what we wanted, but it was enough to get us by. Imagine being a single mom of 4 boys and a girl with just a crappy job and little else.
-
@ Emco567, the difference is the words “and have never worked a day in their life”. I don’t think they’re making fun of everyone on welfare, just those who abuse the system.
-
@Noctobo, that's exactly the reason for my statement. So many people abuse the system that you can't even tell the difference between the good and the bad so those that REALLY needed always get ridiculed for it. Let me be clear: my mom HATED being on welfare. Your choices for dwelling are limited, CPS can show up whenever, and they notify the school as well so you're already labeled before you even set foot there. Anyway, my point is that people shouldn't post or say something so vague if they know it will cause misunderstanding, or worse, ignorance.
-
@ Emco567, and it perpetuates the notion that most people on welfare are doing it to steal from the system. when in actuality, most of them don’t even want to be on it. It’s just the only way to feed their family.
-
@ Emco567, I’m with you!!!!
-
Sadly, I'm related to people like this... in fact, I had to stop watching the series The Riches because it reminded me too much of my mother's side of the family.
-
Louisiana in a nutshell..
-
They're called Liberals and Democrats
-
@UglyNakedGuy, meanwhile, in real life... ($1.7trillion in tax cuts to the ultra wealthy)
-
I feel like the percentage of people furious about this vs the percentage of tax money that actually goes to social programs is way unbalanced
-
@SteveTheAlpaca, just imagine if the federal government didn’t squander so much money.
-
The ultra rich who don’t even have to pay taxes
-
Taxation is theft
-
Ugh..
-
People who abuse the system...Not cool.
-
Yeah, you also forgot government welfare.
-
So how long after drinking the Cool-ade do we ascend?
-
33 comments on a poli pic you know what that means! FLAME WAAAAAR!
-
Yeah it sucks. But it’s comforting to know that those people are few and far between and that the welfare queen is largely a myth. I take comfort in living in a society that provides important social safety nets for those in need.
-
That second cat should just say “Bloomberg”
-
I'm not allowed overtime where I work; but I'm allowed to bank some hours that I work to use later which is sort of nice
-
Exemptions people! 👏
When someone is working overtime, the overtime pay should be taxed less not more. It never really made sense to me. People are giving up their lives over 40 hours a week because they need money, and you want to punish them for it. Smdh